Went to Lowes after I left work to get a pump to help get oxygen in the water, but all they had here in London,Ky was small sump pumps (will they work). I will try to give as accurate info as I can to help you all help me. The stocking rate that Ted Lee posted early is correct, and the date of stocking I thought was 05 but it was 06. All the BG RE C/Cat Bass were bought off trucks and there sizes were regular 3-4 BG 6-8 C/Cat 4-6 Bass. I started feeding them as soon as they would eat pellet feed that I got from tractor supply and feed them a few times a week. As they ate more I started feeding them 6 days a week, then I up it to twice a day 6 days a week. All was well and the fish grow considerably by fall. This spring I switched feed and fed them Aqua Max 600 and still fed them twice a day 6 days a week. This spring I purchased 25lbs of talapia at around 1/4lb each, which I figure was around 80 to 100 talapia that I added to the pond. I had a bad case of floating algae that covered my pond and I waited for the talapia to eat it but they never did. The algae problem got worse and my wife and I made the rope and plastic tie gadget that was posted here and dragged it across the pond several times. We removed a complete truck bed full almost to the top of the cab. I then sprayed curtine plus around the pond banks as an extra measure. That was a couple months back and the algae never has come back. Also this May early June we had a very hot and dry spell and my water level dropped 3 1/2 feet which is a lot considering my pond at the deepest part is around 8ft. Still the fish were doing fine and we fished it every other day and saw no problems. It stayed like this until the latter part of July when we had a huge rain and it filled the pond in a couple hours. Then a few weeks ago I ran out of Aqua Max and the feed store had to order it on the next order, which they said would be a few weeks. I had a bag of game chow that I had purchased but never used so I started feeding them that, which they refused to eat. I still gave it to them twice a day and twice a day they would not eat. So a few days back I quit feeding them and was waiting for the 600 to come in. This is the time period that I saw the blackish color in the pond that I have no ideal what it was.
The runoff that goes in my pond is from a neighbors pasture, this runoff is all in corrugated plastic pipe (3 sections). His pasture is hills and then slopes to somewhat flat ground. These pipes start at the bottom of the hills and tie into one at the end of the flat section at the road.The water then continues under the road by way of an open culvert, then back to corrugated pipe to my pond.
I have (had) some good size fish in my pond, large C/Cats, very large BG, and a some decent bass. I wanted to wait till next year before I harvested any of them, so I haven't taken any out, all are still there except what few has died naturally. I have had all species spawn and had plenty of offspring's. This could be my problem too many fish not enough pond.
I don't know how many pounds of fish that has died, I hauled them off in a standard size wheel barrel filled about half way up, did this 4 times last load may have been smaller. I have lost 8 catfish and 2 talapia today and am sure the rest will die if I cant find a pump tomorrow, still may be to late. I am sure all the BG and Bass are gone, my fish population is totally wasted. I still have plenty of fry that seems to be doing fine, I can start over with them hopefully.
I know this has been a lengthy post, but if anyone can use any of it to save their fish then it was worth writing. I totally believe I created this mess myself by thinking I could over populate with aeration and hand feeding. Don't make the same mistake as I, keep your numbers in check. Thanks for all the information, I will know better next time.
I would appreciate information on a pump. Will a sump pump work if not what will.
Thanks
