I have a 1.5 acre, one year old pond in southern Michigan. What I have read about BG is that native BG are probably better as a forage fish than are HBGs. So I'm thinking I could catch some of these BGs from the lake I live on, in June, this summer coming up during the early spawning season (just before they lay their eggs), and move them to my pond on the farm.

What I wonder is does anyone think the egg laden BGs would have time or the inclination to nest and protect their eggs and young BG fry? Presently the only thing on the pond is a LOT of GS I stocked last May. I will also be putting in some Fat Heads this coming May.

My Plan is to start stocking some Yellow Perch and a few SMB in the fall.

Eventually I may add a few WI as the dominate predator, and a few RT just as a bonus fish. These species I realize will have to be added a few at a time each year because I don't expect them to be able to spawn.

Marry Christmas to all.

I would be very surprised if BG transplanted in Spring to early Summer did not pull off a spawn afterwards.

Could you list all the species you plan to stock and your goals?

My Pond Goals are: Fish to eat (W/O feeding), Swimming, Irrigation for xmas tree seedlings (Plantation), & natural habitat for general esthetics of the property (20 acres).

Species I plan to stock include:

As many DIFFERENT kinds of minnows as I can find but mainly GS and FHs.
Native BGs
Yellow Perch (harvest for eating as needed)
SMB (harvest for eating as needed)
Walleye, 5yr stocking rotation, (harvest for eating as needed)
RT, 5yr stocking rotation, (harvest for eating as needed)

The pond already has a plentiful bounty of crayfish and frogs, and I have also spotted some pretty good size snapping and painted turtles which apparently have crawled in from my neighbor's pond. I also plan to add some Bull Frog tad poles this spring.

Aquatic weeds which I saw this first summer include: Canarie Grass, Water Primrose, Arrowhead, Chara, and green & brown Algae. Some cattails have also started to emerge.

Sounds like a great property and pond you have... What species of tree are you growing for the Christmas trees?

With the stocking of the BG, you're gonna have to work very hard to keep them from overpopulating and stunting. SMB are not nearly as efficient as LMB at keeping BG numbers under control. Even with the addition of the walleye, you still may struggle to keep the BG under control. You may have to utilize another control method such as some sort of trapping program.

Also, unless you want a pond completely taken over by cattails, keep them nipped in the but early and often. If not, they will most likely get out of control and then be much harder to manage. I like cattails myself, but they can be tough to keep in line. I would encourage other marginal species like arrowhead, pickerel weed and certain irises.

Do you currently have any species of fish in the pond now or is it barren?

In my experience you will have continual problems with too many BG if you rely on SMB and a few WE to control them. A very few forum members here are trying SMB with BG. I have yet to hear of consistant long term success of smallies effectively controlling BG and having larger BG for harvest. Smallies are not adapted to eating BG like largemouths. RES due to their low reproduction, are acceptable with SMB and should survive fairly well in southern MI. They occur naturally and reproduce in a few southern MI lakes.

Overabundant BG will bother (pecking and nipping) the swimmers expecially the women and girls. They will not be happy campers. If you want BG stock only males. There is information on this forum (search) for selecting male BG and in back issues of PBoss mag (see Archives for 2006 Indexes and Contents). For growing the best SMB read my 5 articles in 2009 issues of PB magazine.

I agree with Bill and CJ. SMB are not , in normal numbers , an adequate predator control for BG.

Bill how do those BG know to especially nip and peck at the women and girls ?

I grow Douglas, Concolor, Fraser, & Balsam Fir; Blue spruce, and some Scotch & white Pine. It is all "choose and cut" and I have a 1/2 mile wagon ride that the kids really love. When the pond starts to have some decent size fish I want to invite all my tree customers and their kids, out in the fall for fishing tournaments, and I will give away a tree for the largest fish in each species.

As for the current species in the pond, I put in the GS fry last spring, and about 30 BG during the summer which my grand children caught from the lake I live on. Other than that there could be some other kinds of minnows from my neighbors pond because his pond discharges into mine during the spring runoff.

I had heard that WE would eat BG up to about 4" in length. Could I add more WE to control the BG if they get out of hand? How about a Northern Pike or Two? Or, would the pike be more likely to eat the perch and SMB?

