Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations About Me!

Get to know me: (warning to all, this will be lengthy)

I have reviewed the posts today, and for the most part sat on the sidelines. First of all I want to state that I understand completely the request to �register on my own,� but I am not certain what good it would do. Ken�s Hatchery was invited to this forum, not me. The only reason that I am the one posting is because of my background, job duties, and beliefs. To understand the way our office works, you must take the following into consideration. Although Ken�s Hatchery deals in customers throughout the United States (and some beyond), we are actually a very small company. We have a handful of biologists, all of which work on the farm and in the ponds except for me. Our office unit consists of three and a half employees. Delores handles accounts payable, Stephanie W. Handles accounts receivable, Stephanie N. (part time) handles shipping and assists me in the lab (but is a full time nursing student), and then there is me. I balance being the only biologist in office, I dispatch the delivery trucks, I research for Ken, and I handle all of the internet �business.� This last part of my job entails our website, our emails, internet research as stated above, and now this forum. Ken�s health has deteriorated significantly over the past few years, and his time in the office is limited daily. I tell you all of this as background for the point I stated above (registering on my own). If I was to �break away� and become a separate �entity� from the hatchery I do not believe the questions would change. I would still be the poster for the hatchery, and will have added another �job� so to speak by breaking out on my own. I may be mistaken, but I do not see what purpose this would serve.
The pictures will come, as the fish are there. I could post 20 plus year old slides, but if Wal-Mart could not develop them due to poor quality (deterioration over time), I doubt seriously that anyone on this forum could view them either. As for recent photos, none have been taken because the proof and documentation were accomplished in the first decade or so. I do intend to change that though by posting fresh photos when I am able. The fish are there, but the time is not. I am entertaining the thought of taking my father (retired) to the farm this weekend for some father daughter time with a rod and reel. If this works out on my time line, I will most definitely document the entire event with photos, rulers, scales, and plenty of smiles. I know that no one here knows me well enough to �trust� me just on my words, but I am an honest person who believes in her work. I have heard the testimonies from customers of the fish they have been able to grow, and I have seen first hand what the Georgia Giant can �grow up to be.�

Greg I have no personal problem with you, but have on occasion felt I was under mental attack. The questions you have posed to me for the most part have gone without an answer because I simply do not know. I have had little time to compare (only been here three weeks), but at the present time I �sit on the fence� (50-50) with what I have learned at work versus the methods used by most here on the forum. I believe the calcium we use is a gypsum base, but I can�t be for sure so don�t hold me on that. The Bufferin is a sodium bicarbonate. Why do we recommend these? Because that is what I have been taught. I have stated on numerous occasions that pond management is not my area of expertise. But I have also asked for an appropriate amount of time to research and form my own opinions. To the credit of you and others on board, I have read enough to see the need for ag lime. But again I am taking a scientific approach of my own before responding. Respect me enough to grant me that time and please hold off on the barrage of questions. If you cannot give me that, then you will just have to post questions and except the fact that I will not answer until I am comfortable with the topic.

As for the ongoing commentary on the degeneration of the Georgia Giant, I believe it goes without saying (even though I have stated often) that under our stocking plan an F-8 should not even exist. The Georgia Giant is not a means to an end, but is instead an end in itself. The program that I recommend supports a balanced pond with a variety of decent sized fish. A family pond if you would. Do we use the Georgia Giant to grow trophy bass? No! A bass fisherman should not follow my STANDARD recommendations, because they will be disappointed. There is a level of maintenance required by the customer when a pond is stocked with a high number of fish. It is not �high maintenance,� but is a higher level needed then would be for a customer who visits his pond twice a month. For that customer, the number of fish recommended would be drastically reduced to suit the situation. That is why it is so important to listen to the individual needs of each customer and aid them in a way that will result in the pond that they want.

I am appreciative of the respect that many have shown me since I joined this forum. I am a �newbie,� and the variety of information here goes way beyond anything I could have ever imagined. Thank you Bob for allowing me to stay, and thank you to the many others for the patience you have shown. The answers will come in time!

