The goals were done before we started digging. Pond is 100% based on the fish and the surrounding wildlife. After building the forage base the addition of F1's is the end game goal. Forage base will include GB, RES, FHM (until they are gone), Crawfish, and a likely swap from YP to GSH when the F1's are large enough to clean them out.
- Doubtful that we will ever see double digit fish but would love to find a way to get some 7-9lbs with management through both feed and selective harvesting.
- Aeration is planned before F1's go in.
- (1) Feeding Station will be used starting spring of 2024.
Pond is about 1.5 acres with an avg depth of 6-7'. Deep pool at 12'.
Cover, Structure and Habitat are getting close to wrapping up.
So my question is....now that we are in winter, and have a bit of water the three choices I see now are:
(1) Add a few forage fish to start water balance rather than add all the fish out of the gate in the spring. From my aquarium days, much smaller scale, I always added the fish slowly so there wasn't a huge impact to the system.
- A bit of a two fold question actually. As we are adding fish at depth intervals (4' now, 8' opens up some flats, humps and trenches, 8-10' opens the BG Spawning beds). Do we add fish based on the current water level or normal pool when full?
(2) Focus the "downtime" from winter on trying to get the water quality in a better spot. Have a few months to get Alkalinity, and PH both moving in the direction or toward the final goals. I'm guessing but if the Alkalinity is low now with partial depth filled. As water adds to the pond through the same watershed it will continue to be low. As I understand it....addition of the chems takes a couple of months to balance.
(3) Likely the hardest of the three options.....wait for Spring.
Was hoping for some direction from the experienced guys.....1st time for me in this area of building a pond.
Wellsville Pond