I plan to use as much Glyphosate as I need to hold the cattails to just the perimeter areas I want cattails in. I have some experience with this chemical treating selected area of the xmas tree plantation, and the lake shore where I live. (Roundup and Rodeo)

I do subscribe to pond boss, and was inspired to stock the SMB partially by your articles. However, in my neck of the woods it is imposable to keep BG out of a pond for very long. Too many water bodies and too many birds to bring them in. So I have decided not to fight that issue. If I add RES to the mix I don't think it would change the eventual BG population? I need a predator to eat them, other than LMB.

TMK, your mention of birds bringing in fish or eggs from other sources has been discussed on the forum with differing opinions, and some funny hypothesis.

Another suggestion for forage could be stocking pumpkinseeds, they seem to produce half the eggs of BG, and being smaller would be easier for SMB to control.

OK I checked some of my local fish supply sources and no mention of "Pumkinseed". If memory serves me correctly aren't "Pumkinseeds" some sort of Sunfish?

Yes, Pumpkinseeds belong to the same family as BG and RES and can interbreed with them.
PS's should also be in lakes and rivers in Michigan, there are fish farms that sell them in NY, but I'm not sure about MI.
http://www.fish.state.pa.us/pafish/fishhtms/chap22.htm

Ewest asks? ""Bill how do those BG know to especially nip and peck at the women and girls?"" That is a very good question. Everyone pay attention. Actually the women and girls get bit more than guys because the "girls" spend a lot more time lounging on "floaties" with dangling appendages in the water than the guys do. Guys tend to be more active swimmers. Motionless swimmers have a much better chance of attracting hungry nipping BG/sunfish. This factoid is maybe something new that many of you learned today.

Alright, since you ALREADY have BG in the pond, you will have to deal with them.

Northern pike. Whenever I dealt with a few pike in a LMB-BG pond I found the pike targeted the bass more than the BG due to body shape - fusiform (bass) vs oblate ellipsoid (BG-sunfish). Various research studies also found this to be true. Pike habitually remain motionless awaiting optimum prey items. The larger the pike gets the larger the fish it usually targets for its decisive energy burst and targeted meal. IMO pike learn that bass provide an optimum high biomass meal that includes a short handling time. Research has shown handling time after capture is very important to predators.

Redears - Since you have BG the RES will not be that big of a benefit to your MI fishiery unless you have snails (prey item & parasite vector) common in the pond. Probably not valuable enough to your fishery for you to spend lots of effort finding and getting them. Main benefit of RES instead of BG for your case was their low reproductive potential.

In reality if your yellow perch are common they will eat more small BG than a few walleye just because there are many more YP as predators feeding than walleye(WE), esp during winter when one MI study showed YP target small BG. Only the larger WE (24-26" will be eating the 4" BG. I would not count on WE to eat many BG esp if you have YP and small bass in the pond. I have watched pond walleye (16-22") feeding in clear water under my dock and IMO they will eat more small YP than BG if both species of panfish have a similar density and small size (2"-3"). WE often lie motionless close to the bottom in wait for optimum foods to swim by.

If you want the challenge of going with the SMB, get them in ASAP so they can get established before another BG spawn. IMO Stock on the heavy side (80-100/ac) and try to use 2 size groups or classes (1&2 yr olds). For the first several years plan a management program of intense and or frequent MANUAL thinning of BG (1"-4"). IF after 3-5 years the BG are still very common and annual numbers caught are not dwindling then strongly consider adding LMB annually until BG numbers of the small sizes seen to stabalize. IMO whenever one wants effective control of a reproducing BG population, LMB is the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd choices for most effective and efficient predator.

OK I'll drop my plan for anymore spring Native BG Stocking.

I have one more question however. Zetts, sells a yellow perch they call a "Seminole Striped Yellow Perch" said to be the largest varity from a european source; up to 16" in length. If YP are going to eat small BGs wouldn't bigger be better?

http://zettsfishhatchery.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/CompleteCatalog.pdf

Also, what about the "Green Sunfish" instead of the BGs?

http://zettsfishhatchery.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/CompleteCatalog.pdf

Green sunfish will overrun the entire pond within a year or less in the absence of a good LMB population. Most hatcheries won't even sell them. I have had good experiences with Zetts though. I don't know anything about Seminole Perch.

Just because you read something in print does not make it absolutely true. IMO the seminole perch is a local hatchery trade name and they are not 3rd party tested and proven to be a more rapidly growing nor larger growing strain of yellow perch than a good genetic stock of yellow perch (see later). I was told by fish farmers in the Midwest, Zetts will buy fish from them when his supply is sold out. FYI - many fish farms to always have fish available, commonly buy fish from other hatcheries when their stocks are sold out. Thus these perch may not always be the advertised strain.

