Ok, at the risk of really beating this thing to death, I do finally understand I have a strong plankton bloom, I suspected that from the beginning, and as some of you have mentioned, your have ponds have appeared that way in the past also. I suspect that this summer, with the intense heat, the ponds that did managed to survive intact without substantial water loss may have a very strong bloom this summer also, maybe even for the first time if the ponds have been well managed in the past.
However, that is not what has me really puzzled. I do understand how and why that might happen. What I am STILL having a difficult time wrapping my head around is why this pond is ALWAYS in that same condition, year round, with the exception of the very coldest months when it freezes over, year after year, always in the same condition, after a 16 month run of beautiful conditions years ago, which, once again, I changed in the course of a few days, to never again come even close to the normal prior status.
You mentioned that the water is not that bad ( clarity ) but from the material I have been able to uncover in PB and these forums I am still confused on that subject as well, I was under the impression that 10" or less is not generally considered ideal or even "good" condition for pond water to be in....am I off base on that also? I would understand if it were to get that way for a month or two during very hot months, but to stay that way all year every year seems to go against all that I have read about water conditions that we should strive for in order for our fish to flourish.
I guess I am saying that I understand that answers ( and even written material on the subject ) will vary, and because of that I am kinda still in a little in doubt still as to if I should take any action at all. I really am tired of water I cannot see my hand in if I hold it underwater, we want to enjoy the pond and we want the fish to be happy ( and, with the exception of the bass, if I keep feeding them Aquamax, they appear to be plenty happy ) so I am not sure which way to turn. By the way, as instructed by Shawn, I have stopped the feeders.
Although I do have an onsite visit from the agent from the MDOC scheduled on the 23rd, as I mentioned, I do not expect them to be able to contribute to much to the equation. Shawn pointed out to me that my water is to green and the water is to hot to dare take the action I was told to take by them ( copper sulfate treatment now, every 2 weeks after that ) and they were not to keen on my seeking advice from PB, a real surprise to me, I am gonna try and find out why when they get here.
We are saving for a aeration system, and I think I hear from most of you that it certainly cannot hurt ( although trying to install it ourselves might! ) and perhaps the water sample will tell us more! I used to think that the large CC were perhaps another major factor in the clarity issue, since we have a clay bottom pond and some of them seem to think they are marlins with the air time they catch during feeding. However, water samples taken at different times of the year in large, clear jugs and allowed to set in the house while we observed them only shows ( to our eyes, the water test may well prove us wrong! ) a jug saturated with bits of suspend algae, and given enough time ( up to a week or more ) all of it settles to the bottom in a fine green layer, leaving otherwise clear water.
Additionally, with the input from all of you along with the additional research I have been able to gather has led me to the conclusion that I do not have as many of ANY species of fish in the pond as we have thought all along. I think perhaps one factor that has misled us is that since the pond is so seldom fished, and finding food MIGHT be a problematic issue for a lot of fish, along with not being hook shy, most fish, with the exception of the CC ( and bass of course ) are very quick to take any offering, leading us to believe the pond is stuffed with fish. However, since it is very easy to actually count the number of large CC at feeding time, and even the medium size fish, as well as watching the activity from the BG feeder, it is clear ( well, if anything is clear to us
that the pond is far from carrying capacity, and that would make sense I guess considering we do not stock it. Still, all of the fish are spawning at a rate I don't think I dare stock it except perhaps BG, another post someday....
The heat has finally taken a break, I will try the shrimp idea for the large CC and see if we can get Moby or one of the others outta there, thanks for the tip! Thanks again to all of you for your remarks, I deeply appreciate you patience with me, you must have a lot of it!
