Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Muddy water/algae blooms/fish growth

"Clear water and Muddy water both have the same effect on the base of the ponds food chain...it won't exist. Clear water is sterile water and muddy water does not allow zooplankton and phytoplantonic growth due to the lack of light penetration"...By Rainman

The previous is from the Muddy Water forum & Cisco's My Mudhole thread

It was a bit of a counter-point to my not wanting overly clear water due to over-vegetation problems, but wishing I had better "looking" water so I could more clearly see the fish..

My pond filled up 2 years ago. There was an algae bloom after partially clearing it in the fall of 2008 when it was 1/2 full.
I put forage fish in May 2009 & LMB & HSB in Nov 2009. There has not been a bloom since. The fish seem to be doing fine.

Rainman's quote makes sense. But it begs the question: Can fish flourish in muddy water (less than 12" on Secchi)in spite of a lack of algae blooms,and in water that is normally very fertile, but lacks clarity?

I am no expert, but i woudl have to say yes they can, if that body of water is managed correctly for it's situation. Like I have said before we have a 300 acre lake here that you can't see 10 inches in, and I catch some of the largest bass and crappie I have ever caught. This happens year after year, but it is managed by the game and fish too so that helps for sure! The key is to knowing how to manage what you have and what is best for your fish in your situation. Which is my problem as I am not good enough at all of this yet to figure out what I need for my pond and the steps I need to take to managed it correctly, but I am learning!