Check the wooded property for natural woodland pools and these should provide some indication of what the pH in your pond will be.
Depth - Since the pond will have annual inputs of tree leaves I would try for depth of 7ft to 8ft because the pond can easily accumulate lots of dead leaves. There are ponds in wooded areas that collect 10" -12 " of leaves per year. Water clarity of 3 to 3.5 ft will allow all types of algae and plants to receive sunlight to produce DO on the bottom at 7-8ft deep. With 6 ft of depth I think the pond will lose significant depth after 2-4 years. Cloudy water stops light penetration and DO is not produced as deep. As long as your water has 3 ft of secchi disk clarity, the 7ft depth does not need aeration. Loss of clarity - then DO is lost and not produced on the deeper bottom areas.
If the pond is kept 5ft to 6 ft deep you could periodically pump drain it and with your tractor and bucket scoop out the organics on the bottom back to hard bottom.
There are other versions available for building Secchi disks. For your pond application you do not need to divide the disk into white and black quadrants.
Enough CC at harvestable sizes in the pond for food production will cloud the water to low visibility 12" - 2ft.
The pond may or may not develop various water quality issues. This will all depend on dissolved nutrient concentrations and balance. Usually ponds in wooded areas have pretty clear water unless critters that disrupt the bottom sediments are present. Generally green hue waters are due to plankton and soil colored water is dominated by disturbed bottom sediments. Wind shoreline erosion should not be a factor in your woodland ponds.
I don't have a lot of experience for growing fish in woodland tiny ponds with clear water, low fertility and no pellet feeding.
You are welcome to return for advice and help after you build the pond.
Last edited by Bill Cody; 05/01/2307:26 PM.
aka Pond Doctor & Dr. Perca Read Pond Boss Magazine - America's Journal of Pond Management
