Forums36
Topics40,962
Posts557,962
Members18,501
|
Most Online3,612 Jan 10th, 2023
|
|
7 members (FishinRod, Fishingadventure, 4CornersPuddle, Bigtrh24, Boondoggle, Bill Cody, Ponderific2024),
1,109
guests, and
322
robots. |
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
|
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 150
Lunker
|
OP
Lunker
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 150 |
Okay 1 acre pond, 5-8 feet deep, deepest 17 feet, triangular shaped. Im shooting for a LMB, HSB pond. I have lots of CNB and other perch in the pond for forage. Ponds been alive 30 to 40 years. We catch lots of bass 2 to 5 pounds and a few larger. recently put in 15 large HSB from TO. Im in the process of eliminating catfish and crappie. I always have a huge blow up of coontail in the summer. What would you buy for the pond next? heres my list- aerator-$1200+, feeder-$400-600, pond survey-$650. I cant purchase all of them. I mean i can i just cant live there if i do(wife)! What would you guys do?
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 5,713 Likes: 35
Administrator Lunker
|
Administrator Lunker
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 5,713 Likes: 35 |
I would work on the wife first. She needs to understand that anything for the pond is a great long term investment and cost is of no object. That way you can get any pond related item that you feel is "necessary" and not have to make all these tough decisions!
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,285 Likes: 1
Lunker
|
Lunker
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,285 Likes: 1 |
I had to choose between the aerator and feeder last year. I chose the aerator because it's more fun to hand feed than blow bubbles and the $400 sell on the feeder later would be easier than the price of the aerator.
"The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge." Stephen W. Hawking
|
|
|
|
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 13,973 Likes: 276
Moderator Lunker
|
Moderator Lunker
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 13,973 Likes: 276 |
For a 30-40 year old pond (with 30-40 years of organic sediments built up), I'd budget the aerator first too. Protect those good fish you've got.
Spend a little money (as little as $25) for a seine. You can get pretty good data from a DIY survey - seine/net results, creel records, and observations while hand feeding (the other bonus besides saving the auto-feeder cost is YOU ARE THERE). Not as good or as quick as a professional survey, but good data over the course of time.
"Live like you'll die tomorrow, but manage your grass like you'll live forever." -S. M. Stirling
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 21,499 Likes: 266
Moderator Hall of Fame 2014 Lunker
|
Moderator Hall of Fame 2014 Lunker
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 21,499 Likes: 266 |
I agree with Theo. I would get a cheap feeder (yes they are available)to augment hand feeding and a eBay aerator and see if I could swing both.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 210
Lunker
|
Lunker
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 210 |
I had a long discussion with a pond management company yesterday, and his opinion was that for LMB ponds, most under harvest and under feed. He suggested that he most important management tool was sufficient feeding.
Can you swing the aerator and a cheap feeder?
Mike
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,114
Lunker
|
Lunker
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,114 |
You should ask my wife. She is an ALL-STAR at spending money.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 388
Lunker
|
Lunker
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 388 |
I would opt for the aerator (you can get a cheaper feeder for now, i paid $80 for mine and it suffices). But an aerator, no matter what type you opt for, is soothing and beneficial to the fish (we have a windmill). Good luck. I hope to spend my hubby's $$$S when they come in and get something new for the POND too!
|
|
|
|
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 150
Lunker
|
OP
Lunker
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 150 |
MARKECIN do you like the windmill aerator? I did a search for windmill aerators and everbody seems to think they are no good. I would love to have a windmill for the looks and the ease of install. If i buy an electric one i have to dig a trench about 700+feet, buy the wire, tap into my elect in the garage, put it in a pipe , bury it and so on and so on.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 7,615 Likes: 5
Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
|
Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 7,615 Likes: 5 |
I say throw convention out the window and purchase a gorilla. You could train the gorilla to blow into the aeration tube and occasionally throw some feed into the pond. Think how cool it would be to have a gorilla roaming around your property. If you trained in in security tactics you would also elimate trepassers and poachers. Purchasing banannas might be slightly more expensive than purchasing electricity for the aerator pump but you have to remember the cool factor of having your own gorilla. If the gorilla resists being trained then you could use the gorilla to test whether or not people will talk about a 600 pound gorilla in the room. All I'm saying is sometimes it's good to think outside the box.
JHAP ~~~~~~~~~~ "My mind is a raging torrent, flooded with rivulets of thought cascading into a waterfall of creative alternatives." ...Hedley Lamarr (that's Hedley not Hedy)
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,114
Lunker
|
Lunker
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,114 |
lol, and the gorilla should help with any poachers that might find your pond.
|
|
|
|
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 150
Lunker
|
OP
Lunker
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 150 |
Here we go again with high jacking another thread. I asked questions for the expert's here. Please go play in the sand box boys.
Last edited by Sunil; 03/12/08 10:14 AM. Reason: Let's all just take it easy
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 8,854 Likes: 1
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
|
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 8,854 Likes: 1 |
I'd probably lean toward PM'ing one of the aeration experts on the forum, such as Cary, or Sue, or Ted (I'm a little tired this morning...may have forgot somebody) and really get a good thorough evaluation of the correct size of aerator, then get one if it's in the budget.
