My name is Mel Duplantis and I live in South Louisiana. A good friend of mine recently acquired about 36 acres of property that has a 2 acre pond on it. The pond has been established for about 10 years it is well stocked with largemouth bass and hybrid bluegills and it is very healthy looking. The pond has 2 Kasco aeration fountains and a max depth of 15’ on one end. I have been asked to manage the pond. She wants the pond to maintain the beauty of the pond and have a place for her grandchildren to fish. The pond is fed by rain with no runoff entering it but she does have a water well next to it. To date the well has not been used to add water to the pond. We are in early summer and the water level is down about a foot. I have never managed a pond before and need all the help I can get.
How can I tell if the well water is safe for the pond? There is no pump on the well so it would be a slow addition of water using just natural output.
Do I need to run the aeration fountains 24/7? The pond is out in the open and gets lots of wind across the surface. I was told one of the fountain pumps is 220v and costs about $200 a month when run 24/7. I have not verified this yet. Would like to minimize the cost but don’t want to harm the fish. I look forward to any replies and guidance.
Thanks for any help.