I had to go back and check the pond plans / details as a refresher. Lots of pond mgnt water went over the overflow since my last post. I will work on your questions. Refresh if I miss some.
"Biologist" Don't just take my word for it. Do your good homework and get opinions. I like to be the 2nd or 3rd opinion and tell the rest of the long term story for the prior opinions. Your "biologist" should know and have experience for the long term results and possible complications of the actions suggested.
Ladder stocking. This is just periodically adding some of the same specie of fish to the pond to maintain several size classes of fish that are preferably eating different sizes of prey.
Waterfall. These are IMO are mostly aesthetic, inefficient at moving water, costly to operate because you are pumping water not air as with a diffuser, and I think waterfalls require more maintenance than the added benefit they provide. Water pumps work hard and do not last nearly as long as air compressors that operate moving air to bottom diffusers that circulate much more water than a waterfall. Lots of algae will want to grow and inhabit the surfaces of the waterfalls. Most suggested control methods involve algaecides. Do plenty of homework on this before pulling the trigger. """""... but he says it's a great option and will aerate the pond beautifully.""" Depends on definition of "aerate beautifully". As in lots of top to bottom water, whole pond, circulation or it just looks pretty splashing some water. THEY ARE EXPENSIVE to operate and maintain compared to a good rotary vane compressor with the right diffuser/s that can turnover a 1/4 ac pond in about 1-2 hour. And the right compressor will likely last 30-40 yrs if taken care properly. My Gast compressor is going on 25 yrs with its first set of vanes; as it runs 5-8hrs/day per open warm water season Apr-Nov. . Motor bearings are supposed to last for 3 vane rebuilds. These compressors are work horses.
Dye colorant. There are several colors at least 4 available for different purposes. All suppress natural pond productivity, thus fewer fish pounds are produced. I do not use pond dye in my pond but I sell it.
Vegetation - Not sure how much of it you would want in a small swimming / fish pond. Some emergent vegetation managed and contained at the opposite end of the swim area could function okay. Some dwarf water lilies opposite end of swim could help with algae control.
This from our Common Pond Q&A Archives
Plants
https://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=440475#Post440475You should read through appropriate topics - Common Pond Q&A Archives section
https://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=postlist&Board=22&page=1For algae control research tilapia. Their favorite food is filamentous algae and the delicate submerged veg such as chara and small pond weed. I wouldn't manage a swim pond without each year using some tilapia depending on pond size and algae problems determines the number. You can actually eat the algae control agent at the end of the year; can't do that with dye nor algaecides. Tilapia also allow one to remove lots of bound nutrients lowering the pond's nutrient load at years end
Stocking - IMO you don't need to stock until the pond is full. The time it takes to fill the pond will give nature time to naturally colonize it with a good complement of invertebrates before fish start reducing, disrupting and interfering with the natural food base. This is important if the fishery is a natural or pellet based eco-system.
Locate the farm that has SBS. This is a relatively new pond fish and not all farms sell them. Some don't even know they exist.
Getting some added water from a local quarry that has a creek????? Does he know microscopically what is in the water? Are there any problem, harmful algal bloom algae hanging out in the water waiting for the right conditions to bloom? Will the water be strained through 500um mesh to remove problem invertebrates, or potential veligers or unwanted eggs. Newly hatched fish fry are only 3 - 4 mm long and not much wider than a hair. I would ask the "boss" is he is going to guarantee the water is not introducing any future pond water quality problems. Just because the water is from an apparently "nice" quarry does not mean there are no microscopic potential problems in that water. Microscopic inhabitants in the water wax and wane depending on pond conditions and seasons. Once introduced rarely do they ever leave that water body. I examine water microscopically for a living. I would not trust stream water going into a quarry and then into my new pond unless it was properly tested and then properly filtered. WAY too much unwanted stuff gets introduced into ponds by dumping the fish container / transport water into the pond.
No matter what you do you will NOT get everything right the first time. There are way too many variables involved in starting a pond. One BIG or major variable is TRUSTNG the fish farm did not have any unwanted fish accidently or uncaringly added in your order. The smaller the fish are the harder they are to correctly identify or see the intruder. Too many fish farm employees, low paid workers do not think this is a big deal. Way too many PB members here complain that the fish farm mixed 2 or more of the wrong specie into their order. It is way too easy, having too many ways, for unwanted fish to get into a customer's order.