I am taking the liberty to post a photo below that will at least put a face to these posts. Granted I am not holding a pole or string of fish, but photos just aren�t my cup of tea. I also want to introduce you all to my tadpole, my life.

Sorry for the lengthy thread (some of you are probably asleep by now), but I just felt that some things needed to be said.

Thank you all,

Deb

Editor's note...I took the liberty to remove the photos. Safety first. No disrespect intended.
Lusk

Deb, I'm sorry you feel under mental attack. This is not my intend. Let me explain myself and maybe that will help. I can only base what I think of Ken's recommendaitons on what past clients have conveyed to me. I see that folks have spend lots of money with poor resulsts and it bugs me. I undertand you might see good results, I have not. So I hope you can convey these results to the readers with your answeres to mine and others questions. If this meeting works in GA I look forward to meeting you.

I'm really trying to give you the benefit of doubt that there is a reason for high stocking numbers and reasons to use the water quality products. If you provide scientific reasons (you can appreciate that with your background) then great. If not I will continue to belive it is a good sales job. Is that fair?

Ok being critical.. you said the calcium is gypsum based...can you say exaclty what is in the bag? Is it a trade secret? WIthout this I can not start to undertand the chemisty to see how it lasts in the pond. I undertansd your time constrants but I hoped this would be a fairly easy one for you, is it not listed on the bag?

Thanks again for your time, great pictures of you and the kid, if I see it right that is a great shirt, GO DAWGS!

sheeeeet you was about to win me over Deb until I saw that Tee shirt!!! I was bout to place a $2500.00 order .....Boooo DAWGS!!!

If you remove your photos please post a picture of UGA for Big Pond

Robinson your post was accurate, and I only plan to leave the pics up for a few days. Believe me I am not trying to run a personal ad, but I wanted you all to realize (with brute force some would say) that I am a real person with no hidden agendas or sales pitches. I am aware of the perverts on the web, but I really do not think I would be a target for any of that. Tadpole on the other hand is my angel. You never know true love until you are a parent. You also never know what you are capable of until your child is threatened. My ex-husband is a city cop (we actually get along well) who routinely sends patrol by the house, and I personally tote a 40 cal. Glock (watch out Greg :p ).
As for the Bulldogs, I hate to admit this but I am not a football fan (Lord I am really gaining points by the moment). I actually prefer to play golf, and I don�t watch a bunch of TV (still gaining points I bet). I attended GSU, my father went to UGA for his masters and Auburn for his doctorate and my sister is ABD (all but dissertation) from FSU. So you could say my family has a �hybrid� education. HA HA!!! I could not resist that last one.

Anyway, thanks again to everyone for the support. Maybe this will be a turning point where we can actually start teaching and learning and stop playing the high school �I am better than you� game. We all have our specialties, so we can focus on these and handle what we do not agree on with mature debate.

Thanks,

Deb

Deb, I'm dittoing what 'robinson' said. There are folks out there that believe what most posters do here (fish) is animal abuse. The pics are great, but zap 'em.

I wnated to see the picture. Smart, funny, is into fish and take abuse well--on second thought, I don't want to see your picture in case you're a babe.
Seriously, is it so dangerous to post a picture that you don't care if people see?

Sorry Bob! I did not see it as having an uprising effect, but instead as more of an introduction to who I am. It was late last night when I posted, and tadpole had decided to be up for the night (until 4:30 this morning mind you) Thanks for looking out for me though! If you have lots of money you can adopt me also ! Just kidding! I am so glad that the tension from this entire forum has finally been lifted.
Back to business,

Deb

Hey, why do you think I would even consider going to the Georgia Pond Boss session...

I've seen enough of Bob Lusk, no offense to Bob intended.

Watch it Bill Duggan Like she said she don't like foot Ball and the way the season is going ME NIETHER!!!

Hey deb those were nice Pictures...

Hey how come deb has five stars already and I only got 2.... and i have been here for EVER!!!

[QUOTE] Hey how come deb has five stars already and I only got 2.... and i have been here for EVER!!!

You must have missed the picture, too.

OOOhh No I didn't.....It was a knock OUT.....