I was out working on the pond today, trying to get it back in shape after a period of neglect. Yesterday, I used a horse stall rake to scoop out the FA etc. Today I was scooping out the thick layer of decaying leaves and humus that is about 6-8 inches deep, I noticed that when I scooped the rack down into the humus layer that bubbles would come to the surface. I would imagine it is trapped gas from the deacying leaves. My questions are:

1. What type of gas would this be?
2. Is it toxic to the fish
3. Would I be better just to leave it alone
4. Could this cause the fish not to spawn-white crappie- no little ones this year.

Thanks for taking a look, I really enjoy this forum.

I found this information, it answers numbers 1 and 2

Hydrogen Sulfide

Hydrogen sulfide forms when bacteria feed off decayed organic matter and is trapped under the sludge layer. Hydrogen sulfide produces a rotten egg odor, and gas bubbles may escape when the sludge is stirred up. These gas bubbles can also release carbon dioxide, methane, and other noxious gasses, lowering the level of oxygen present. Hydrogen sulfide is toxic to fish, especially in warmer water temperatures

Here is a link to more info it is pretty informative.

http://books.google.com/books?id=Sz4RYEy...num=3#PPA144,M1

Mobass, here's a link to a discussion on this subject, some people use rakes to stir up the sludge to release bottom gases, I do it from a canoe and punch the bottom with a kayak paddle, it doesn't seem to hurt the fish when the gas is released, but they probably scatter from that area with me poking around.
http://www.pondboss.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=137648&fpart=1

My fish haven't spawned this year either. I don't know what the deal is but I assume they are just a little behind because of the weather.

Thank you for jumping right in and posting. That is what makes this site work. Every post can be a learning experience for someone. Heck I've learned tons of stuff in the last three years from Pond Boss posts. Some of it was even about ponds and fish.

When I was trying to manually eradicate Elodea (big mistake by the way) I used a big aluminum land scape rake. I tied a rope to it and threw it into the pond and let it sink. Then I'd pull it back to shore and rake out the Elodea and other debris. I would always get a massive amount of bubbles rising up. I think that this is one of the reasons that the experts always recommend that an aeration system be started up in short intervals - so as not to trigger a release of toxic chemicals that could cause a massive fish kill.

I have no idea as to whether or not this could have an effect on spawing though, experts?

Thanks for the respones

I lost alot of my fish a couple winters ago and there is not but a few white crappie left. All the ones I have caught this year are 8 inches long no varience. I am planning to restock this year but want to make sure I do things in the correct order.

After doing more research on the bottom sludge and the gases,(the info in the link I posted quotes a study that says that the gases will cause eggs and fry deaths with very little exposer) I think my best order of things will be to get as much of the leaves off the bottom to control further decay, without disturbing the sludge layer.

Install a small aeration system and check into a bacteria program to eat up some of the goop.

Stock my minnows and feeders let them get going

Decide when to stock my LMB not many just enough to control feeders, and grow big.(love top fishing for bass).

Manage pond so I do not have to do this again!!!!

How does that sound to you guys?

Mobass, I forgot to mention that in addition to stirring up the bottom to release gasses I also have a small aeration system, and also spread a pound of Flush-it bacteria last year, and will again use the bacteria once the water gets a little warmer.
The GSH and PS spawning seems unaffected.

Mine apparently haven't either. All the local large lakes are behind too. I had some males on the beds and they went off and haven't come back on yet.

Back to the gas I read sometime back about Native Americans dragging large stones behind their canoes in a slow moving river in southern Ohio. This would release gases and actually stun the fish and they would float to the surface where they were easily harvested. How about that?

If you had to paddle a canoe dragging a big stone behind, you'd release alot of gas too.