Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Feeding Multiple feedings, and how much?

Seems like I read once that 1 sec = 1/4 lb of feed from a Texas Hunter Feeder. One could test to be sure.

Anyways, 48 sec equates to 6 lbs/acre day for CentaxSaj's 2 acre pond. Since his pond is new, this is not an excessive amount and while he might have FA show up next spring the mobilization of nutrients (Nitrogen) is no more than the average 8 year old pond that has never been fed or fertilized. Here I am talking about full year mobilization. Since feeding is normally limited to the warm months, a pond being fed at this rate... especially a pond in its first year that may not otherwise be able to support more than 76 lbs/acre of BG only biomass ... has greater nutrient mobilization per day during the summer than an 8 year old pond. This greater rate of nutrient mobilization is comparable to the annual (whole year) nutrient mobilization of the average 19 year old pond. As a consequence, growth in the warmest 6 months of a pond fed 6 lbs/day of Aquamax is as much in a pond in its first year to be equivalent to the annual maintenance provided by the average 19 year old pond. In BG only, this equates to around 500 lbs per acre. This is balance between brood and YOY. The more brood ... the less YOY ... the less brood ... the more YOY (here talking the split of biomass).

The nitrogen in fish is only a minor fraction of the nitrogen mobilized required to grow or maintain them. This waste nitrogen in the form of labile organics is recycled by biological action over the next 5 years and this adds to the future year productivity. After feeding for 5 years, the feeds contribution in support of BG only biomass is about 600 lbs per year. Given a nonfed, unfertilized pond naturally accumulates nutrients and will on average support a BG only biomass at 207 lbs per acre. The final effect of 5 years of feeding 1200 lbs/year of Aquamax + natural accumulation of nutrients is a pond that could support 800 lbs/acre of BG-only (fall weights). This is equivalent to the average 38 year old pond.

It's important to distinguish that one has not aged a 5-year-old pond an additional 33 years. Only, that the nutrient mobilization is equivalent to a 38-year-old pond. If you stopped feeding in the 6th year, the pond would support around 100 more pounds/acre than a 6-year-old pond would ... around 344 lbs/acre BG only biomass. The labile mobilization effect of the prior 5 years of feeding would decline each year and in year 12 the BG only biomass supported by the pond would be very close to the average unfed, unfertilized pond. Only marginally higher. A twelve year old pond will average 382 lbs of BG-only biomass.

So early feeding doesn't age a pond considerably. It is possible to feed to meet a particular production goal and maintain at that level with a process of declining feed inputs with age. Where the pond's age and accumulated nutrients are capable of supporting that goal, feeding can be curtailed at that time. While feeding does not age a pond considerably, it does mobilize nutrients at levels comparable to older ponds. So the effects of nutrient mobilization are equivalent. For example, support of macrophytes that can absorb nutrients from water (like FA and naiad) and also effects on night-time DO draw down.