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Bill D. #424323 09/19/15 10:07 AM
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I would think with careful use of a glyphosate product, it would not be too bad to maintain the rock look. It is just going to take regular maintenance much like a lawn requires mowing.

Where we travel a lot, seems like it is easier to get a grandson to hop on a zero turn mower and mow than to do specific chores that require detail. They seem to avoid weed eaters like the plague, although buying a walk behind DR has helped a lot. I don't think I could get anyone to do the required maintenance while we are gone with what I would be willing to pay to make it work. My wife would like our rock to keep looking like rock, but I'm not willing to commit to the time it takes to do it.

I'm kind of a low maintenance type guy. I would never survive in a neighborhood that required property to look just so-so. One reason I could never see myself living in town with neighbors close.

Last edited by snrub; 09/19/15 10:10 AM.

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Bill D. #424324 09/19/15 10:43 AM
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Quite the project. Looks good!


"Forget pounds and ounces, I'm figuring displacement!"

If we accept that: MBG(+)FGSF(=)HBG(F1)
And we surmise that: BG(>)HBG(F1) while GSF(<)HBG(F1)
Would it hold true that: HBG(F1)(+)AM500(x)q.d.(=)1.5lbGRWT?
PB answer: It depends.
Bill D. #424344 09/19/15 08:30 PM
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Thanks guys. So much more to do I can't even see the end. As Bob O would say, "You ain't never gonna be done." Unfortunately, my vision of the end result will never be supported by my wallet!


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Bill D. #424456 09/21/15 01:41 PM
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About prior questions on FHM - from the archives with fixed links

http://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=115165#Post115165
















Bill D. #424493 09/21/15 08:37 PM
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Thanks Ewest,

A lot of interesting info on FHM spawning. What is surprising to me is the lack of info on what folks have done to provide habitat for the new spawn, and subsequent size classes, to assure survival of the population. It seems everyone just assumes they have to disappear. It will be interesting to see if my large amount of rip rap, chunks of concrete slab, boulder piles, piles of river stone and planting marginals will impact survivability.

In case you haven't noticed, I am taking the article along this subject line in this issue of PBM to heart! smile


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Bill D. #424499 09/21/15 09:50 PM
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Been thinking about this quite a bit after reading the recent PBM article. Here is my train of thought.... right or wrong..... When you place a forage species in your pond, the plan is to provide forage for your desired predator species. If you provide cover for the forage, and their spawn, you have reduced the accessibility of the forage to your target fish and may make them work harder for a meal to obtain a reasonable growth. If you provide no cover for the forage, they will disappear. So what to do? I had a thought while thinking (as my old engineering mentor Fritz would say), why not just supplement the forage base by adding another forage species or three to the mix and provide what they need to survive as well? Now your predators have multiple potential dinners and the forage is self sustaining?


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Bill D. #424527 09/22/15 08:37 AM
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BillD ""adding another forage species or three to the mix". You are talking about ecological diversity which is how most all natural systems thrive or maintain a steady state.


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Bill D. #424556 09/22/15 01:32 PM
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However one must note that the confirmed (by many studies)problem with most natural systems is the lack of adequate food for all species to flourish. I would suggest that without man's intervention no ponds/waters like those we are discussing is static. Changes occur over time especially with fish populations.
















Bill D. #425376 09/30/15 09:42 PM
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I agree!! Food for thought perhaps...A possible benefit of having a mini pond (I consider this less than 1 acre) is it is much easier to manage and adjust populations.


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After two plus years, there are no piles of dirt on our land and the final grade for planting grass is done as of today. BUT wind for the next couple of days is 20 mph with gusts to 30. Dirt devils everywhere. Coat of dust on the pond. Can't broadcast seed in these conditions and would probably just blow away anyway. I sure hope I have some topsoil left by Monday. frown

Last edited by Bill D.; 10/01/15 07:28 PM.

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Keep it watered down some, Bill! Save that topsoil!



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Wish I could Rex but nothing in place to let me do that. Good news is the wind was not as strong today and only the finest dust is moving around. I hope to get it planted tomorrow or Monday. Showers predicted every couple days in the 10 day forecast.


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Need some advice quick...Ok so the guy is supposed to come Monday to broadcast the seed. Some background....He prepared the seed bed with a Harley rake on the front of a Bobcat so the seed bed is covered with tire tracks. His idea is to broadcast the seed and leave it lying on top of the ground. My concern is nothing will grow in the tire tracks and very little in the areas in between with the seed left uncovered. My thought, tell him I want it drilled. This will take out the tire tracks and get the seed covered. Am I being unreasonable or do you guys think I have it wrong and his approach will work? Watering is not an option.

