Dean, I have no vegetation in my ponds. I used some dye last year on a micro pond that I have but the pigs really solved the problem when they decided to make it a wading pool. And, I have a LOT of pigs and they are now keeping it so muddy that plants, including algae, won't grow. No fish currently in it anyway. I dyed it in the Spring to keep down mosquitos but the pigs muddied it enough so sunlight doesn't penetrate enough for bugs to survive or hatch.
Adding here. The veggies are mainly for small fish to escape predation until they get large enough to feed larger fish. That somewhat works but Lusk says that of all the eggs laid and hatched, only about 5% will reach maturity. They get eaten. And that's just Mama Nature( a cruel bitch) at work assuring that we don't get so many fish that an O2 crash occurs. However, that also is OK since fish lay an enormous of eggs.
I sometimes think about it like a rancher who plants grasses(hay) to feed cattle. The cows eat the grass and their manure feeds the grass and other plant life. If too many cows the grass gets over eaten, the sun bakes the ground, water runs off instead of soaking in and the guy has to buy supplemental grass(hay) to feed the cows. Much easier to sell off the calves , culling, when weaned than to attempt to reestablish the grass with too many mouths to feed. That's when he loses $$$. So the number one goal is to take care of the ponds and pasture environment and the fish and or cows will be fine.
Veggies don't do much for O2 generation. O2 mainly comes from wind wave action and sunshine with sunshine being the biggest contributor.
Last edited by Dave Davidson1; 11/11/2009:01 AM.
It's not about the fish. It's about the pond. Take care of the pond and the fish will be fine. PB subscriber since before it was in color.
Without a sense of urgency, Nothing ever gets done.
Boy, if I say "sic em", you'd better look for something to bite. Sam Shelley Rancher and Farmer Muleshoe Texas 1892-1985 RIP
