Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Can feeding substitute for fertility?

Unfortunately, my pond in the pines is acidic, 5.5 pH and around 30 alkalinity, despite 28 tons of ag limestone put down on the dry bottom last fall. While I intend to lime it again, I wonder to what extent feeding can substitute for fertility.

Right now I add about 5 lb of Optimal BG feed every day to my 7 acre BOW, around 150 lb a month total. I may increase that as the weather cools. I don't worry too much about overfertilizing, given the BOW infertility and the fact I feed Optimal. Algae is minimal, though perhaps some of this is due to a moderate amount of TP.

Any thoughts from those far more expert?

Standard answer in the south - depending on water quality assuming an unproductive pond (little to no bloom visible)

Regular pond - 100 lbs of fish per acre

Fertilized pond - 400 lbs of fish per acre

Pellet feeding pond - 200 lbs of fish per acre

Fertilized and fed - 600 lbs per acre.

These are up to amounts. You can fertilize just a little and get some benefit.

From my experience and from my reading here and books like Raising Trophy Bass, I understand water needs to be fertile when the fish in the ponds are having there fry. If pond is not fertile then nothing for the fry to eat. So, at my place when the spawning starts in late February or March the water is pretty clear due to winter temps and the visibility can be 4 to 5'. Feeding will cause a bloom but it is to slow to do so. Fertilizing each yr so far has been necessary at that time of year. The problem I seem to be running into is the feeding along with what comes with it, will cause more fertilization than I need later in the summer. No expert here, just my experience over the past two years.

Tracy