Hi Pond Boss gang.
I am Mel. Dug my pond in 2006. Its a little bigger than a third acre and 13 to 15 feet in the middle. Its aerated in 2 places all year long. Land was so wet that there was little else to do with it but to dig pond. It is used primarily for swimming and paddle boating. However my dilemma is that there is an overflow pipe hidden behind the cat tails at the far end of it which drains into a drainage swale. As a result, my pond never fills to the surface of the grass line of the rest of my property and it is a total nightmare trying to control the grassy/ weedy banks all the way around it which are probably a good 4 feet slope down to the water. Doesn't look pretty. I want water to come higher so I don't have to look at that weedy bank. I have to pay a kid to weed wack it every few months. Its more than I can handle. DEC designed pond and I know that weedy banks are good for wild life, but so not very nice to look at. Any ideas how to make water level higher so I don't have to deal with bank maintenance?? I actually thought of sticking a ball in the pipe to lessen the overflow spillage. Also wanted to know if anyone has any suggestions for water testing kits and what I should be testing for; the usual ammonia, nitrate, chloride, hardness, carbon dioxide and alkalinity. Or more than that. I'm not sure if herons have eaten my fish or if water quality is on the blink but seems I have not seen too many fish jumping like I used to. Heron or water issues?? Haven't seen huge amount of dead fish, only one last summer. Water looks pretty clear, but that doesn't mean its
good. Probably need to restock ??? Thanks for any tips or ideas. So happy to have found this forum. Cheers !!
