Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Types of fish to choose 1 acre, HSB/SMB - With a geothermal?

1. Don't bury the geothermal in the bottom of the pond. Lay it on top the sediment. Covering the coiled pipe with dirt will result in very poor heat transfer due to the closeness of the coils in the dirt. Dirt is not a good transfer of heat. Pond loops and sediment loop fields are built-laid differently due to them being in different mediums - water vs dirt and heat behaves differently in each.
2. IF you put them in dirt trenches bury them at least 6-7ft deep 12" to 2ft apart for supply and return lines. My geo guy just told be that those buried shallow 2-4 ft in this hot dry weather have return fluid coming back at 80F and too warm for good air conditioning. He was glad he put mine in deep and measured return fluid coming back in the 60's.

3. Lots of forage is important to growing fish. It is just not about numbers but forage type should be matched to the predator so each complement each other in behavior, reproduction, biomass, recruitment and habitat type. Initial high numbers of proper forage is usually not the problem. Most have trouble maintaining dense forage sfter the fish have reproduced for several years - usually at pond post stocking age of 4-6. The predators usually over eat the food source for various reasons. Situation problems are usually for different reasone.

4. CC are okay but I don't like them unless one plans on eating them. IMO each one takes the place (in foods eaten and pond biomass) of one predator. I would rather have a SMB over a CC ANY day. CC easily become food hogs esp when 26"-32" long. My 32" CC were sly nuisances. IF you have CC I suggest that you never catch and release them. Harvest each one caught. Members here are tagging them and finding that most of them can not be recaught once they are caught once or twice. They get hook smart FAST. If you want to "sink a worm & dring a beer" use chicken liver and catch HSB instead. More fun and more action. I hope your not one who thinks that CC clean the bottom and eat leaves and muck. Won't happen. IF they did everyone would use them and ponds would not be mucky with slop. All ponds get mucky esp those with lots of leaf inputs.

5. Don't count on HSB to eat larger BG, at least BG larger than around 4.5" for the 22"-27" HSB. HSB have small mouths compared to LMB thus HSB are gape limited and usually rely on smaller usually fusiform forage items such as shiners and shad. Something with biomass yet long and easier and quicker to swallow. Surviving as a fish predator it is mostly all about swallowing quickly so kleptoparasitism is minimized.

6. BG have proven here to be a problem of control for HSB and SMB. But you can try it and see what happens in your situation. Think about fusiform YP instead of BG. IMO it is better to use HBG with low reproductive potential compared to BG for HSB and or SMB.

7.Threadfin shad will not survive winters in your latitude. Gizzard shad will grow too big too fast and take up too much valuable fish biomass to be good forage for HSB and or SMB. I suggest GSH (golden shiners) and get them to at least 5"-6" so you have good large GSH broodstock before stocking predators.

8. Feeding can take various forms from heavy daily feedings to light feedings of 2-3 times a week. Essentually the more you feed the more fish and bigger fish that you grow. Proven many times here. Heavy daily feedings will increase the phytoplankton bloom due to increased nutrient inputs. Clear water with 4ft-8ft visibilities grows few fish pounds per acre with out daily feedings. Small scale daily feedings can range from 1 pint to 1 gallon per day. You are the manager you decide what is best for your situation.