Hi all......first post after trying to digest all the information here for the past few months. I hope this is an o.k place to post as I figured I may get aeration, plants, or stocking comments. Any and all is appreciated!!

Here goes......2 ponds....puddles to alot of you :p . Both ponds were completely drained, deepened, and enlarged. Both were 6-8ft deep prior to renovation. They both filled back in with surface run off in early January. They are connected by a swale. Clay bottom, fish structure in place, void of any submerged vegetation(for now). I'm sure that will happen all by itself!!! Both ponds will be planted with native emergent plants come spring for erosion control and habitat. Fish stocking is planned with forage this spring and predators in the fall or next spring(2007). Standard fathead, HBG, LMB mix but would also like to give perch and rainbows a shot. Oxygen/temperature meter purchased and ready to go. I will be "actively" managing these ponds to the best of my and YOUR ability . My parent's ponds and $$$$ so WE better manage them well or they'll fire ME for sure \:D .

Pond 1 is .45ac (135 x 148)+/- Pear shaped, bisected diagonally, with approximately 2/3 15ft deep and 1/3 25ft deep at high water. Anticipate it to drop to about 11ft and 21ft(worst case) by fall 2006. Based on the soil cross section.

Pond 2 is .16ac +/- Slight heart shape but pretty much a circle(97 feet across) at the surface but really is a 25ft deep funnel. Same soil conditions so a 3-4 foot drop is also anticipated.

Q1. Used a Gast 1/4hp rotary vane compressor with 2 membrane diffusers in each pond for the past two years(1 compressor/2 diffusers per pond). 1/2" weighted tubing. Both compressors are within 25' of the water so not long runs by any means i.e volume loss. They are advertised as good to 18' and 4.2cfm. With the added depth is there any reason to upgrade the aerators? Given the limited size of the ponds and dreams of healthy trout and perch, I'd like to make as much of the ponds usable to the fish as possible. If I put the diffusers at the maximum rated depth, they won't be at the "true" bottom. Will that last seasonal 3-7ft +/- of "non-aerated" water still be moved or could it become a dead zone?

Q2. Stocking - fatheads and HBG this spring. LMB later. Maximum stocking numbers by 2 suppliers here in MI are identical in their catalogs/websites. 300 3-4" HBG, 75 4-6" Channel cats, 75 4-5" perch, 50 4-6" bass and 2gal minnows @ 8lbs/gal. Not interested in the catfish and would like to substitute with trout. Given the fact these are maximums for 1/2 acre, I will cut the numbers back accordingly. The smaller of the two ponds will NOT be stocked with this mix. What should I put in it?? How many and what size trout would be a good number in this ratio? Would the LMB and trout go in at the same time? Would the perch go in now or later? I've seen it suggested they go in with the forage. I understand the trout and perch idea may not work so well but I see this whole thing as a challenge!!

I've used enough bandwidth for now. Thanks in advance. Let the games begin!!

Chuck

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