Originally posted by Michael Ebaugh:
Wondering for mid-western and Michigan Pond Bosses - what's your thermocline now that we are in mid-May 2006. What are your surface and bottom temps these days??? Trying to get a read on what's normal?
Just re-stocked rainbow trout in late March (doing great and growing fast!) in West Branch, Michigan (2/3 way up the lower peninsula of MI). 1/3 acre pond, 1/3 of pond is 12-14 ft., rest is 4-8ft. depth.
I currently have no thermocline (surprise). Have a two diffuser aerator system that I have on a timer running from 11:00pm to 8:00am. still. DO levels are at 10-11. Uniform water temp is at 60 degrees. I have about 20 gpm running into the pond 24/7 from an artesian well (constant 48 degrees). I plan on moving the aerators to the shallower depths (5 ft.).
My goal is to keep those temps down as much as possible (July can have some 90 degree days) to keep the trout alive.
What is a "normal" coldest part of thermocline temp in mid-May? Any advice?
I would think it's too early to have a pronounced thermocline especially in Michigan. From my experience you need some hot weather which we haven't had yet. I really don't think you'd see one in a pond that has
NO diffusers until June but I could be wrong.
Of course you shouldn't really form a thermocline if you are running diffusers should you? Isn't the whole point in putting diffusers in is to break up the water column not allowing a thermocline to form?
1/3 acre pond and only 20 gpms?
