NO electric near the pond? How do you define near?. Then two options for aeration, a windmill (if youhave plenty of wind exposure or push air from electric compressor up to 400 ft to the pond.

There are several options for a fisheries (fish community) in small ponds based on ones goals. What are your goals?. In deciding your goals keep in mind:
1. One cannot raise lots of fish or lots of really big fish in a small 0.25 ac pond unless you do some fairly intensive management that involves aeration and daily feeding the fish as if you were raising farm animals, which is what would you be doing - aquaculture. Fish aquaculture requires a fair amount of time, effort and regular maintenance to keep over-crowded fish healthy, thriving and from getting sick and dying.
2. If pond is for some occassional, casual fishing and basic swimming, recreation and enjoyment then those are far different goals requiring quite a bit different methods.

Basically the more fish or bigger fish one wants to grow in a smaller pond the more effort it requires. Do you have time for it? It is not just fish, it involves watching water quality and weed management. The fewere fish one has generally the fewer overall weed problems they tend to have.

3. Generally, small ponds do "better" and are easier to manage with fewer fish species.

Fish IMO that are options for SW OH small ponds are listed below. Remember only one or two main species can do really well (thrive, reproduce and grow well) in smaller ponds. YOu can have an aquarium as a small pond but rarely do all those fish actually thrive - they are just present - put & take.
LMB, largemouth bass
Bluegill BG
Hybrid bluegill HYB
Catfish CC
Smallmouth bass SMB
Hybrid striped bass HSB
Yellow perch YP
Trout as put and take stocked in the fall (water temp65F) and harvested before water gets 70F in spring (usu sometime in mid-late May in SW OH).

Generally each of the above fish as one or two species fish stocking combos requires different management methods to produce a great fisheries. Create some goals and make some decisions as to what you might want to do and we can advise. Also to help you decide there are lots often many past discssions on this Forum (SEARCH feature) to help guide (or confuse) you. Maybe check out some of the topics in the Q&A Arvhives:
http://www.pondboss.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=postlist&Board=22&page=1


Last edited by Bill Cody; 02/14/10 05:12 PM.

aka Pond Doctor & Dr. Perca Read Pond Boss Magazine -
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