Pond is not aerated, 12 feet deep -- currently at a 20 inch water loss due to the summer heat
Have been feeding combination of Purina Game Fish Chow (recommended by hatchery I bought my fish from) and the last 3 months Aqua Max 500 ( read about in pond boss) twice a day when water temperature was above 40 and once a day when colder.
Swimming this summer I am finding about 2 - 4 inches of muck/sludge on the bottom. Would it be beneficial to add aeration along with beneficial aerobic bacteria to help with this issue?
What are the pros / cons to adding aeration? Do I need to worry about stirring up the muck and having a "kill off"?
I have read through 70% + of the aeration forum and have not seen this addressed.
I (hopefully) have added a picture of my pond along with depths (red) and yellow X where I was "thinking" about placing 2 diffusers.
Would be greatly appreciative of any advice and knowledge you can share.
I see a lot of bare areas around the pond. I suspect the first few rains washed in some silt and clay. This can feel and look similar to "organic muck".
The first step to reduce muck is always to address the source as much as possible. Do everything you can to keep leaves, pine needles, grass cuttings, etc. from entering your pond.
Yes, our aeration experts say that adding oxygen and turning over the pond helps in the breakdown of the organic materials that do enter your pond. Further, there are many other benefits to adding aeration.
If you are worried about your diffusers putting a lot of muck into suspense in the water column, you can always start gently and not right on the bottom. I don't think they will raise a ton of muck, but I am NOT an expert.
Picture was from last summer when we were down about 3-4 feet. We have put erosion control in place. We have a "dry creek" that enters from the north on the east (right side as you look at the picture) of the dock that brings in some debris with each heavy rain. The reason I say it is muck vs just normal silt is that it has a bad / stinky (per my little girl) smell to it. Thanks for your help!
If it is "stinky" then at least a significant portion (or all) of it is organic material.
Further, the fact that it is stinky means it is not being subject to decay in an aerobic environment.
I do NOT know how much aerating the pond will help with the pre-existing muck. (I think it is difficult to suspend off of the bottom.) However, I believe the experience of the people that have added aeration is that it will significantly reduce the future accumulation of muck if deployed correctly.
(You are properly posted in the aeration thread, so I am just giving you a little background info pending some actual experts dropping in.)
I already know that aerobic bacteria break down organic matter faster, my question was is there any concern of creating a kill off if you start to add aeration and aerobic bacteria at the same time. Is there any cons in doing this in a newly {<2 year} stocked pond?
I already know that aerobic bacteria break down organic matter faster, my question was is there any concern of creating a kill off if you start to add aeration and aerobic bacteria at the same time. Is there any cons in doing this in a newly {<2 year} stocked pond?
Not if you follow the correct start up sequence. 15 min the first day, doubling the run time every day. It takes about a week to get the aeration system running 24/7.
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