EWEST,

Answered most, and thank you for taking the time.

It is an Unbelievable pond manager that could not see the decline in his client's fish for three years, simply unbelievable. One lesson in that to Pond Meisters is learn all you can yourselves. There's just no substitue for a "smart buyer".

That case also points out the value of ag. lime. I would not be without it in my ponds, for sure.

The questions still unanswered, in my mind, regard how much Tilapia can offset the reduction/elimination of artificial feeding and/or fertilizers. I gather you feel either not at all, not much, or its indeterminate?

My instincts and research, and actual hands on results in a smaller pond, indicates that it can definitely be an offset, even a significant offset. Tilapia do not compete significantly with BG in the food chain. In my case, they eat algae and feed off the bottom. In my readings on them, it appears they can find food in almost any type of water situation. In fact, the literature suggest they even spawn at a smaller size and more often when they are not well fed.

I've maintained all along that Tilapia are the key to making this work, if it does indeed work. Last year, in a small pond (3/4 acre) with no feeders or fertilizer at all, the BG rebounded spectacularly in size and numbers from what they were before Tilapia. The bass were simply unbelievable in the before and after sense. It was an amazing thing to see. Today, that pond is exactly what I have been after. It is in balance, with no artificial feeders or fertilizers. It also has very aggressive northern/native LMB. So, in essence, I have already succedded in my objectives on a small pond and now will see if I can replicate those results in a larger pond ( 2 acres). If you have not read my paper on that experience, I would encourage you or anyone interested in this discussion to read it. I'm not talking about the Pond Boss article, I'm talking about the paper I wrote on which Bob based the article. Two different things.

That experience was the basis for this year's experiment. It was actually a simulation, if you will, of what I'm trying to do now in a larger pond (2 acres). I'm expecting similar results...time will tell.

This pond stuff is very complex, maybe not rocket science, but in some ways more complex. At least in engineering we can write equations and build models to simulate before building or operating systems. That is one reason I cite last year's "simulation".

Thanks for your post and I hope others will join in the discussion and especially if there is anyone else out there trying anything similar, to report on results. We need all the data we can get, if we are to improve beyond the current "tried and true".

p.s we aren't the only people trying to find these answers are we? Is the entire community satisfied with "tried and true"? Any response appreciated.