You guys are great- nice dialogue on this. Thank you for your knowledge wisdom and advice! I have been thinking to change to feeding once per day, now I will do it. I recently changed to the smaller 3.5 mm pellet due to a post I say on PB that said smaller pellets allow more fish to feed with less competition etc. Given a once per day feeding that shouldn't be an issue. Time to revert back tot he Silver Cup 5.5 mm floating pellet.
RE: Cecil's assertion that I must have colder temps than 70, I am sure he is right, I just can't seem to find them. I have used several sinking pool thermometers and more recently the AUBE spa/pool/pond digital thermometer on the quest for a truly accurate reading. The AUBE model seemed to be dead on, yet has malfunctioned after only 3 months. I have taken readings from the bottom- tossing it out on a line many times in many areas, but maybe those deep pockets are eluding me.
I actually was swimming in the pond on 7/2 and floated on a inflatable mat over to the new well that is pumping about 30gpm at a mighty cold 50 degrees and I could feel the cooling effect 3-4 ft. under the surface, though I desperatley hoped to get 40+ out of that new well. With only a 2" steel well pipe and a 1 1/4" pvc stuck 20 ft. down inside, it runs out of water when allowed to go full tilt, so I have a restrictor valve on the outlet side so that the flow is constant etc.
RE: dead fish sinking etc., yes most of us would never know. That said, at feeding time, I can estimate there are at least 100-150 in there as there has been massive jumping and splashing activity and they swim in schools around the feeder area for an hour or so before feeding time etc. More later