Technically the european species of yellow perch (Perca fluviatilis) is an exotic species and illegal in the USA. The claim is Seminole perch are larger than the "small Perch that are found in the Great Lakes region". Fact is the strain of yellow perch found in the Great Lakes can easily grow to 15"-16" long. Commercial netters and anglers often catch really large perch from Great Lakes of Erie, Huron and Michigan (northern). I and Cecil Baird ( forum: CB1) have grown the LK Erie strain to these 16" sizes. I regularly catch 14"-15" perch in my pond each winter. There are pictures of perch from northern MI that have gotten to 17-20" long which pretty much puts a lid on the rumor about "small Great Lakes perch". A search for yellow perch on this forum will provide more details.

A larger YP is not necessarily better than smaller perch. When controlling BG one wants heavy predation pressure on the smallest BG to quickly reduce the competition factor before they get larger (2"+) when they eat more and compete more with other similar sized fish. Thus an abundant "crop" or size class of predators 7"-9" long can in the correct habitat and conditions effectively thin out small BG when they are 1/2"-1.2".

Much has been discussed here in past posts about the features of green sunfish and I will not spend time on it here.

If I may add one thing, to help your SMB, YP and WE more effectively control your BG numbers, I would keep submerged aquatic vegetation in your pond very low. Barren would probably be best, but anymore than 10-20% and you're gonna give BG too many hiding spots and make it that much harder for the SMB and others to do their job.

CJBS is correct. BG overabundace in YOUR situation will be directly proportional to amount of submerged vegetation. Keep it to a bare minimum.

TMK:
Cool photos, another member of the Michigan Contingent that I did not know about. Yea for us! These guys give the best advice don't they?

2cat do you want help with this ?

"I subscribe too, but tried and failed at the fish logo. "

OK, I think I have a formula now to mitigate the potential BG over population problem BUT: I have one last question for all the experts (Which I am not).

If I don't want to catch large BG for eating, does it really mater if my pond has a stunted BG population? It does not seem like SMB, YP, WE, or RT, would compete for the same food as BG? The abundance of SMALL BG might be better for SMB and WE? BG don't eat minnows, crayfish, frogs or other forage food that the more desired fish eat. OR, what am I missing here? Is the food chain so messed up that the whole thing collapses?

You have all been very patient with my lake of knowledge on this issue. I just feel like I'd like to understand the full scope of the issue. Thanks a bunch.

Many of the baby predator fish will eat the same thing as baby BG's (up to a certain size), so it might hurt your recruitment of predators.

esshup is correct. 1. A stunted, overpopulation of BG will stiffle and can even eliminate reproduction of the other fish, mostly by the starving BG eating essentially all the eggs or fry of the other fish that are trying to reproduce. 2. Overabundant BG will over eat the plankton food base and thus any other species of fish that does hatch has a very hard time finding enough food to survive and eventually grow. 3. With overabundant BG you will not be able to stock fingerling sized fish of the other species (SMB, YP, WE, or RT) because there will not be enough food for them to survive because too many BG have decimated the invertebrate food base that the other fingerlings rely on for survival. 4. Any newly introduced predator fingerlings also starve because the overabundant BG also pretty much eliminate hatchling BG due to starving BG eat all the BG eggs or fry from other BG nests. Generally the degree of BG overabundance determines how severe the conditions become. It tends to be on an increasing scale. 5. Overabudamt BG also exert other forms of social competitive stressors on similar sized newly stocked fish to a point survival of the new fish is very bleak. I don't think you want a pond with overabundant BG.

Thanks Bill. I like your explanation better!

OK then, here's the new plan:

I will not add any more BG to the pond at any time.
I'll add Rosey Reds, Bull , and FH minnows along with 100 2-3" SMB this spring.
Will add 100 YP and 25 WE in the fall or next spring
Will ad 25 4-6" RT next spring.
Keep the aquatic weeds to about 20% of the total perimiter pond area.
Monitor the BG population and if it gets out of hand add some LMB as needed.

Did I miss anything?

Wait, what's this? I've been following this thread and am confused I think. What do you mean by "Bull"?

