Second guessing my plan a little after watching the pond develop a little over the past week or so.
We currently have YP, Northern BG, RES, GSH, FHM stocked in the pond. There was 1 5" SMB and 1 5-6" SAE stocked at the same time the YP came in early this spring. Have seen a few small frogs (no tadpoles) and one small turtle. LMB should be started this year.
Water clarity varies a little but generally not greater than 8" on the Secchi Disk. I have sent off samples for testing with Texas A&M on baseline and water clearing which will likely be back next week.
We are working to get some pond plants established - Iris, Pickerel Weed, Duck Potato, and adding some Detective Erika hopefully later this week.
A few pics attached. I think this is primarily planktonic in the pics. Not an expert here but there are no mats floating in the water to say it's FA.
This evening the wifey and I ventured out to the pond to watch the fish feed and relax a little after work walking around the property and the pond. Starting to see the riprap in a few of the areas being engulfed in FA. Which leads me to my second guessing of the plan of holding off on Tilapia until 2025.
We will likely be treating the water with something to help clear up the turbidity in the coming weeks. My guess is with the additional water clarity the FA will have additional room to grow as the sunlight is penetrating deeper in the pond.
Thoughts on a small stocking 3-5lbs (1.5 acre BoW) of Blue Tilapia now to manage the small foothold of FA and add a little forage on to the pond even if they outgrow the edible size of predators? We should get cold enough here for full mortality of the Tilapia this year.
1.5acre LMB, YP, BG, RES, GSH, Seasonal Tilapia I subscribe to Pond Boss Magazine
