Pond Boss Magazine
https://www.pondboss.com/images/userfiles/image/20130301193901_6_150by50orangewhyshouldsubscribejpeg.jpg
Advertisment
Newest Members
Grit160, Falcons_King, Aakash, REDRIDER07, Sparkyyc
18,441 Registered Users
Forum Statistics
Forums36
Topics40,872
Posts556,784
Members18,441
Most Online3,612
Jan 10th, 2023
Top Posters
esshup 28,365
ewest 21,463
Cecil Baird1 20,043
Bill Cody 15,097
Who's Online Now
3 members (Boondoggle, MnAngler, 4CornersPuddle), 625 guests, and 203 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,898
Likes: 106
OP Offline
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,898
Likes: 106
Well,
I've got a lot of fish in a 1 to 3/4 acre pond. Over the last three years I've probably overstocked YP (1,000+) and have decent numbers of RES (150) SMB (60) GSH, and FHM (25#s EA). I may also have 25 HSB, but I've never for sure, seen one.
I've got lots of small fish around the banks. I did stock some HBG (not many) but have been trying to remove them, I don't think I have that many left.
I was planning on adding aeration. I've looked at different types (solar and running a line 900' to the pond) and I've come to the conclusion, that I will not get it done.
Retirement is closing in, and I don't think there will be $$ in the retirement budget.
So,, what would you all recommend? I am running a AquaPro feeder. Throwing a mixture of Optima BG and Optima Bass food twice a day for 8 seconds each feed.
Shut down the feeder? Hope the SMB and mysterious HSB pick it up and start eliminating all the fry I see swimming around? And then start keeping the SMB and every YP I catch?
I would really like to avoid a bug fish kill.
Just an FYI, my pond sits in the woods on a northern slope. The water stays very cool through the hottest months. The top 12" may warm up, but below that it's cold to swim in..
How drastic should I get? Have someone come out and shock the pond just to remove fish? Or just start keeping everything. I was toying with the idea of adding LMB to start eating everything.. I have lots of frogs, and glass shrimp, I don't think the Crawdads I stocked ever took.
Thanks for your help.
Jeff


9 yr old pond, 1 ac, 15' deep.
RES, YP, GS, FHM (no longer), HBG (going away), SMB, and HSB (only one seen in 5 yrs) Restocked HSB (2020) Have seen one of these.
I think that's about all I should put in my little pond.
Otter attack in 2023
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 2,424
Likes: 19
J
Offline
J
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 2,424
Likes: 19
Jeff,
I am in much the same situation. I have kept every eating size CC I have caught out of my first pond. No aeration is in the works. Probably no fix for the leak. Both too much $$ to justify for the return on fish. I am hand feeding. I think after I begin catching most of the CC out of my second pond next summer, I will just maintain the grounds, stop feeding, and let nature take its course. It takes a lot of resources to maintain a private fishery in optimum condition. Feed costs about $40 a month for six months or more. That's more than the fish are worth purely for eating. Plus, I cannot keep poachers out, and FA is taking over.

Joined: May 2013
Posts: 2,885
Likes: 142
C
Offline
C
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 2,885
Likes: 142
SetterGuy, if you can take more time in retirement to be there in the spring you can control your YP numbers by removing egg ribbons. That has been very effective for me. You can also catch and eat more YP which is a plus. The YP have a limited life span so in time you won't worry about YP overpopulating.

The other panfish, yes you would have to plan for your predator balance. SMB should do a good job over time. If your HSB survived they also will help out. I can't imagine you lost all 25 of your HSB in a nice chilly pond. They have to be there, with very full bellies!

Is there a way you can encourage wind action on the pond? Funnel wind or open a path in the trees? When we get windy days which is rare where we live the aeration effect on the pond is pretty good.

Joined: May 2012
Posts: 1,358
Likes: 4
Offline
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 1,358
Likes: 4
If your budget is limited, you can reduce the feeding just to act as a supplement. Unless you want to recover some of your investment by selling the feeder... I think weight conversion from pellets is probably so efficient that a little can go a long way.

What are the RWs like for your fish populations?

Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 4,596
Likes: 36
Lunker
Offline
Lunker
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 4,596
Likes: 36
I wouldn't harvest any SMB, if you have too many fish then you will need every predator to help thin things down. It might not hurt to add 25 more HSB and just give it time.



Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 28,365
Likes: 774
Moderator
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Lunker
Offline
Moderator
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Lunker
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 28,365
Likes: 774
Retirement will mean you aren't working, right? So that leaves more time to fish. You can add more fish to your diet and lower your grocery bill.

Shocking the pond will cost a good percentage of what an aeration system will run ya. So, shocking is out budget wise too.

I agree, leave the predators in there and monitor their relative weight. Only start taking them out when their RW starts dropping.


www.hoosierpondpros.com


http://www.pondboss.com/subscribe.asp?c=4
3/4 to 1 1/4 ac pond LMB, SMB, PS, BG, RES, CC, YP, Bardello BG, (RBT & Blue Tilapia - seasonal).
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,898
Likes: 106
OP Offline
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,898
Likes: 106
Thanks for the advice, everyone. So, for now I'll leave all predators in place. I'll keep more YP, and and HBG that I catch. I'm not catching many RES. And if I ever see a HSB, and land it I'll try to put it back also. I've still got some feed left, I'll reduce the time on the feeders some more to maybe two, five second feeds. The two bags of Optima that I have will probably last til winter shut down.
I just can't get wind to the pond. Way too many trees.
It's frustrating making these decisions. Everything I had done to the pond to date, was all designed around adding aeration.
I just gave away my 18 mo old Drathaar. He was a heck of a dog, but was all hunt, and I don't think I'll be hunting enough to keep him.
Sometimes life just gets in the way of our plans. I do think my leak has greatly slowed down. My pond isn't down too much more than all the neighbors. I used to drop at twice the rate as everyone else.
I just really don't want a fish kill. Maybe some day I'll put aeration back in play.
Thanks again everyone.
Jeff


9 yr old pond, 1 ac, 15' deep.
RES, YP, GS, FHM (no longer), HBG (going away), SMB, and HSB (only one seen in 5 yrs) Restocked HSB (2020) Have seen one of these.
I think that's about all I should put in my little pond.
Otter attack in 2023
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 6,979
Likes: 14
S
Ambassador
Lunker
Offline
Ambassador
Lunker
S
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 6,979
Likes: 14
Sorry to hear, Jeff. If it's any consolation, we have 5 ponds here and only one is aerated. I have been fully involved with these ponds for almost 25 years, and around them for 20 years prior to that. Aside from losing the HSB in one pond, they have never had a Fishkill. And that's with tons of leaves going in every fall.

That's not saying a kill won't happen, but I have no plans to add any more aeration. I'm comfortable without it, after seeing no L.O. events over the years. Maybe that's something we don't discuss quite enough here...the costs associated not with building, but with improving and maintaining our ponds. We talk about the perfect pond, but how realistic is that, really?

Reminds me of an old hot rod saying: "speed costs money, how fast do you want to go?"

How perfect a pond do we want, or need?


"Forget pounds and ounces, I'm figuring displacement!"

If we accept that: MBG(+)FGSF(=)HBG(F1)
And we surmise that: BG(>)HBG(F1) while GSF(<)HBG(F1)
Would it hold true that: HBG(F1)(+)AM500(x)q.d.(=)1.5lbGRWT?
PB answer: It depends.
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,898
Likes: 106
OP Offline
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,898
Likes: 106
Haha sprkplug! How fast do I want to go? That sums it up pretty well..
There is only so much the budget will allow. Now it's a matter of priorities. Retirement for me will be a little uncertain. I guess I could keep working, but I sure don't want to do that. I'm glad to hear your ponds are doing well. I walk around the edges of my pond all the time. In the 3-4' deep area. Following a grandson as he tries to catch tadpoles etc.. I'm just not finding many leaves. I don't know if they dissolve, or what.
Thanks,
Jeff


9 yr old pond, 1 ac, 15' deep.
RES, YP, GS, FHM (no longer), HBG (going away), SMB, and HSB (only one seen in 5 yrs) Restocked HSB (2020) Have seen one of these.
I think that's about all I should put in my little pond.
Otter attack in 2023
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 2,885
Likes: 142
C
Offline
C
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 2,885
Likes: 142
Jeff, if you set up a little ebay store and sold bullfrog tadpoles and glass/ghost shrimp by the dozen you would make enough to put aeration in your pond in about one summer.

Check out the market for bullfrog tadpoles on ebay. You have an easy way to catch them, just need to find a inexpensive and reliable way to ship them around the U.S.

