by Cory Smith
The pond in your backyard or the back forty can feel like a headache, sometimes a pointless money pit, and even get to the point where you want to fill it in! However, the good news is that it doesn’t have to feel that way, and with some very simple proactive steps, you can keep it looking or performing its best year around!
The first thing any pond owner must realize is that the pond or lake on your property is just an extension of your property, and it takes routine care to keep it healthy not only in appearance and balance but fishing at its best! The person with the best yard on the block doesn’t mow once a quarter, they are in constant care of their yard and your pond should be no different! The best practice that you can do is to have an annual plan of things that need to take place regardless of your overall goals. As we have all heard, no plan is a plan to fail! I’m going to give you what I would consider my top three things I look for in easy pond care for aesthetics and fishing, and hopefully, you can utilize them to get your pond into shape this spring before summer sets in.
The number one thing to realize is every pond has a life cycle and balancing point, and it starts with water chemistry. Major factors to look for on a basic level are PH, alkalinity, hardness, and then nutrient loading of specifically phosphorus. Some simple water sample tests can give you these parameters, and they can be performed by either TAMU agri-life extension or a professional lake management company. We want to look for a balanced range for PH of 6.5-9, and then alkalinity & hardness should mirror each other in most cases with ranges varying from 25-60 depending on your exact geographic region and soil composition. Those normally aren’t out of balance except for rare cases, but it is always good to check. Phosphorus is a common naturally occurring nutrient and in most aging ponds (8-10 years in age) it is the leading cause of eutrophication and unwanted algae growth, and most commonly causing the blue-green types of unwanted algae. Phosphorus accumulates in your ponds over time from a wide variety of things like rainfall-runoff, unused lawn/garden fertilizers, animal waste such as ducks, geese, or other wildlife, and while a little isn’t bad, when things get out of balance, they can get bad quickly. The best and most efficient way to mitigate phosphorus levels is by utilizing several products made by SePRO in their Eutrosorb product offerings. The quickest and most efficient way is by using EutroSorb WC (the WC stands for water column). It strips phosphorus out of your water with no harm or worries to your fish and can be applied very quickly as a liquid at a rate of 32oz per acre every 60 days! Do this as step number one and start now before the water heats up and things start growing again!
Number two on your plan should be to focus on a balanced level of oxygen throughout the pond! Unbalanced oxygen levels can lead to thermoclines forming. That is where the water on bottom is colder than the water on top. We all know that feeling when you jump in the lake and you feel that cold water down deeper, but that water also is normally lacking in oxygen when compared to the top layer. Sudden weather events that produce high winds, large rain events, or very hot days in the summer followed by very cloudy ones can cause these two layers to mix. The old timers used to say your ponds “flipped” or “turned over”, and if that occurs, the sudden fallout of oxygen between the two layers can kill fish very quickly. The easiest solution is a small aerator, preferably bottom diffusers as they seem to work best, and they can be installed yourself, and are available in both electric and solar powered. The diffusers release tiny bubbles into the water and the rising of the bubbles works just like a ceiling fan in your house, by moving water from the bottom to the top. This continuous mixing ensures that you have the right oxygen levels year-round and is another step towards maintaining a well-balanced pond.
The last thing to work on if you have any is your fish, because they can’t thrive if the first two areas are out of balance. A small pond doesn’t need every species under the sun. Try focusing on what you enjoy catching whether that is bass, bluegill, or catfish. I suggest purchasing fish from a professional fish farm, not transporting fish you catch from other lakes. Tyler Fish Farms, located right here in ETX has been in business since 1983 providing its customers with some of the best genetics and fish you can find anywhere. The key is you must remove some fish each year for it to stay healthy, just like a pasture full of cows, every year you must sell some off. The same is true for your fish. Every pond can only maintain a certain carrying capacity of fish and if you want to carry or have more fish, then you need to supplement it. The fastest way to do this is with a fish feeder and preferably a side discharge model. The feeder serves a dual purpose. It feeds the smaller fish, while also creating a fishing hot spot! This area can also have artificial structure added to the water around it as well to hold fish in your favorite spots year around. Simple natural brush piles will work, or you can build elaborate PVC and plastic structures too.
The most important aspect of any of this is to have a plan and stick to it, and it doesn’t have to all be done immediately but the earlier you start things each year the better they turn out once the warmer months get here. If the challenge of creating the plan is more than you want to take on or you would like some help with it you’re in luck because there is a multitude of professional fisheries management companies that are willing to create your dream pond or lake, or just guide you in the process as well!
