Hello and welcome. I can't answer all your questions and I'm no expert but from experience, aeration will keep your pond from freezing over. Mine is shallower and bigger and Wisconsin winters are pretty crappy and my aeration kept it from freezing solid. It will freeze almost solid but there is always a hole for air to escape.

If your pond was 8 feet deep and aerated fish wouldn't be a problem.


0.7 acre pond stocked 2020, LMB, PS, YP.