Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Evaluating and adjusting fish populations Newbie questions

A few questions for the board.
In June 2004 we constructed a football shaped 60'x 80' 6'/7'deepest 4' average depth pond. The pond is semi-shaded.
Our goal is to have a pretty place to relax and fish with our 7 year old son.
We had leakage problems that took about 18 months, 2100# of Bennonite and 1000# of Soda Ash to figure out.
In April 2006 we stocked 100 HBBG, 50 CCF, and 30 LMB and 3# of Fatheads with very little visible loss.
In September 2006 we added another 50 CCF and 20 LMB with 2# of Fatheads.
All fish were stocked as fingerlings and we have since added dye for water color..
We have had lots of enjoyment this spring catching mainly the HBBG, a few CCF and LMB.
Very happy with the growth rates so far. We have fed these fish daily (except for Winter).
Questions-
Does this pond require areation? We noticed in August of last year the fish were extremely lethargic during feed times.
If so could someone recommend a system for this size small pond? If required would the Air2Go bubble tube system work? DO NOT want to stir up the bottom because of the bennonite.

Structure-
We tossed in a couple of truck tires last winter.
Any ideas? Not looking to clutter it up but I'm sure they could use something better.

Do y'all reccomend we have the soil sampled?

Thanks in advance to any ideas or recommendations. I would also like to thank the people at Purina for sponsoring the show on RFDTV, very informative.
Scott
Leipers Fork, TN

Howdy Scott, nice to see another Middle Tennessean here.

You've come to the right place for aeration questions, as Bruce so appropriately noted, and I'm sure the experts will help answer your questions soon.

As far as soil sampling, probably better to have the water sampled first.......

Hello Scott,

Welcome to Pond Boss Forum. You were questioning the concept of aeration to help improve the health of the pond and increase the activity of the fish during the warm summer months.

A pond's goal is to eventually fill in and be come a meadow. Our goal is to slow down and in some cases reverse this process. Therefore in order to do this we have to efficiently manipulate the pond and give it for lack of better words, "a pacemaker for the pond" to keep it alive and well.

A new pond such as yours does not have a large amount of oxygen demand. Now going into the third year and on the demand begins to increase. You said your pond is in shade which means increased leaves dropping into the pond. As those leaves break down oxygne is consumed.

When a system is sized, we back into how many diffusers are required to turnover the entire volume at least 0.75 times per day. Some other companies may be a little higher or lower but we have found that this rate meets the oxygen demand for most ponds of your type.

With the limited information you provided about your pond, a single diffuser set up should be more than enough to circulate 174,819 +/- gallons.

With your concerns about suspending the clay, you should look to a diffuser that has a base with the diffuser above that base. Ours, Vertex and some other companies that advertise in Pond Boss have examples of a "raised diffuser" set up.

Again, welcome to Pond Boss and I'm sure you will be hooked like the rest of us and checking the page every day and in some cases like Dr. Bruce, between patients.

Good idea regarding the water sampling, can I have this done thru the county UT extension agent like we do for soil test?
Nice to meet you and Thanks.

Cary, Thank you kindly for your very informative post.
Would you mind taking the time to explain "diffuser"?

LF, in lieu of Cary's reply to your question, I believe "diffuser" is the final piece of the aeration system that divides up the main air flow into thousands of tiny bubbles. Many also call it the air stone.

Another analogy would be the shower head in your bathroom.

Makes sense, Many Thanks.