BG suppression of other fish spawning goes even further than the factors Bill provided. Studies have shown that there is a method (assumed chemical)by which BG cause LMB to forgo attempts at spawning. The LMB did not even try to spawn in these tests. IIRC the LMB tested had never been exposed to overcrowded BG so the behavior is not learned but rather a chemical or instinctive response to crowded BG.

TMK asks -""Did I miss anything?""
At lease a couple more things.
1. You should make a conscious effort to remove as many BG as feasably possible for you by occassional trapping, seining of shallows and angling angling in shallows with small hook and live bait (worm pieces or equivalant). As fish commmunity matures you can then adjust the annual harvest rate for the BG.
2. Try and locate some larger YP (5"-7") and stock them after the spawn. In your case, YP spawn in MI during mid to late April. Thus a May early June stocking is okay. These YP will help eat a few small 2009 BG and help consume the new 2010 BG.
There is a supplier in Northern OH (25 mi So of MI border) that has larger YP up till late June. Some southern MI farms probably also have larger YP.
3. I would stongly consider keeping submerged weeds to the 0-10% density.

Bull minnow, is a species of killifish native to the salt marshes of the gulf coast. Or at least that is the fish most commonly given that common name... Mummichog along the east coast are sometimes given that name as well. However, banded killifish, a related relative to both fish is also given that name. Since it is a strictly fresh to slightly brackish water fish, I am sure that is the species being referred to here. Banded killifish are an excellent pond forage fish, sourcing them is the only problem.

Ah, thanks Travis. I thought he was referring to, well you know...

I don't know the origin of the "Bull minnow", but it is marketed as a resilient minnow which will borrow in the mud when being pursued by predators. Also referred to as a "Mud Minnow". Also said to be a fast swimmer and a good minnow to eat mosquito larvae. Which is a good thing in Michigan. Mature size is 3-4 inches, which should be a good size for bass food. I will start with a couple of hundred and see what happens.

TMK:

FWIW, I believe the Rosy Reds are just a color varient of FHM.

I'm thinking I can get maybe 30 to 50 families (lots of kids) to the farm in the fall season ahead of the Xmas tree marketing season, to participate in fishing tournaments. This will be an excellent opportunity to monitor what is in the pond and I can offer free trees to the families catching the most BG, which we will NOT return to the pond.

I'm sure I can find some large size YP as you suggest. Notably however I don't want to decimate the GS population which I started last spring. By the looks of the pond this fall it looked like there were thousands of the GS all about one inch. So maybe about 100 4-6" YP?

Also regarding submerged weeds, my pond is mostly blue clay, and is sloped 3 to 1. So, I don't anticipate more than about 9 to 10 foot of distance from the shore line in the perimeter areas where I choose to allow weed growth. The pond shores are so steep I am going to have to add some sand, stone, gravel, and some additional woody debris, to promote spawning.

IME 4"-6" YP will not eat very many small fish.

OK Stoney Creek has YP, 5-7", $1.25 each. No problem

I'm not sure? According to the picture in the Zetts catalog they have a different fin configuration and the body shape is a little different. On the other hand they are both described as reaching about 3" as mature minnows. I'll put in a couple hundred and see what happens. I don't think it could hurt anything? Diversity is a good thing in the pond according to some experts.

TMK says -""The pond shores are so steep I am going to have to add some sand, stone, gravel, and some additional woody debris, to promote spawning."" The sand stone and gravel will only benefit the BG, RES, and SMB spawning.

The bull minnows in the Zetts (WVA) catalog are some species of killifish, probably the banded killifish as Omaha indicates.

Yes, I was right about the bull minnow if you are getting them from Zetts, they are definitely banded killifish. I have them in my two ponds. They spawn in a manor similar to golden shiners. Mostly over aquatic vegetation, but can use woody debri, etc.. There is no need to add sand, stone, gravel or wood for your banded killies to spawn. They have been quite happy spawning over FA in my pond. I only stocked 47 adults last early spring and now have hundreds if not thousands. The bottom of both ponds are clay/mud and there is no aquatic vegetation. I can tell you, Zetts claim that they bury themselves in the mud when being chased by bass doesn't hold up to my experience. They do jump like crazy though! Seining them can be tricking for that reason. They will also hold very tight to the bottom letting the seine go over them, but I have never seen one bury itself.

Zetts likes to make up fancy names or over exaggerate claims to help promote their fish sales. That's why they claim to have a "European" strain of YP, and call their golden shiners, "silver shiners". But they do have some species that are hard if not impossible to get from a commercial source, like the banded killifish and they ship their fish with reasonable pricing.

