Effects of Summer Evaporation

Late April introduced us to a few 90-degree days and subtle reminder “dog days of summer” are near.  How does summer heat affect your pond?

As temps reach high 90’s and humidity hovers in the 30 percent range, expect water levels to drop one inch every two or three days.  If you’ve fed fish all spring, be aware certain feeds affect water quality.  As catfish and bluegill consume two pounds of grain-based feed, they produce one pound of waste. Waste sinks to the bottom.   Biological activity peaks in hot water.  Without exposure to air and sunlight, waste builds and creates water quality issues.

Should this occur, fish stop feeding consistently.  Closely monitor such developments.  You may see some at the water’s edge.  Their gills are burning and they’re attempting to escape deteriorating conditions.

Don’t wait for such an event to occur and lose crucial hours locating equipment.  Develop a plan now to aerate water quickly.  Stage equipment for immediate deployment if needed.  The more water you can draw from a few feet below the surface, the better.  Don’t pump from deep, stagnant holes.  It will compound the problem.  The surface spray nozzle should offer a fog setting like a fire hose.

We don’t want to alarm you, but the smaller the pond, the higher the risk for water quality incidents.  Just observe fish activity.  They’ll signal symptoms if they need a breath of “fresh air”.  If you’re contemplating an aeration system, we can custom design a plan for any size pond.