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Hey WA, first, let me tell you about the snappers here since I am a neighbor LOL. I did trap them the first year. Forget it, they come back. Like fish, they go back to whence they come from and breed again. You will remove that turtle and have another. In all the years I have been here, they have yet to eat or bite anything on this farm including me. The dogs know the difference between a snapper and a regular turtle, how I dont know and so do the cats. Those guys can move real fast so Liam knows too hahahhaha.
Most of the algae right now is caused by the drought and increased temps in the water. What you want to do is plant some lillies and willows. Both grow super well near and in a pond and will reduce the temp of the water a good deal as well as give fish and turtles a place to hide from horseys who swim or dip there feet. You asked how I kept mine so clean and that is how. I planted stuff, added a few fish and cooled the temps off.
But, if the boss will pay to have the ponds dredged first, it will speed up the process for sure. Good luck
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You really need to find out what is in the pond. We sent a sample out and it came back as duckweed. Check out this site.
www.mobot.org/jwcross/duckweed/duckweed.htm
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Thanks everybody! Lots to learn here! :yes:
Lori - Yeah I know they're gonna come back and I don't mind smaller ones but IMHO Great-Grandaddy (or Grandma as the case may be) probably does need to be rehomed since we've got foals due in December who will be turned out there. I've seen these big ol' suckers snap small TREES in half, I don't even want to think what they could do to a baby pastern!
Goodhors - Thanks, I saw that windmill-powered aerator on a link posted further on up and it looks really cool but it also looks like it would be overpowered for our ponds. They're pretty small. Depth has yet to be ascertained (Avery, you're being paged, Ve Haff Vork For You! :lol::D), but one's probably 15-20 feet wide & the other is smaller.
Lesyl, I'll try to post some pictures but won't be able to until the weekend most likely. Both ponds are in horse pastures and surrounded by leafy trees.
AnnaCrew, very helpful info there, thanks so much! :yes:
I think I'll probably just start w/ the Extension Service & go from there. I have reason to suspect all may not be as it should be with the water itself so I really do want to get that tested first and foremost.
Thanks for all the help everybody!