As usual, buyer beware, do your homework, and shop around. Plus don't always believe everything you read from an advertiser - double check information. Second opinions are always good to have from those with good and knowledgable experience.

OK, Here is the revised stocking Plan for my new 1.5 acre pond (max depth 20'). Hope I have it right this time.

Presently 2 stacks of wood pallets weighted down with stones. (See photo)
Presently the pond has thousands of GS put in may 2009 - Andersons
Presently 30 native BG put in late summer 2009.
Add 200 banded killifish in may 2010 - Zetts
Add 200 Rose Reds in May 2010 - Zetts
Add hundreds (1 gallon) of Fat Heads in may 2010 - Stoney Creek
Add 75 YP 5-7" in May 2010 - Stoney Creek
Add 100 SMB 3-4" in May 2010 - Zetts
Add 10 WE 3-4" each fall starting 2010 - Stoney Creek
Add 8 RT 4-6" each Fall starting 2010 - Stoney Creek

Add 10 yrds of mason sand for swim area july 2010
Add stones and gravel in 4 perimeter locations for SMB spawning 2010
Add some dead Xmas trees to promote Minnow spawning, spring 2010

Keep the perimeter submerged plants/weeds down to 15% unless the BG get too populated.
Harvest BG via annual fishing tournaments with as many kids and dads as needed.

Airation system to be completed by the fall of 2010 (3 locations), sooner the better.

Sounds like a good plan to me TMK. I only question the Rosy Reds. They would be cool to see in a forage pond but they will be the first to go when the predators get started. $ spent better elswhere.

Where is Stony Creek? What was the decision process deciding where to get YP? I'm looking to get some.

Stoney Creek is in Grant, MI (and a long-time PB advertiser).

I think your probably right about the Rosy Reds but I just like the Idea of a lot of different forage fish and some bright color.

Stony Creek because they ship to a location just a few miles from me. (Brighton MI)

I'm a long standing customer of Stoney Creek and used to get my fish there until I found closer sources, and started hatching my own. They have a good selection of equipment and herbicides too.

I recently bought a net from them that was defective. They replaced it and were great to deal with.

I highly recommend that you locate an alternative back-up source for your SMB. SMB are very difficult to find in spring. If Stoney Creek does not handle smallies that should tell you something. Despite what is advertised SMB are seldom available in spring and many orders go unfilled - including from Zetts. Don't be one of those customers. Line up 1 or 2 other sources. Many of the suppliers including larger ones growing SMB sell out in fall. Often, NONE are to be had in spring, anywhere except a few remote locations. Spring supply depends on the previous year's limited hatchings, national supply and demand. Also, over wintering fingerlings in ponds is very risky business depending on severity of the winter conditions. Many hatcheries don't want to take that risk and sell out ALL their smallies in fall. Smallies are ALWAYS in limited supply even in fall - thus the higher cost.

For smallies - Contact Imlay City Fish Farm 810-724-2185(30 mi E of Flint) and Laggis Fish Farm near Kalamazoo 269-628-2056. Neither will know their supply until ice off. You are going to find out smallies can be very hard to obtain in spring. Be prepared to travel to get your smallies. Wanting them and getting them are two completely different things.

When checking on smallies also ask about the YP. Easier to get both from same source.

Bill,

I made some calls as you suggested. Imlay might have some SMB in the spring but could not promise. Seems you are correct about spring availability. Stoney Creek does not have them at all according to their catalog. Laggas lists them but their closed for the season. I'll keep looking. Worst case I will have to stock them in the fall?

Thanks for your help. Much appreciated.

Don't forget about Hartleys for SMB. They shipped mine in the spring & I couldn't have asked for anything more from a fish supplier.

Ric, Do you have any contact info for Hartley? Did not find them on the web? I have a Harrietta Hills Farm in MI., but their price list does not include SMB. They do include a description for SMB however.

Hartley's Fish Farms is/are in Kansas - hartleyfishfarmsinc.com.
If you are interested in other out of state suppliers of SMB see:
jonesfish.com Newtown OH eastern Cincinnati, and
hicklingsfishfarm.com at Edmeston NY
Shipping can get expensive.
Check back with Dan Laggis in spring near or after ice out. As I Mentioned most don't know of the supply or winter survival until the ice goes off the ponds.

