So, given those facts/figures, and using the esteemed Mr. Cody's definitions, what carrying capacity should I shoot for, with the answer expressed in % of standing crop figuring on 0% CC in the standing crop in an aerated, 9 ac/ft, supplementally fed BOW in Zone 5? (HSB, LMB, BG, RES, GSH) To make it easier, shoot for 100% standing crop and I'll reduce the numbers by 20% to make room for the tilapia and RBT.
Scott, Since you feed, there should be no need to reduce your stocking numbers to allow for the "addition" of trout and tilapia. As you said, they are transient. The trout will all be removed by predators, you or fish and this temporary bio-mass is intentional and of no concern. The tilapia however,
on paper, are a competitor, mainly of bluegill, but in the pond, that theory falls apart. By consuming a wide range of otherwise
unused and
wasted nutrients in the pond, then converting it into usable forage in the form of YOY for the predators to consume, tilapia
will increase the carrying capacity
above what your commercial foods increase the capacity.
Just remember, Consider stocking tilapia like
any supplemental feeding program that increases capacity. It is
not a
natural forage or nutrient source. If capacity has grown, and the supplemental program is stopped suddenly, you will have starving fish to deal with. Fish
will die and the carrying capacity will eventually revert to "normal".
EDIT:
Adding tilapia with no additional feeding program does not change a BOW's total bio-mass, it re-arranges it, moving normally un-consumed plants up the food chain and into the fish. By not adding tilapia in future seasons, the bio-mass returns to normal relatively quickly.
