Bruce:
If you have electricity at your bluegill pond site, aeration is the straight-line solution to future challeges with the build-up of ammonia or other nutrients. Check the Pond Boss ads. A durable 1/3-hp aerator costs $1,000 or less and, in my little part of Central Texas, will run 24/7 for about 50-60 cents a day. Bonus benefit: Properly installed in the pond basin, it will keep at least a portion of your pond surface ice-free this winter.
Mark McDonald
Founding Editor
Boerne, TX