Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Types of fish to choose Natural Pond, thing of the past?

I think we (humans in general) attempt to control things that we cannot control.

In terms of pond balance, we can influence what occurs in some ways but we cannot control it. Even a few gallon aquarium will kick our collective rears about the time we have "perfect" balance.

There is so much more at work in a pond than we can hope to fully understand, let alone control. Every organism in a pond can affect any and/or every other organism. Collectively all these organisms and their relationships are too much for me to process. Add weather, water and earth variables to the organism mix and you have really lost me.

I am a "natural balance guy". Do what you will or won't do to influence your pond. Most of all enjoy it because you are one of the lucky few who has one to enjoy.

I look at agriculture as a simplified ecosystem. In most ag systems, we have simplified things to maximize production of one strain (variety or hybrid) of a single crop species in an annual cycle. To me, this illustrates the complexity of managing ecosystems. Just taking a step toward perennial orchards or multi-crop vegetable systems requires a big jump in expertise, management, and risk. Fortunately, most of us do not count on our ponds for food! Food-based aquaculture systems follow the agricultural model of single species and batch production. That said, we can have a lot of influence on our pond ecosystems. The trick is to have the effect we desire:)

Maybe it's perspective. Or just a case of taking it as serious as we choose too. In that vein, just fishing in your pond negates the all natural aspect.

Well more natural than food bearing labels on plastic containers saying "all natural":)

Nature does what nature wants.
People do what people want.
Sometimes, people do what nature wants.
Sometimes, nature does what people want.
As dichotomous as that seems, rarely does it happen like that.
I pay attention to several "natural" ponds. They ebb and flow, based on the circumstances of the moment.
In the upcoming March-April issue of Pond Boss, we have a story based on "low maintenance" lake management. One of our readers asked the question, "This will be the last lake I build and I want to pass it on to my daughters. They won't want to do much maintenance, so what can we do in the beginning to make it a 'least-effort' lake?"
You may want to read that article, next issue.

I am posting in response to what "nature wants". Nature does not want anything any more than gravity wants anything. Nature just is. I know this is just a matter of expression, but nature has no consciousness. Nature is an array of processes and forces like physics.

Sounds like a good one. I'm looking forward to reading it.

You're a born romantic, RAH.

http://i.imgur.com/t7kuEou.jpg

Hard not to be...

The ability to switch it on or off would surely simplify things.

Beautiful shot! Looks very tranquil.

I haven't been around for a long time on Pond Boss but the best advice I got from pond boss is "just let it grow". I try to interfere as little as possible with nature. I am very impressed with a nature much smarter than I am. And much richer.

We get a lot of enjoyment by planting trees and other natives, and by digging "mosquito pits":) Our generation seems to have forgotten how the generations before us pushed back nature to survive. We are now to the point that natural habitats are getting pretty rare, so the pendulum swings back (just like the cycles in "nature"). I find the science so interesting that I do not find the need to personify nature. My opinion seems to have prompted sprkplug's comment above:)

I worked 2 jobs during the 10 year period before I retired. During that time span, my managed pond slowly became a "natural" pond. Not sure anybody here would like it. It can take a lot of time, money, and effort to turn a natural pond into a natural looking pond. You're fighting mother nature all the way.

Happy with my near-zero-maintenance pond.



http://imgur.com/a/rLvtI

RAH, you should be. Beautiful pond.

The trick is getting what you what established. It was not zero maintenance over the fist few years. Our second pond is needs about 2 more years to get there and we have a new wetland to start planting next year.

RAH enjoy and document your natural pond FULLY now because it will gradually, progressively, and naturally chance in the next 10, 20, and then 40 years to a point you will not recognize it. It is called succession. And the more types of plants present the faster the change occurs. Been there and done that.

That's what nature does.

Change and succession are part of the fun. I just hope to leave my little bit of the world better than I found it.

.....And that's the paradox isn't it? Changing the environment to be more natural so it can change to it's own liking, when if left alone in the first place it would have changed to it's own liking anyway.

RAH, I am messing with you a bit. I truly admire what you are doing and think it's a good thing.

Habitat restoration is all about speeding up the process. It can take hundreds, or even thousands, of years for a climax habitat to be reached, and then a fire can start it all over again. The real trick is to avoid monocultures of invasives that really slow down the process. For me, getting a diversity of "desirable" plant established, and then seeing which ones thrive, is entertainment, especially seeing the wildlife come. I am no purist. The muskrats are kept at bay, so all my emergent plants don't get eaten to the ground, and stocking ponds so each has a different mix, is part of the management. And of course, there is the deer hunting!

Living with and enjoying succession, now that is natural. RAH is correct diversity in nature is many times better and more productive habitat than monoculture.

I am enjoying reading this discussion over morning coffee with a pond view. Our pond is about 5% open water and the rest is ice covered. I know there is a lot of action under all that ice as spring draws near.