Cecil, you are 100 percent correct about the aerator. As i mentioned, the pond survived well for over 8 years not ever having been aerated. In fact I thought of something else that further proves the pond is not a high fish kill risk. I didn't go out and buy aerator, it was already sitting in the pond from when my grandfather first dug it. (I think he mostly used it to help keep the alge matts pushed up against banks and not out in water. This pond had really, really bad Fil Algae problems in its early days and it drove my Pawpaw crazy!!) My only expense was getting it cleaned up and serviced. I just figured since aerators are so expensive, I might as well just pay 100 dollars and have the manufacturer completely clean it up and bring it to perfect working condition. Its really just out there as a back up measure since I had never fertilized before.
And yes I know that don't help stratifiation very much, but like I said its just there as back up "Plan B" incase the bloom became out of control
thansk

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