LB, with only fingerlings you shouldn't neeed aeration yet, but won't hurt. Feeding, hot water, lots of biomass, recipe for aeration. Can you put a lamp timer on the pump? With a new pond, dont worry about starting it up slowly. That is with old, mature ponds with sludge on the bottom and lots of larger fish. Just goferit. I aerated 24/7 in summer the last 2 yrs., but with low rain fall, I will probably cut down and aerate in night time. Too much evaporation.