If you could create a PK shrimp trap, or create habitat that would make it easier to net them out you could sell them by the dozen or by the hundred. They are easy to store and ship and are very hardy. They don't weight much and you could fill a big void in the market.

Only down side is setting up frequent post office trips or pickups at your pond smile

Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,898
Likes: 106
OP Offline
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,898
Likes: 106
Originally Posted By: canyoncreek
Jeff, if you set up a little ebay store and sold bullfrog tadpoles and glass/ghost shrimp by the dozen you would make enough to put aeration in your pond in about one summer.

Check out the market for bullfrog tadpoles on ebay. You have an easy way to catch them, just need to find a inexpensive and reliable way to ship them around the U.S.

If you could create a PK shrimp trap, or create habitat that would make it easier to net them out you could sell them by the dozen or by the hundred. They are easy to store and ship and are very hardy. They don't weight much and you could fill a big void in the market.

Only down side is setting up frequent post office trips or pickups at your pond smile


This really is very interesting. A little business on the side might be just the ticket. I'll have to look into shipping tadpoles and PK shrimp. I might try to improve the shrimp habatat a little.
Thanks


9 yr old pond, 1 ac, 15' deep.
RES, YP, GS, FHM (no longer), HBG (going away), SMB, and HSB (only one seen in 5 yrs) Restocked HSB (2020) Have seen one of these.
I think that's about all I should put in my little pond.
Otter attack in 2023
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 2,885
Likes: 142
C
Offline
C
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 2,885
Likes: 142
It is CRAZY Bullfrog tadpoles, $2 a piece! on ebay over $200 for 100 tadpoles! They even sell them one at a time for $1.15 each. They usually sell them in little plastic containers not much different than what you buy a dozen nightcrawlers in at the local gas station.

They are marketed for small koi ponds, indoor aquariums, and ponds. They often are marketed for their ability to eat algae in small decorative ponds. Do they do that? i have no idea...

just think, each time you pull up your traps, there is at least $500!

Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 2,424
Likes: 19
J
Offline
J
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 2,424
Likes: 19
Some states have licensure / permit / inspection requirements for selling any aquatic life forms.

Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 3,668
Likes: 57
T
Offline
T
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 3,668
Likes: 57
Jeff, when I was a younger man and an avid quail and duck hunter I trained my English Pointers and my Labs and Golden Retrievers to hunt. There were several occasions where I was offered thousands of dollars for the dogs I trained. And from past threads here along with your forum name, I assume you have done some hunting dog training yourself. I am no longer able to train the pointers due to the long walks one needs to train a good quail, Phesant, etc dog. But maybe you will have the health and the time and ability to train such dogs for a price. You might be able to charge for training or a price for a trained dog. There are a lot of people out here that just don't have the time or place to train a good hunting dog.


Do not judge me by the politicians in my City, State or Federal Government.


Tracy
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,898
Likes: 106
OP Offline
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,898
Likes: 106
Thanks for additional suggestions guys. I have a lot to think about.
Tracy, I was fortunate to have three or four pretty good setters. One that was exceptional. I'm not sure I had a huge amount to do with how they turned out. It was in them, I just had to "not" ruin them.
I just gave away a Drathaar that I had invested too much money in. I just couldn't work with him. He was too crazy. I thought my setters were high strung.. whew..
Not sure I have the temperament for dog training any more. Hopefully I'm not just turning into an old grouch.
I'm amazed tadpoles bring that much money. Are they just listed for sale at those prices, or are they actually selling them? Ha


9 yr old pond, 1 ac, 15' deep.
RES, YP, GS, FHM (no longer), HBG (going away), SMB, and HSB (only one seen in 5 yrs) Restocked HSB (2020) Have seen one of these.
I think that's about all I should put in my little pond.
Otter attack in 2023
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,898
Likes: 106
OP Offline
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,898
Likes: 106
Ok, I’m resurrecting this thread because I have a question..
I found a very inexpensive solar aeration system.
http://www.fishpondaerator.com/files/Solardesc.html

They have a 60 watt system for $700 that includes 1 panel, 50ft of standard aeration tubing, Thomas Industries air pump, 1 diffuser.

Obviously no battery or controller, so when the sun is out it’ll pump air. No nighttime aeration.

I have a little less than an acre surface area with a max depth of 15’. Solar is my only option, as I’ve ruled out running air or electricity down from the barn. (Too far, up and down hills, with rocky soil.)

