The wetland is about 1" from overflowing into the pond. The mosquito larvae I may have seen last year actually could've been baby bullhead...either way, there were thousands of bullhead and the mosquitoes were not drastically controlled until the dragon flies returned. No BG I stocked remained when the wetland dried up but there were lots of FHM...and BH. What are your thoughts on only adding FHM to eat mosquitoes or only adding fingerling LMB to eat the BH that will wash in? I'm assuming many fish will wash into the main pond, again, the wetland will dry up, again, this summer and GBH will feast on whatever is in there, again. Since FHM survived until the wetland dried up and I'm assuming it will again, I'm leaning towards just adding FHM to the wetland. They will also wash into the main pond as quick snacks but some will remain to eat mosquitoes.
How are you going to know unless you try!
NW TX 2ac main pond fed from 1100ac watershed going through 2 2+ac sediment ponds. 1st filled 10/2018 900BG, 200RES, 200HBG, 100CC and 23# FHM...."Free" BH, GSF GSH, LMB & ??? 75LMB 3/2020 I subscribe!
FHM sounds like a good choice. I'd think the CC and various BG would control the baby BH in your pond, but if you're cool with LMB they would do the same.
Mosquitoes are often controlled in fishless ponds by predatory aquatic invertebrates like insects. Gambusia (mosquito fish) are often added for mosquito control, but they have a reputation as egg-eaters, so consider carefully if you want them in your main pond. You live in a very different climate from me, so there may be better choices in your area. I rarely see any mosquito larvae in my wetlands, but we have plenty coming out of tree holes and small puddles that appear for a few weeks during warm wet periods. Two years ago, early archery was terrible.
in my part of Tx which is just a mile or so from Caddo lake we have Gambusia minnow most everywhere there is a pothole of water in the bottom land. Easy to gather them up using a large dip net. like a fine screen pole net used in bass boats to net a caught fish. Just drag it through the pot hole will come up with gams and crawfish.
Do not judge me by the politicians in my City, State or Federal Government.
FHM sounds like a good choice. I'd think the CC and various BG would control the baby BH in your pond, but if you're cool with LMB they would do the same.
There are some LMB that washed in last year just does not seem like many. The year 1 CC and BGs didn't seem to control the baby BH too well. They sure cleaned up every single FHM though. My goal is big BG and that requires lots of predators. That's another reason I'm leaning towards adding FHM to the wetland and LMB to the pond.
in my part of Tx which is just a mile or so from Caddo lake we have Gambusia minnow most everywhere there is a pothole of water in the bottom land. Easy to gather them up using a large dip net. like a fine screen pole net used in bass boats to net a caught fish. Just drag it through the pot hole will come up with gams and crawfish.
No gams out here where the west begins. Last year I was not able to find a source and the local USDA office had never heard of them.
I started with 25 gams for $25 off Amazon. I have a little lily pond and loaded with those few minnows. They double every month. I put some in our koi pond, now it's loaded. The big pond (1/10 acre) takes stocking because the baby bass line up to grab them.
My best friend has access to old aerial photos and recently found USDA photos of the entire county in 1939. We knew my pond site was originaly a salt water evaporation pond but I didn't think it was there in 1939. My valley is under the B. The neighbor's pond to the south was also originally for saltwater. The property on my north border had at least a 10ac 30ft deep saltwater pond. It was a big oil and gas production site.
Started a 3in siphon to drain the wetland 1ft into the pond. That's a first for me. I'll reset it deeper this weekend. Pond is still 5ft low and no good rain forecast anytime soon. It's going to flood the pond with nutrients. Think I'm at risk of anything bad? Edit: I did not get any FHM last week for the mosquito larva. Hopefully lots of larva will wash into the pond.
The siphon is still pumping and only dropped about 6in from the wetland. That is most of the shallow part of the wetland. At least a ft added to the pond. Water is now barely in the expansion area. The entire pond will take a lot more to fill than the wetland can provide. The expansion is significant. The second pic shows more of the pond. I believe it's just over 2ac when full. About 5ft low for now.
Upgraded the siphon to make it easier to start. Worked first try! Wasted 45min last night the simple way and failed. Air lock. $14 for pipe fittings today. Cheap to move 400,000ga using free 3in poly gas pipe. Also installed the bullhead filter.
