Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations 2 tier Multi-Species Pond Management Tactics

This question actually started with Bruce Condello's well made point in my 'Deep vs. Shallow Pond' post. Thanks to Bruce, I now know that I can experiment with having LMB & BG in the upper warm water tier, while allowing trout to survive the summer's warmth in the lower, colder tier if, IF, managed correctly. My questions start with, would I basically run a small volume aerator (if at all) on the deepest bottom, while running a larger aerator 8 feet (or less) off the bottom to keep the upper tier of water, mainly, from experiencing 'turn-over'?
Does anyone have experience managing a multi-tier/multi-species pond? I would like to gain enough information from my Pond Fam out there to at least make an educated try at adding Rainbow Trout to my pond experience.

I think maybe we need "the brilliance that is Ewest" on this one a little bit. This topic has gotten some significant attention on other threads, and if I remember correctly, one of them was re "hypolimnetic aeration" and another one might have revolved around a product known as "aquakler".

It deserves it's own archived thread. Maybe this can be it.

When I mention "cooler water species" I was referring to fish more like yellow perch than rainbow trout.

What type of summertime temps are we talking in Southern Oregon?

Two acre pond, right?

How deep at it's deepest point?

How much accumulated organic sediment or "muck" does this water body have?

Pond facts: -2 acres, 200' X 300', rectangle, even sides approx *45 degrees with a 50' wide X 175' long bottom, 20' deep max to 16' deep by Fall. Last year, average summer air temps, I recorded the warmest temps at 71*, all levels due to good 24/7 aeration results circulating all water at all levels, No muck to speak of yet, as it is only 5 years new (remodeled) with a "ice age pack" decomposed shale bottom and sides with very little original portions of black, smelly mud sides exposed. There is a "settling pond" up-stream, so setiment will hopefully be held off for years to come.

Your highest water temp was 71 F.

OK, if that's the case then we've definitely got something to work with as far as trout.

Mine hovered around 85 F. for about two weeks last year. Not very trout friendly.

Cecil Baird...calling Cecil Baird......

Southern Oregon summers can get pretty warm, and believe or not, dry too. So maybe trout is not a possibility. I'll stay tuned...

Guys what do you want to do with this thread. I recall several very good trout pond threads and Cecil has the multi tiered ponds.I know there are tests going on now on aquakler but I would not bet my fish on it yet.

In short, what is Aquakler???

Max surface temp of 71 F.? That's still about six degrees higher than I would want it. Any possibility of some cold water inflow as in a well or something? Might not take that much to drop the pond a few degrees during the hottest par of the summer.

Or some serious aeration on the surface when temps drop during the night into the 50's during the warmest part of the year could pull you through with trout.

Do you have access to brown trout? They would be able to tolerate marginal water temps better than rainbow and especially brooks.

No experience with hypolimentic aeration, but it sounds good on paper. Bascially you are adding D.O. but not enough to break stratification.

When you have all the information you need and you're still scratching your head on if it will work, the best thing is to just get some trout and see if they make it. I would put larger fish in like 12 to 14 inches so that if they don't make it there won't be any other factors to confuse you. It's also possible you may lose some, but some will make it. If you do plant some and you see a few morts don't give up right away. Some fish are hardier than others.

Here's the thread on the product:

http://www.pondboss.com/cgi-bin/ubbcgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=18;t=000084

So, still can't find out what it is. Anhydrous, freeze dried oxygen? Does it make O2 out of water? Sorry, but looks quite fishy to me. A lot of it may help clear up the golf course ditches shown on the website, but, really now, in a fishing pond with 400,000 and upwards gal. of water? I know, I'm a skeptic.

I agree. Sounds too good to be true. I guess we'll have to wait for some data to know.

Thanks Cecil. I like that approach: I'll experiment with some larger trout, due both to hardiness and the fact that smaller trout could end up as dinner for my larger LMB. Let me also say again that the 71* degree water temp was throughout, from surface down 16' feet due to the August water level and higher air temps, plus 5 previous months of 24/7 aeration. I think that I could keep my deeper water in the 60's pretty easy with selective-depth aeration, if I knew exactly what that adds up to. So, at what depths would be a good start to try and keep cooler water down below while aerating enough to keep the upper region from stratifying and causing turn-over? For example, maybe test a small amount of aeration down deep with a larger amount being placed at an 8' depth? I have a large population of BG, LMB and CC, so I think I really do need to keep aerating down deep to some degree to keep the nasty water mixed up and moving, ya think?
I'll start testing this summer and keep temperature records for the project. I have an unusually deep pond for it's size, and if I can use that to my advantage for diversity, I'd like that. I'll also start hunting down some browns.
And yes. I will have well water diverted by next Spring/Summer. It's only 5-gpm, but 24/7 should help a little. I really want the trout for pets, though at some point I won't swear they won't end up on our dinner plates.

Here is some info from prior threads wrt wells/aeration and trout/ summer temps.

Horizontal aeration

http://www.pondboss.com/cgi-bin/ubbcgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=11;t=000125

Trout Success in 2006!

http://www.pondboss.com/cgi-bin/ubbcgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=20;t=003522;p=1

Trout Summer Survival

http://www.pondboss.com/cgi-bin/ubbcgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=20;t=003024

ewest: Great info in these links. I like the water injection to swirl the pond water idea, though a turbo-charged diesel powered paddle-wheel would be better. (More Power! ruff ruff ruf.) (: I still want to investigate what aerating just the top 1/2 will cause, and see if I can't keep the lower levels cold(er) for the trout to seek refuge in when things warm up. One thing I did learn, and that is, I am in the ball park with my trout abilities, as like I posted, my highest temps, top to bottom of the pond with 24/7 aeration only got to 71*. With some well water injected and a little finese on aeration, I should be able to keep some trout alive.

For questions on Aquakler you can always visit the website.

www.aquakler.com

or

You can call toll free

1-877-ECO-GROW

Aquakler is also offered by Helena Chemical Company.

http://www.helenachemical.com/locations.html