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!!!

Mario Paris,
Fish & Wildlife Management Technician, CEO of Canadianponds.ca Products