Thanks in advance for advice!!

Edit: How hard does a grass drill pull? Would my little JD 585 4WD (25 HP) be able to handle it?

Last edited by Bill D.; 10/03/15 07:28 PM. Reason: Clarification

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Bill,
First of all, I only have a limited amount of experience with regards to this subject. I agree with Rex to keep the topsoil damp to hold it in place. Is this guy spreading the seed with a 3 pt PTO broadcaster? In my past experience after the seed was broadcast, I dragged a piece of cattle panel behind the 4 wheeler to lightly cover the seed. I would again wet down the area after the seed was covered and continue keeping it moist if the winds prevail. Hopefully, the winds will lay down and the seed will germinate and sprout. Good luck.
Charlie


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Thanks Charlie! One of my big concern is dropping seed on top of the compacted soil in the Bobcat tire tracks and expecting it to grow. Approximately 10% of the surface area of the seed bed is tire tracks. Any thoughts on that?

They haven't brought the spreader yet so I don't know if it is a walk behind or 3 PT.

Last edited by Bill D.; 10/04/15 08:18 AM.

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Drill it. I pulled a Brillion seed drill behind my 18 hp B7500 Kubota tractor. I rented the drill from a local rental place and it fit on the 3-point on the tractor.

If the seed stays on top of the soil, it will dry out fast. IIRC you have no way to water it. Many moons ago I took a landscaping class at a local college. We were told that once the grass seed gets wet and starts to germinate, if it dries out it dies. They said every time the grass seed dries out you lose 50% of the grass seed.

If it's just thrown on top of the soil and not covered 1/4" with soil, or chopped straw you will have a very patchy, thin stand of grass.

Did you do a soil test to check for nutrients/pH? Did you use a starter fertilizer?


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Thanks for the response Esshup. Starter fertilizer and drill is the way I will go. $3K in seed for this so I want to give it the best chance I can.


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Bill D. #425651 10/04/15 07:04 PM
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For those following along on my little Mutt Pond thread....

In a month or so I will be stocking:

20 CC 6 to 8 inch - to replace those harvested this year
25 YP 5 to 7 inch - to ladder stock last years 50 YP

Newcomer to Mutt Pond:

10 WE 6 to 8 inch - want to get them in at this size while I still can without worrying (too much) about predation. Bigger WE are a lot more expensive

Last edited by Bill D.; 10/04/15 07:08 PM. Reason: Clarification

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...sounds like a plan. Good luck, Bill...


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Thanks Charlie....ya never know what you'll catch when you toss a bobber in Mutt Pond....looking forward to when you and Pat come to visit and give my little puddle a try!....


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We ready Bill!

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That would be awesome! Anytime my friend! My plate is already loaded for 2016 but really hope I can wander yer guy's way in 2017. Nothing I would like better than to check out yer puddles and take you and yers out to a big feed at the Walmart snack bar!

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Bill D. #425738 10/05/15 06:30 PM
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Last few weeks I have been noticing a 50 to 100 fish school of fusiform fish 5 inches or so in length. Attempts to catch them in a minnow trap have failed (I suspect they cannot fit thru the opening). They intermingle freely with the schools of FHM and small SF but make no attempt to harm them. After my last attempt to trap one today, I threw the bread bait back in the pond and they attacked it with gusto.

A few months back I submitted the attached photo to the forum for ID and the fish was tentatively identified as GSH. I am pretty sure the pros got it right.

Although I never intentionally stocked them, I have concluded that GSH are now part of the pond's forage base.

Thoughts on impact to the pond or my conclusion that GSH are becoming established in the pond based on my limited evidence?


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Bill D, after two crappie fishing trips on Caddo lake that is near by, I bucket stocked around 50 GSH that I had left over from the fishing trips. And like the 10,000 TFS stocked in my pond, I have never seen them since the bucket stock. But I am sure they are in there somewhere.

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Tracy,

I suspect your right. Yours are still in there.

I was trying to figure out why I haven't seen this school earlier and I suspect I actually have but mistook them for a school of mature FHM. Now they have reached a size that makes them a lot more noticeable. My bass have noticed them as well. They seem to be their preferred target right now along with the tons of 1 to 2 inch frogs that are recently showing up as the tadpoles develop.

Bill


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