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Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 135
Lunker
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Lunker
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 135 |
We got our first fish delivery yesterday - 30 4-6" Bluegill, 50 Redear, 10 lbs of Fathead Minnows and 4 8-10" largemouth bass.
I put the bass into my old small pond (1/4 acre) along with maybe 1/3 of the minnows. The rest went into the new pond (2/3 acre when full) which is about 1/2 full. The old pond has bluegill in in and I had previously transferred 30 or 40 of various sizes to the new pond. at least 10 were over 4" and there were both sexes so there should be a nice spawn any time now. Water is above 70.
A few floaters and a few dead sinkers of the minnows - otherwise everything a-ok.
Assuming the new pond fills up I am thinking of adding SMB, HSB and Perch next year. I am concenned about water temps - I will be monitoring the temps this summer.
Anyone know the high end limits for the SMB and Perch? The depth will be a pretty steady 9' with one hole to 10.5'. I am near Lake Erie in Northern Ohio but not sure if I am far enough North with that depth for the Perch and SMB to make it.
I would like to avoid aeration and do not plan to feed. I am attempting to create a natural balanced ecosystem not too dissimilar from what Eric is doing in Rochester.
2/3 acre pond 12 miles from that big pond we call Lake Erie.
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Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 22,033 Likes: 483
Moderator Hall of Fame 2014  Lunker
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Moderator Hall of Fame 2014 Lunker
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 22,033 Likes: 483 |
Good job. The temp profile will really help and it would be good to take it for a full year through (esp. winter temps). On YP see pages 20 -21 of Bruce's thread : http://www.pondboss.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=5;t=000379;p=20 Which includes these 2 articles: http://aquanic.org/publicat/state/il-in/as-495.htm http://ag.ansc.purdue.edu/aquanic/ncrac/fprojects/proout/Grant2/PP1/YPpro.pdf On SMB see : http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.php?id=3382 Same upper range as YP 30C or 86F. I assume you are sure you will not have a DO problem in summer without aeration. That is not really the depth/temp. question you ask so I am not addressing that (thermocline) with this post. It seems to me that depth may be the question in winter not summer as both species due well much further north and south of you in both summer and winter as long as enough depth during winter freeze over. The winter question would be true also for the BG and RES. I would think that if the BG did ok in winter in your small pond (assuming same depth) I would think the YP and SMB and BG would do ok in your large pond. There are some very good threads here on ice over in small ponds wrt snow removal and keeping a hole in the ice ( for DO purposes).
.gif) 
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Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 135
Lunker
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Lunker
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 135 |
Thanks Eric. The links indicate an upper limit of 86F as you said, along with mucho other YP info.
The thread on Bruce's YP project is great. I read about 10 pages and plan to read the rest tonight.
My small pond has never had fish survival issues the 21 years I have lived here. I was told it was 12' deep in the middle but I have never measured it. So I am not sure if the depths are close or not. I have never cleared the snow and we get a lot of snow. I guess I better measure the depth of the small pond. I am confident the new pond is mostly 9' but I will have to wait for it to fill to be sure. It could make it to 10'.
I am also a little concerned that it won't fill up this year before winter. The winter filled it about 1/2 full - 4 to 5', but the rain does not bring it up too fast. There is next to no watershed feeding it. I tied in the downspouts from the house but may not be full in time for wintering over. I could pump water in - there is a creek next to the pond. I would do that as a last resort as I may introduct things I don't want.
2/3 acre pond 12 miles from that big pond we call Lake Erie.
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Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 135
Lunker
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Lunker
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 135 |
I measured both ponds. The smaller old one is right at 9'. The new one has 4.5 - 5' of water in it with only 3.5' to go. There will be one hole at 9'.
The water at 9' in the small pond was 56F. The new pond sees a lot more sun - it is 72 to 73 at all depths.
2/3 acre pond 12 miles from that big pond we call Lake Erie.
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Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 22,033 Likes: 483
Moderator Hall of Fame 2014 Lunker
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Moderator Hall of Fame 2014 Lunker
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