Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Water chemistry water quality questions

Well said, Theo.

Pondfishr, you need to sit down and think about what you want in a pond. It has often been said here that it is all about your goals. My Father used to say that if you don't know where you want to go, almost any road will take you there. He was right on a lot of things that I didn't pay any attention to.

However, when you identify your goals, do it with constraints in mind. A balanced pond will usually handle about 100 pounds of predators per acre. Due to their propensity to overspawn, bass can be a real problem in any body of water less than a couple of acres. Those things can quickly eliminate balance.

I think the first step is understanding that it all starts with a couple of fundamentals. Water quality, like the air we breathe, is paramount. Bill Cody once posted that fish live in their own toilet. Something like an aquarium. The other is an understanding of the predator/prey relationship and the work it takes to maintain it. And, done properly, it is work. Bob Lusk says that a pond is like a garden. You have to harvest to keep the plants healthy.

You mention a fish farm close to you. While there is absolutely no correlation in a fish farm and a balanced private pond, they will have water monitoring tools. Ask if they will test your water for alkilinity and ph. You can buy your own water test kits from multiple sources. They depend on the addition of different compounds to determine results when color changes occur. I don't think I have ever been able to figure out when the right shade of pink occurs.

If it were mine, and it's not, I would catch and keep every bass possible. You won't be able to get them all. They get hook shy.

I keep thinking about an advertisement for oil filters. Pay me now or pay me later.