The question is, does running the aerator only during daylight hours, actually cause harm? Will it be of any benefit to do this? I don’t want to totally waste $700. I know I should have a much more power pump and three diffusers, but will one diffuser do some good?

Would I still need to phase it in? As in letting it run for 30 min for a day or two then gradually increase time until it can run all day. I’m just hoping to make the water a little healthier for my fish, and maybe getting some of the leaf debris broken down.

Thanks in advance for any info. I don’t remember seeing any aeration that was daytime only, but then I think would they sell a system that actually harms or has zero benefits? Who knows?

Last edited by SetterGuy; 05/30/18 08:44 AM.

9 yr old pond, 1 ac, 15' deep.
RES, YP, GS, FHM (no longer), HBG (going away), SMB, and HSB (only one seen in 5 yrs) Restocked HSB (2020) Have seen one of these.
I think that's about all I should put in my little pond.
Otter attack in 2023
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 2,424
Likes: 19
J
Offline
J
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 2,424
Likes: 19
Jeff, I think a small system like that might work for a 1/10 acre pond, but not a pond as big as yours. From what I have read on here, daytime aeration during the hottest part of summer is not usually done.

Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,898
Likes: 106
OP Offline
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,898
Likes: 106
So, pretty much no benefit? I was thinking it might be less than ideal, but was hoping it would still help some. Maybe not.


9 yr old pond, 1 ac, 15' deep.
RES, YP, GS, FHM (no longer), HBG (going away), SMB, and HSB (only one seen in 5 yrs) Restocked HSB (2020) Have seen one of these.
I think that's about all I should put in my little pond.
Otter attack in 2023
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 277
C
Offline
C
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 277
Setterguy,

Pm me your # to chat?
I have an off grid camp, I think you can get a functional setup for under $1200.
$600 for the aeration system, another $600 for panel, batteries etc.


Half acre 30 year old farm pond, Mebane NC. Aeration & feeder.
LMB, CC, SC, BG, HBC, two no account welfare carp and nine seasonal Tilapia that all the other fish are terrified of.

Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,898
Likes: 106
OP Offline
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,898
Likes: 106
Originally Posted By: Clay N' Pray
Setterguy,

Pm me your # to chat?
I have an off grid camp, I think you can get a functional setup for under $1200.
$600 for the aeration system, another $600 for panel, batteries etc.


I’m sending you PM now.
Thanks.


9 yr old pond, 1 ac, 15' deep.
RES, YP, GS, FHM (no longer), HBG (going away), SMB, and HSB (only one seen in 5 yrs) Restocked HSB (2020) Have seen one of these.
I think that's about all I should put in my little pond.
Otter attack in 2023

Link Copied to Clipboard
Today's Birthdays
PasquotankPond
Recent Posts
What did you do at your pond today?
by Boondoggle - 03/19/24 12:13 AM
Horizontal vs Vertical (big bass)?
by FishinRod - 03/18/24 09:41 PM
Watershed or Groundwater Pond?
by FishinRod - 03/18/24 09:30 PM
Pond needs help!
by Falcons_King - 03/18/24 06:31 PM
A modest proposal
by anthropic - 03/18/24 06:29 PM
Hybrid Striper Stocking Frequency
by esshup - 03/18/24 05:26 PM
Rust in Small Engine Gas Tank
by esshup - 03/18/24 05:17 PM
Bladderwort problem
by ewest - 03/18/24 02:49 PM
Managing black crappie
by Sunil - 03/18/24 12:47 PM
Reducing fish biomass
by Snipe - 03/17/24 10:08 PM
Water hyacinth woes: Dredging?
by esshup - 03/17/24 05:52 PM
I'M NEW SO BEAR WITH ME
by FishinRod - 03/17/24 04:12 PM
Newly Uploaded Images
Eagles Over The Pond Yesterday
Eagles Over The Pond Yesterday
by Tbar, December 10
Deer at Theo's 2023
Deer at Theo's 2023
by Theo Gallus, November 13
Minnow identification
Minnow identification
by Mike Troyer, October 6
Sharing the Food
Sharing the Food
by FishinRod, September 9
Nice BGxRES
Nice BGxRES
by Theo Gallus, July 28
Snake Identification
Snake Identification
by Rangersedge, July 12

� 2014 POND BOSS INC. all rights reserved USA and Worldwide

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5