In the last PB mag Bob did an article on his smb pond. Hartley provided his smb.
As BC said shipping can get expensive but I didn't have a choice. BTW he shipped them in a red Rubbermaid cooler. They arrived in great shape with ZERO morts!
Just thought if you were looking for a back up ..

What a great thread. Good to see more Brighton area pond meisters here. Any luck finding Michigan PS? I looked last year and did not find anyone local who had any stock.

Coach, I can't figure out what PS is?

Pumpkinseed Sunfish.

acronyms

From Wisc Fish

PS - often aka sunnies.

Red Ear Sunfish (RES) can be iffy up here, but PS are everywhere. I tried to find a place to sell them, but only found stuff on line. Per Bill, be careful (and please, Bill, correct me if this is misquoted) about where your RES come from. If they are from the south, they might not do well. If you find fish born and raised farther north, they will do better. The first hatchery I talked to got there fish from Arkansas, so they were not a good match for my pond. I had to shop around until I found some locally.
I am planning to put sunfish (what we call PS up here) in my pond in a year or two, but not from local waters. You need to be really careful about not transplanting diseases and the like that you don't want.

These Photos look like most of the 30 fish I moved from the lake I live on, to my pond. I called them BG in my previous notes. How common are the PSs in Michigan lakes? I don't think any of fish I moved were larger than 5".

Very common! Sounds like you didn't move BG but actually put PS in your pond... That changes a lot of things!

Could be some of each as they can be hard to id when small.

Hopefully for the better. I'm feeling a little stupid but at the same time I feel like I have learned a lot here in this exchange. Thanks to all who helped here.

Don't feel bad, you'd be suprised how many people are putting BG, CNBG and RES in their pond thinking they were "perch".

TMK - Next spring, You better catch some of the "BG" out of your pond, post some pics of them here on this topic (thread) and get some opinions of what species you originally stocked.

Bill,

I thought you went to Florida, or are you using another PC or a laptop?

On the other hand I hear it's unseasonably cold down there. Maybe you decided not to go?

He is in Ohio on that post.

Hmmm... you can tell that?

Yes - or I would not have posted it.

You'd be amazed at the technology the moderators of this sight have...

A little IT goes a long way.

If I am guessing correctly, I bet they can tell what City and State you are posting from, what internet provider you are using, and the operating system running on your computer... At least that is how it is on a couple of the sites I am a moderator on.

No comment.

OK...what brand lime green underwear do I have on?

Ah the old IP address thingy! I hear you can get a program that will bounce your address back and forth to China, Russian and God knows where else to prevent detection.

My camera shows normal white underwear.

I really wish you'd eat with your mouth closed though.

And some of those sites you peruse. Are you kidding me?

You can't...see me...can you?

WHERE ARE YOU!?!?!







Let's play a game. What am I doing right now?




Nope. I was typing.

The EYE is watching.

Will try to do that, but it will be difficult sense I only put 33 BG or PS in a 1.5 acre pond. It may take additional time before the mystery pan fish populate in sufficient numbers to effect a catch. Also my pond has a poor water clarity because of a high organic run off from a large wetland in my watershed. The water looks like tea or root beer. Looks like many lakes I have seen in the Michigan UP. In other words it is difficult to look for fish.

thanks for getting the post back on topic! We have a tendency to drift a little bit at times... SQUIRREL!

Do you have a lot of cedars in the wetland? I owned some property over by South Haven on a small lake, and it was root beer. It came from the cedars in the watershed. The water quality was great, just brown.

Underoos, and I would have said that they were more of a kelly green than lime green.




Carry on.

No Cedars, but maybe some Tamaracks. I estimate about 12 acres of wetlands in a 40 acre watershed. The water drains from the wetlands via an an old underground 8" dia. clay tile to my small detention pond and then into my main pond. The drain line was put in in 1932 and is still a county drain but in very bad condition. Now goes under a wooded section of mostly Oaks before getting to the ponds.

As near as I can determine there shouldn't be any adverse effect on the pond aquatic ecosystem unless maybe an abundance of algae due to a high nutrient level. I have checked the PH and other chemical properties and don't see any problems. At least not yet.

I did experience an outbreak of suspended brown algae last summer but I understand that is not too uncommon for a new pond. I did not treat it for fear of killing off food (Algae) for my GSs. They, (GS Fry), seemed to do well in spite of the limited water clarity.