Pond Boss Forums AERATION Should I aerate? Newbie looking for guidence

I live in Nova Scotia Canada and have a five year old pond 260’ by 110’ with the deepest spot about 24’ and an average of 15’. The water source is a spring that stops running in June and starts again in Oct. I have been putting about 150 speckled trout in every spring and fishing them out by the end of year two at about 4lbs. I don’t know much about ponds but I know that in late July we usually loose about a dozen or so.

Thinking it was the oxygen level in the water or a stratification problem I installed a 1/3 hp submersible pump 6’ under a 4’ x 4’ raft in the middle of the pond and just let the water shoot straight up out of the 1” line and land on the raft 24/7. The water is very white so I think I am getting oxygen into the water and de-stratifying it at the same time, This year just one dead fish and it had a hole in it. Dam birds!
Ok, that’s the background.
My questions are, Does my little pump do what I think it’s doing? Are there any other things I should look out for in my new pond? Anything not to do.

Thanks all…..

Welcome, slang!

We're glad you're here.

Could you elaborate a little on the type of trout. You say "speckled", but to me that's an unfamiliar term.

Bruce

They are the common brook trout here and I think they are also called brown trout.
A few more things to mention after reading more of this site.

Lots of vegetation around the pond, a few cat tails, LOTS! of frogs, located on top of a hill with pond sites so prevaling wind blows lengthway down the pond, lots of largs rocks lining the edge.

Is there a way of posting a picture here?

Thanks....

Here are a couple of different ways to add pictures. I think most people use photobucket. It is pretty easy to do.

http://www.pondboss.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=92443#Post92443

This is the only photo I have on my laptop but I will post better ones when I am home.

Wow!

What do your summer water temps get to ? Do you know the depth of your summer thermocline?

I checked the temp one day during the hottest period last year at about 4' and i think "can't remember" but i think it was about 66 degrees.
As for the thermocline?
I could guess by the name it must be how fast the water temprature increases during the summer? If so, havent got a clue.
Sorry.

It is where the water stratifies (usually a big drop in temp over a foot or two) and where in many ponds the O2 drops to a level that will not support fish. Here is a thread.

http://www.pondboss.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=92639#Post92639

Slang, that sure is a pretty place. Really green!! Bet it is cold SOG in the winter, but down here we sure would like to see it that green from July on..du

Beautiful place.

Dear Slang,

Speckled trout or brook trout is Salvelinus fontinalis, our common native eastern Canada brookies.

It is a fragile species to raise in ponds as it will not resist well the heat waves we get in the summer.

Your method of aeration might not be the most efficient, but it is not hurting the pond or the fishes.

I looked at your pic and would be surprised if the actual depth would be 24 feet. Try to measure it exactly as it will be important to evaluate what is best for you. If the pond is old, the bottom might be cool but toxic to your fish.

Bottom aeration is often more recommended as it uses less energy and targets the whole pond. The thermocline relates to the cool layer you will find in the heat of summer, somewhere around 5-6' deep.

You might be aerating while the surface water has plenty of oxygen and the bottom is too toxic for your fish. So you loose fish during those hot days even with your surface aerator.

Find out the age of the pond and if there are any organic sediments down there. You might need to change the method you aerate to maximize pond health and minimize fish death.

Plenty of free help here!
BTW we are a few Canadians here to! And its our Thanksgiving week-end so lets enjoy it before the snow flies!!!

Slang I love your picture, looks like the terrain we have around here. Our water gets a bit above 66 inthe summer though, heh heh. I have never heard Brown trout called speckled trout, only brookies, but it could be a local thing. Do you have any moose roaming around up there or are you too far south?? Very nice place again, thanks for posting a picture, and welcome to the group.

Thanks for the info so far. Over the winter I think I will be looking at a bottom system with several diaphram emmitters so stay tuned for a lot more questions.

Also the pond was dug in 2003 and here is a quick picture. It might not be 24' but I am sure its 20' That machine is a 52 ton unit and the bank is a bit above the small maple on the left.



I also dug a lake two years ago and have fish in it as well but it is not as deep. Probably 12' or so. Here is a link to some more pics of the lake and pond being dug and over the seasons. Didn't have time to sort them yet.

http://s481.photobucket.com/albums/rr176/slang/