Hey guys -
I've been reading this string with a lot of interest because I'm kinda in the same place with my pond that the good doctor is in and I could use some expert advice. I've already messed up once with stocking my little 1/3 acre pond a couple of years ago and it took a complete drain to correct it.
I'm in the Piedmont section of western NC, just outside of the mountains. My family likes to swim in our well-fed pond - it's about 10ft. at the deepest point - and to fish in it occasionally. About a year and a half ago, I put in 50 CC and about 100 HBG. Fed them everyday and had the aerator going all summer. But by the end of the first year the water was so muddy nobody would swim in it. I thought it was turbid so I poured in gypsum, but it didn't help. Finally dawned on me that I had overstocked the CC. Like I said, I took desperate steps to correct the situation.
Now it's refilled and clean and I want to restock it with something that we can all live with. I've been reading this forum and thinking I should stay away from BG because we swim in the pond, but like DrLebel, I'd like something that kids and adults can both fish. I also don't want to go back to throwing food pellets in everyday. I'm thinking about a few SMB (instead of LMB) and RES (instead of BG). Also, a couple of grass carp might help with weeds. I don't want to deal again with the mess that CC make, but maybe a couple won't hurt. The YP sound pretty good, but I don't think I can easily get them where I live.
What do you guys think? Thanks for any advice you can give.
