esshup,

This pond sounds like it completed its 2nd year from stocking. Brush/cover can make significant contributions to production. On its own, it can increase production double or more with otherwise equal water. I'll restate that. It can double the amount of food a pond's food chain produces with no additional nutrients. Most authors attribute this to the widely held perspective that increased attachment surface is responsible for producing substantially more food. So this seems a good way to control nutrient input while expanding the food production of nutrient limited pond.


It isn't what we don't know that gives us trouble, it's what we know that ain't so - Will Rogers