Is sounds counterproductive, but you might be able to accelerate the decomposition of organic matter on the bottom by injecting CO2. It sounds like you have plenty of nutrients and sunlight, so CO2 is the limiting factor for algae growth. Encourage the algae bloom and harvest the stuff to eliminate excess nutrients from the system. Combined with your other circulation efforts you should be able to clean it up without the trouble of raking the bottom.
If you feel industrious I expect that a few hydroponic beds with fast growing plants, maybe kudzu, would strip nutrients in a big hurry. Kudzu has its own risks, so I wouldn’t recommend it although the roots apparently make an outstanding tofu if you’re into that sort of thing.
Your thinking is spot on, floating water gardens (made from old tires) is a common method used to reduce phosphorus in Missouri.
I could also use a product called Phos-lock.
The visability is only 8-9" so sunlight is at a premium. This pond has never had an "plankton bloom."
Visability is getting better each week so this may be the year it blooms.
I'm hoping the decomposition of organics, sunlight penetration, dissolved oxygen & favorable water chemistry (PH) will allow a bloom.
Adding fertilizer with a high phosphorus content is a common method to induce a bloom. However, all other conditions must favor it, or it's wasted $.
I think feeding heavily is about all I dare do at this point, nitrogen wise.
Thirty years of non decomposed organics can be a run away train once it gets percolating. I'm gonna play it safe this year.
Typically, a non blooming pond has one or more limiting factors. Ph, alkalinity, temp and sunlight are common ones.
It can be dangerous though, because once the limiting factor is removed, it can bloom out of control.
A mass die off of plankton can pull all the oxygen from the water, resulting in mass die off of fish.
Just to make it clear, plankton is what the just born fry eat. No plankton= starved newborn fish.
I see small schools of tiny newborn fish in the shallows. I don't expect them to survive due to the lack of plankton, plus a huge population of stunted bluegill who are a cross between a piranha and a coyote.
On the plus side, the catfish are putting on weight and may be large enough by end of summer to eat bluegill. I feed them heavily. The intent is to get them 24" +/-
Then stop feeding so they eat bluegill or starve. The gravy train won't last forever!
My Largemouth bass need some help.
