Thanks guy for the dialogue on this! Important note is I live 2 hours from the pond site, so it's weekends only about every 3rd week, with other brothers going up more frequently to the property.
Answer to previous questions: Yes, we are using a temp controller / thermostat device in "heating" mode so that the aerator starts ON when temp drops to 60 and then turns OFF at 63. So, anything less than 60.
So, according to internet temp records AND real life observation, the temp can drop from 85 in the day to 50 - 60 at night, almost 50% of the time in the June - August season. Important note is that with one well dumping 25 gpm from 3 ft. high into the pond and another artesian putting 7 gpm, there is some decent constant surface splashing 24/7 which I am hoping adds some supplemental and critical night time aeration.
Feeding Answer
I actually "upped" the feeding rate from 1.4% of total body weight (tbw) to 1.7% of tbw this past week. The formula I am using comes form the North Carolina Trout Co-op. 200 rainbows stocked in early April '06 at 10-11", now they are almost 15"! We caught 12 fish. Only ever had evidence of one fish that died, that we could see.
The calculation I am therefore using is:
170 x 1/2 lbs. each = 204 lbs. of total fish
204 lbs x 1/7% @ pond temp of 70-72 = 3.5 lbs feed daily
I have been slightly underfeeding them for the past 2 months with less than 3 lbs. daily. I tested the feed satiation and validated that at about 3.4 lbs daily they stop feeding. Two feed times- 7am, est. 2lbs, and at 9:00pm, est. 1.4lbs. I estimate that I am at or just a hair less than the chart feed rates.
What are your thoughts
