I'm not sure how to quantify the amount of plants that would be needed to reduce the nutrient level in my 1/4 acre pond or how to describe the nutrient levels to begin with, so, I thought I'd start this discussion and see if it leads me to a new pond project for next year.
My pond is 1/4 acre, 10 foot at the deepest, with an average depth of about 6 to 7 foot (very steep sides). Secchi transparency started out this year over 36", but as soon as spring was in full swing it dropped to range between 18 and 22 inches ever since. I feel like the pond is running on the edge of a fish kill should an algae bloom get out of control. I feed this years 2 to 6 inch stockers daily about 1/2 pound in the evening and aerate from 9pm to 9am. The recent water temps are pretty consistent being 78 deg F at the bottom, 82 at 18" down and 86 at the top 6 inches.
Side note: The pond gets flushed out a few times during the rainy seasons so much so that the 15" drain pipe can get submerged. I am thinking that chemical or mineral treatment could be a waste of money especially during fall, winter, and spring.
I have thought about using water hyacinth and floating pvc containment corrals to help with nutrient levels, but certainly cannot afford the time to manage if a large portion of the pond would be consumed with floating plants.
My goal is to determine if the nutrient levels need babysitting and, if so, how many and what type plants wound be best suited. Thanks for reading through my windy post!
