Larger catfish may have been more vulnerable and stressed to the H2S gas than the low DO; both no doubt contributed.
Soaker hose is good at producing very small bubbles, but the tiny pores in the surface texture of the soaker hose have a strong tendency to become clogged and plugged much faster than a membrane diffuser. When cloged, soaker hose is quite a bit harder to clean than a membrane diffuser. NOTE: See Ted Lea's good comments below on this diffuser style about clogging of pores.
You ask: " is it safe to turn my feeder back on?" Do you mean fish feeder or aerator? Feeder can be on as long as fish will eat food. I would pul the diffuser and fix it so it does not pull sediments to the surface. Then replace it is shallower water so it does not bring more anoxic water to the surface. Gradually (maybe weekly) move diffuser to deeper water in 3 ft increments. OR just the rest of this year aerate water down to 16 or 18 ft deep. Then next early spring restart aerator in the deepest part of the pond. IN early spring almost all ponds are well mixed top to bottom and H2S is not present.
I will be at PBoss convention rest of this week.
Last edited by Bill Cody; 07/10/08 07:53 AM.
