Pond Boss Forums AQUATIC VEGETATION Controlling unwanted plants New house with pond w/algae bloom..clueless

Since you want to switch over to a fishing pond, and you have a $500 budget, I'd look into renting a semi trash pump and pumping out the pond. Then buy Hydrated Lime and nuke the pond. That will get rid of the goldfish and black catfish (which I also assume are bullheads). That will allow you to start with a clean slate, and will be cheaper for you in the long run. You'll most likely be constantly battling the goldfish and black catfish if you don't.

If you stock predator fish in the pond to eat the goldfish, then stocking forage fish will be hard later due to the need to stock advanced sized forage fish. If you can stock HSB/HBG/RES, I'd go that route vs. LMB/BG in that .4 ac pond.