Keep in mind that a poorly designed aeration system is probably worse than no aerator at all--because you just gave away your money for a feeder...
By the way--Part of the reason that we have so many good minds on this forum is because of some of the fun that we have. I wouldn't get too bent out of shape over the occasional hi-jacking. It's not that hard to get things redirected. If we eliminated all of the thread hijackers there might not be anybody left. I know I'd be gone.
Last edited by Bruce Condello; 03/12/08 10:27 AM.
Holding a redear sunfish is like running with scissors.
|
|
|
|
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 13,973 Likes: 276
Moderator Lunker
|
Moderator Lunker
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 13,973 Likes: 276 |
I say throw convention out the window and purchase a gorilla. Is that the big gorilla from the L.A. Zoo? He stole my glasses - right off my face!
"Live like you'll die tomorrow, but manage your grass like you'll live forever." -S. M. Stirling
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 6,934 Likes: 2
Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
|
Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 6,934 Likes: 2 |
|
|
|
|
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 13,973 Likes: 276
Moderator Lunker
|
Moderator Lunker
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 13,973 Likes: 276 |
"Live like you'll die tomorrow, but manage your grass like you'll live forever." -S. M. Stirling
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 5,712 Likes: 3
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
|
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 5,712 Likes: 3 |
I never should have shown this thread to my wife!
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 13,748 Likes: 295
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame 2014 Lunker
|
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame 2014 Lunker
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 13,748 Likes: 295 |
catmandoo, she already met us. How bad could this be?
Excerpt from Robert Crais' "The Monkey's Raincoat:" "She took another microscopic bite of her sandwich, then pushed it away. Maybe she absorbed nutrients from her surroundings."
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 7,615 Likes: 5
Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
|
Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 7,615 Likes: 5 |
Here we go again with high jacking another thread. I asked questions for the expert's here. Please go play in the sand box boys. Jesse, I apologize for hijacking your thread. I was just blowing off a little tax season stress.
JHAP ~~~~~~~~~~ "My mind is a raging torrent, flooded with rivulets of thought cascading into a waterfall of creative alternatives." ...Hedley Lamarr (that's Hedley not Hedy)
|
|
|
|
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 150
Lunker
|
OP
Lunker
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 150 |
Thats cool, but the last 10 post are nothing about what i asked.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 7,615 Likes: 5
Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
|
Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 7,615 Likes: 5 |
Lets try to get you back on track. When considering aeration for my pond I researched windmill aeration systems extensively. The conclusion that I came to was that if you had power withing 1,000 feet or so you are better off using a conventional plug in aeration system. The main problem with windmill aeration is that since you are at the mercy of the wind you are not able to exercise any where near as much control over the aeration system as you can with a conventional (plug in) aeration system. The link below contains a discussion regarding windmills and a set of links to more discussions regarding windmills. http://www.pondboss.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=31519#Post31519]My understanding is that as long as you correctly size the air tubing you can push air a long way. You could put a plug in air pump near your power source and run the air tubing to the pond. The advantage this would have is that by using a timer you can control when it runs and how long it runs. You would probably have to dig a trench to bury the air tubing though.
JHAP ~~~~~~~~~~ "My mind is a raging torrent, flooded with rivulets of thought cascading into a waterfall of creative alternatives." ...Hedley Lamarr (that's Hedley not Hedy)
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 3,794
Lunker
|
Lunker
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 3,794 |
Thats cool, but the last 10 post are nothing about what i asked. I do think we need to be more careful about distractions from serious questions being asked.
N.E. Texas 2 acre and 1/4 acre ponds Original george #173 (22 June 2002)
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 2,435
Ambassador Hall of Fame 2014 Lunker
|
Ambassador Hall of Fame 2014 Lunker
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 2,435 |
George, I agree, but you have to admit that the Bski-Theo-Bski posts about the Gorilla was pretty funny!
Just do it...
|
|
|
|
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 150
Lunker
|
OP
Lunker
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 150 |
Yeah i thought about the windmill but I talked to ted lea at clean ponds and he sounds like a great guy and im gonna have him design me a system. I think i will try a cheaper feeder so i can try and get both. What do yall think of the vertex sytems?
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 3,794
Lunker
|
Lunker
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 3,794 |
If i buy an electric one i have to dig a trench about 700+feet, buy the wire, tap into my elect in the garage, put it in a pipe , bury it and so on and so on. JHFV, I have learned on the forum that is is much more effective to run air lines to pond than electricity. Our pump is at the garage and about 200ft of buried garden hose to the pond works for me. PVC pipe is often used for distances greater than 700+ ft. I'm sure some of the experts can advise you. Bill Cody helped me design a low cost DIY system.
Last edited by george1; 03/13/08 11:04 AM.
N.E. Texas 2 acre and 1/4 acre ponds Original george #173 (22 June 2002)
|
|
|
Moderated by Bill Cody, Bruce Condello, catmandoo, Chris Steelman, Dave Davidson1, esshup, ewest, FireIsHot, Omaha, Sunil, teehjaeh57
|
|