Thanks for all the great information! I will post my ground water temp when I have a chance to measure it.
I was wondering at what point should I turn on the well. Should I start it when the pond surface temperature goes above 75 or is that too late?
There are several reasons I wanted the stream, one being that I am hoping the stream will provide spawning ground for the trout (or SMB if I decide to go that route). The stream is going to be 2’ deep and 6’ wide and 80’ long, but I might make it 3-4’ wide if it will help. The 11000 gph pump by Superfalls is very efficient at 345 watts, so I won’t be going broke on electricity.
Another reason I wanted the stream was to combat the ammonia problem that you mentioned. The “headwaters” of the stream will be a 500 sqft bog that will serve as a biological filter. The filter should help cut down on wastes by providing surface area for bacteria and the plants in the bog should help remove excess nutrients.
Also, going on what I learned from my aquarium, I am planning on putting some gravel on the bottom. Gravel is supposed to increase the surface area available for the bacteria to grow and help the nitrification process.
