Is there any benefit to having curent in a pond? Like maybe helping bass catch prey, keeping water mixed, oxygenation. I thought of a way to get good curent without spending anymore money than I already do. Just wanted to pic your brains.

There are pros and cons of current - stream versus pond conditions. Current helps some fish spawn successfully. Some algae prefer current and some are hindered by it. Some insect larvae thrive better in current. Current can speed the decay of bottom sediments by keeping them better oxygenated. IMO a pond with some current increases the amount a diversity of habitat; both conditions in the same water body.

Are there any pond design strategies that can help create "natural" current in a pond without having continual inflow and outflow of water from the pond. I understand I can create current from pumps. Could current be created by having narrow straights between larger bodies of water or by creating more shallow to deep water drop offs?

My idea was to put a baffle over my air diffuser at a 45 this would direct the flow one way.

one way to make a current

There are also units that can attach to a dock. Think of a supercharged electric trolling motor.

Bob Lusk put a few in a pond that he designed for a guy in Oklahoma that put a current in a cove for trout.

cray, I have a slight "current" or circular motion of the water around my small pond with the flowing well. I have the out put angled to get is flowing down one side so it ends up moving the entire thing around.

I do notice the fish will lay all facing the same direction leaning into the mild current when they are not actively doing something like feeding or what ever. It seems like it helps things in general.

Are you thinking of adding a slight circular motion to your in ground grow out ponds or you giant pools.

Are you wondering since you have so many fish in the grow out pools/ponds would the extra "exercise" they might get be beneficial?

I say if you have time try one pond out and record any noticeable difference and let us all know what you find out.

We built a waterfall for our pond for looks and the sound when we are sitting down there. The added benefit was the shiner population loves the water fall. When the water gets warmer there is a difference between the water coming over and in than the water in the pond.

We run a brushless 5500 gallon per hour pump all the time and the second 5500 gallon pump fills the pond on floats. When they are both running there is a noticeable current in the pond from the water fall pulling water in on both sides.

We do get string alga off the end of it but there are lots of life in it.

We trapped some minnows last week and about 20% we emerald shiners that were only 1.5"s long. I think Bill is 100% right that the shiners love the waterfall.

Cheers Don.

P.S. I bet the pumps are less than $10 a month in power and in Ontario here we have the most expensive hydro cost in North America.

When I pump creek water into my pond, I direct the flow at an angle, so it circulates all the way around the 1/4 acre oval pond. I get about 55 to 60 GPM, so it creates a gentle current in most of the pond, and a fast current near the discharge. The CC seem to congregate a way out from the discharge, where the current is mild, while the FHM like to almost swim right into the discharge.

Yes I am curious if a little activity will help my bass in my ras. Also if it would be beneficial to a pond.

it would be very simple to test in one RAS pond, just point the discharge pipe down along one side or edge of the pool and it will create a circular water movement. Compare results from that one to the others that don't have it.

I don't know if there is any benefit, but I know that some fish seek it out at least part of the time. After a rain will have water running from the sediment pond into the main pond. Small BG will congregate where the water runs out of the pipe in a big bunch. Two or three will actually wedge themselves underneath the pipe where there is a concrete void and set right at the edge of swift current. A few will swim constantly right in the main current stream. The other day I witnessed a bunch of BG swimming up the tube. They would be gone for a while inside the tube to be eventually flushed back out to the big pond, only to do it all over again.

Around my diffusers at times there will be hundreds of small BG that ride the water current to the top and be spilled out to the side only to do it again. It is like a vertical conveyor belt of small BG.


So I know the fish at times enjoy some current. How much they need it or it benefits them? No idea. Or if it is harmful if it is constant with no place for the fish to rest? Again no idea.

If a pond is subject to significant wind, it is surprising how much current waves can actually create. Pond dye will disperse throughout the pond in a relative short amount of time if there is wind.