Upcycling lol I like tht. You would have had a good time with me today I took some welded wire fencing we used for are kids 4h project ( goat pen). I pulled it behind the side by side to smooth out dirt from the pond redo project.
The fish truck came to town today. Added 5lb of FHM and ruby reds to the wetland. Did not have a choice since they were mixed already. Got 75 2" LMB for the pond. 2.5" in the rain gauge from Tuesday night and Wednesday. The wetland is overflowing and raised the pond several feet! While there today the pond came up another 6". Still a few feet to go and there might be enough to fill it. If not, I'll get the siphon running again. From now on my neighbors pond is my forage pond...Saw 1 BH and at least a dozen GSF wash in...in just a few minutes. Starting to second guess stocking anything in the wetland to control mosquitoes. Next summer when it gets low I may get a slingshot and chlorine tabs to launch over the fence and nuke their mud hole.
How are you going to know unless you try!
NW TX 2ac main pond fed from 1100ac watershed going through 2 2+ac sediment ponds. 1st filled 10/2018 900BG, 200RES, 200HBG, 100CC and 23# FHM...."Free" BH, GSF GSH, LMB & ??? 75LMB 3/2020 I subscribe!
The neighbor's pond is more of a sediment trap that was originally used for saltwater storage. I was told the state reworked it about 12 years ago perhaps for floodwater control. It's probably close to 5ac right now. Mostly very shallow with a quarter ac hole that did not dry out last year. When it overflows into my wetland it can really flood! There's no stopping it. Last year we had 6" of water flowing out of the wetland and over the road. Too much water is a rarity in this area of Texas. Here is my pond yesterday. The expansion area is closest to the 1918 Acme 12x12 steam engine. I was told there are only 3 known to exist! It was used to drill oil wells. They would use a combustion engine once they hit oil and natural gas. I restarted the siphon yesterday with the fish excluder to at least keep some trash fish out. Heading out there soon to check the water level. Also planted two cypress trees yesterday as a tribute to college days and working on the Guadalupe river.
How are you going to know unless you try!
NW TX 2ac main pond fed from 1100ac watershed going through 2 2+ac sediment ponds. 1st filled 10/2018 900BG, 200RES, 200HBG, 100CC and 23# FHM...."Free" BH, GSF GSH, LMB & ??? 75LMB 3/2020 I subscribe!
This is the neighbors sediment pond and source of the bullheads...That's my trespassing chocolate lab Apollo. The 3" siphon raised the pond about 2" in 24 hours. The foot print is getting big!
How are you going to know unless you try!
NW TX 2ac main pond fed from 1100ac watershed going through 2 2+ac sediment ponds. 1st filled 10/2018 900BG, 200RES, 200HBG, 100CC and 23# FHM...."Free" BH, GSF GSH, LMB & ??? 75LMB 3/2020 I subscribe!
Drove into The Valley and 3 big birds took flight from the expansion area...cormorants... They causually landed near the dam. Used binoculars for positive identification. One didn't even dive and caught a 6in fish... They recieved a very unwelcome warning. I've never seen a cormorant in my life out here...
How are you going to know unless you try!
NW TX 2ac main pond fed from 1100ac watershed going through 2 2+ac sediment ponds. 1st filled 10/2018 900BG, 200RES, 200HBG, 100CC and 23# FHM...."Free" BH, GSF GSH, LMB & ??? 75LMB 3/2020 I subscribe!
The sediment pond has very low visibility. I suspected it was full of BH like last year. At least a 1000 dead when it dried up. 5 good throws with a 6ft net tonight - only GSH and crawfish. That means the BH all swam into the main pond when the sediment pond overflowed. I am planning to siphon it dry this weekend. Any reason not to? Good fish can be transferred. The Labs are still swimming but I'm guessing it's only 2-3ft deep now. Last year it was a toxic pit when everything died.
How long does it take to saturate new ground after an expansion? The .75ac main pond expansion filled mid March and we overflowed for a week. Not much rain since and the pond is down about 2ft. I have not found any wet spots behind the dam yet. The most likely area behind the rock spillway is dry. Tonight I filled a bucket with water, set it near the pond and put a measuring stick in the pond for an evaporation test.
I think the time to fill the soil upland from the dam depends on your specific situation. If the upland area below full pool is not sealed (as per normal), it will take water until saturated. The rate of uptake will depend on its porocity.