Cecil:
Got you on the aeration and feeding advice- makes sense. I currently have my auto feeder set to 6 seconds or about 1.2 lbs. of feed at 44 degree water temps (use the North Carolina Trout Feed calculation chart as a reference point). I will cut that back to maybe half that, given your input. It was interesting to note that when I cleaned the 2 fish recently caught, how much excrement was in their system, as they are in half dormancy already due to unseasonably cold temps.
Re: aeration- I have to aerate nearly all the time in winter jst to keep snow / ice off. Even if I lived up there, same would apply as with moving water from artesian well and output pipe it is unsafe to walk on and would be hazardous to remove snow. There is an old abandoned pit nearby by that fills with water and freezes, so we see how much snow cover it gets- fyi.
I have moved the diffusers out of the deepest areas, now at about 6-7 ft. of depth, vs. 9-10 in summer. Thanks for all the intersting dialogue on these topics fellow pond bosses!
