I am seeing more and more FA on the bottom and on structure. When I bought the 0.6 acre pond 4 years ago I didn't see any and at that time the pond was estimated to be 9 years old. The only changes I made to the pond were adding fish (no fish prior to my ownership) and cutting down the wall of willows that surrounded the pond.
1. Although the pond is solely fed by runoff, there are absolutely no agricultural chemicals or livestock waste in the runoff. The pond is on top of a hill and the closest ag activity (grain crops) is at the base of the hill. The watershed is covered by unmowed weeds and brush.
2. I have never fertilized the pond.
3. I don't feed the fish. The pond 'operates' naturally. No human intervention other than a few treatments of glyphosate to knock down any new willow growth.
I really don't understand the increase in FA unless the fish themselves are providing the nutrients. I don't have the floating mats yet but I won't be surprised to see them in a couple of summers at the rate the stuff is growing.
Any ideas about what is going on? Thanks guys!
