FWIW, most aquaculturists only let their zooplankton mature in a new pond for a few days to a few weeks, depending on the size of fish they plan on stocking.
I've also heard of an interesting theory that if you have a neighbor with a pond that you particularly admire for it's water quality that you should innoculate your pond with a five gallon bucket from the other pond.
Funny how the little buggers are so ubiquitous that they just "show up".
Thats what I though but, I stumbled across a study paper written by a scientist at a university (that I can't find now) that said a new pond/ with new soil, never being filled with water or exposed to the elements. will be void of the cysts or eggs of any zooplankton. The paper went on to say that these cysts are mainly brought into new ponds by birds, either stuck on their feet or carried in by their feaces.
I thought about bringing in a bucket of water from a nearby stream but was afraid of bringing in unwanted parasites.
Travis
