Originally Posted By: esshup
I read the thread in the archives (and all the links) about a ponds' carrying capacity. But I must have skipped over any hard numbers that were given. With that in mind, here are my questions:

What is the dynamic carrying capacity of a 1 acre pond (expressed in pounds per ac. ft.), that is described below; and how can I determine that I am staying near (say between 80 and 90%) carrying capacity?

The pond has a surface acreage of 1 ac. Average depth is 10'. Pond is aerated, both summer and winter, and the aeration duties are shared by two Vertex Membrane diffusers, one for 50* and above water temps, one for 50* and below water temps. The pond location is USDA Zone 5. The pond is a multi-species (fish) pond.

The fish are fed AquaMax twice daily at a rate that corresponds to the "feed only what they can eat in a 15 minute time span."

Regarding sunlight: Water clarity varies from 24" when a bloom is present to over 60" during winter.

Regarding water quality and nutrient build-up. The pond is a ground water/surface water pond (terminology may vary). Approximately 40% of the water volume is below the water table level, and there is some water exchange due to the porus, sandy soil.

Now how much would that carrying capacity change if there was no supplemental feeding? (again expressed in pounds per ac. ft.)

How much would the carrying capacity change if both supplemental feeding and aeration were not present?

Am I correct in my understanding that carrying capacity means total biomass?

If that is true, then how do I figure what percentage of the total biomass should be fish?


The answer is 3

Thank you - and goodnight.


Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after. ~ Henry David Thoreau

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