Kurt - I would not put limestone rock on the pond bottom. 1. It will quickly get covered with layers of sediment - organic and silt - mud. 2. It will make seining, harvesting and walking on the bottom very difficult. 3. It will reduce drying time for the bottom sediments whenever pond is drained. 4. Layers of organics on the bottom rock will not improve denitrification of ammonia. 5. It will not prevent rooted plant growth for very long. Plants will soon grow among the rocks once a thin layer of organics accumulate esp if the pond is productive. Regular draining and drying will help reduce organics, keep rocks cleaner and suppress weed growth longer. 6. If the pond bottom is ever scraped or cleaned one will have to deal with all that rock. 7. It will generally be a pain one way or another compared to a bare pond bottom.
The rock of various sizes will be useful along the edges of the pond. 1. It will help reduce soil erosion. 2. Provide some extra surface area for bacterial and invertebrate colonization. IF the pond is not periodically drained and allowed to dry and organics to decompose, rock intersticial spaces along the shore will also over extended time become filled with "sediments" depending on size of rocks.
Last edited by Bill Cody; 12/24/09 02:48 PM.
