Many would like to have a reservoir, even a small one, in its suburban area. A small pond is not only able to create a wonderful microclimate right next to the house and diversify the landscape. Very often it becomes also a source of income. All that is needed is to set up a fish pond. The task is not too simple, but in the presence of desire and certain knowledge is quite feasible.
Where to begin?
First of all, you should determine the shape, as well as the size of the future pond. If desired, you can arrange a round, square, oval, etc. water. Success in a business such as fish farming does not depend on the shape, but on the size of the pond. It should be borne in mind that the option is smaller than one meter and already ten in this case is completely unacceptable. The larger the pond, the faster the young growth will grow in it and the easier it will be to take care of it. The best option is a fish pond with a size of about 25-50 m 2 .
The device of the pond. Basic Rules
When arranging a reservoir, it is necessary to follow some recommendations of experienced fish farmers. This will make the growing process much more efficient. Success in fish farming is guaranteed only if a number of conditions are met.
- Properly selected soil for the bottom of the reservoir.
- Arranged the bottom of a complex terrain. Shallow water should alternate with deep water.
- The right place for the reservoir itself.
How to choose a place
A fish pond should definitely be arranged in open places. At the same time, it is best if during the day one part of it is lit and the other is in the shade. It is also very important to ensure that shrubs and trees do not grow in the immediate vicinity of the pond. The fact is that their roots, penetrating into the water, will certainly begin to cause processes of decay, which will negatively affect the weight gain of fish. In addition, rotting foliage constantly floating on the surface of the water does not decorate the reservoir.
When choosing a place for a future pond, it is also necessary to take into account such an important point as the possibility of supplying electricity. It is useful for aeration devices in the winter.
Varieties of fish ponds
So, you have decided where to build a pond. Breeding fish in it will be successful only if you have taken into account all of the above recommendations. Now you need to decide what kind of pond will be. Today, there are several varieties of ponds suitable for fish farming.
- With concrete base. The device of such a reservoir is somewhat labor intensive. However, the result will be guaranteed to be durable.
- A pond made of plastic. It is mainly suitable only for breeding ornamental fish, since the size of such a reservoir is limited.
- A pond constructed using PVC film. It can have an arbitrary shape and quite large sizes. However, the life of the film is limited to 10 years.
- Unclosed pond. This option is ideal for a site with a high level of groundwater. In this case, the bottom and walls are covered with clay and turfed.
Most often, a concrete pond for fish is arranged at the summer cottage.
Concrete pond construction in stages
In the chosen place, the contours of the future reservoir are marked out using pegs and a cord. Then proceed to the excavation to the required depth (pond depth plus concrete thickness). The side walls are made inclined (angle of about 20 °). The soil at the bottom of the pit is carefully tamped. In the event that it is too soft, it is necessary to perform additional strengthening with crushed stone. The latter is also tamped and covered with a layer of sand on top.
For pouring, take a concrete mixture in a proportion of 1 * 3 (cement * filler). At the bottom, on wooden blocks, a reinforcing mesh of wire with a diameter of 3-4 mm is installed (step 30 cm). Next, lay the tubes in those places where there will be holes for the influx and drain of water and fill the bottom with concrete.
After everything hardens, proceed to install the formwork for the walls. You can make it from ordinary boards. The concrete mixture is laid in layers of 10 cm and carefully tamped. Thus, you can get a very durable pond for breeding fish of any shape, size and depth.
The formwork is removed after about two weeks. The sides and bottom of the pond must be plastered. For this, concrete mixture is also used in a proportion of 1 * 3. The thickness of the plaster should be about 2.5 cm. Specialists advise adding a special waterproofing additive to the solution. This will increase the life of the bottom and walls of the pond.
Fish farming in ponds. General information
Success in fish farming in a summer cottage, as in any other, depends primarily on such criteria as water quality. In this case, the amount of oxygen dissolved in it can be considered the most important parameter. Its deficiency will necessarily lead to a halt in the growth of fish or even to its death. Oxygen can be wasted in the process of decay. Therefore, it is very important to clean the pond from pollution in time. In addition, it should be purchased at specials. store aerator appropriate sized pond power.
Also, for normal functioning of fish, various kinds of mineral substances are necessary - iron, nitrogen and phosphorus compounds, potassium and calcium salts, etc. An indicator such as the level of acidity of water can also be considered important. For most fish species, a neutral reaction (PH7) is suitable.
Running fish in a pond
So, how to make a fish pond, we found out. The next stage is its launch. Of course, first you need to plant aquatic plants at the bottom of the pond. They can become an additional source of oxygen. Water poured into a pond for the first time should stand in it for about a month. During this time, natural sludge forms on the walls and bottom, and plants take root. After standing, the water is drained and a new one is poured. Fish are launched into the pond gradually, starting with no more than three or four individuals. This is best done in the spring, having waited until the water temperature reaches about 25 °.
What kind of fish is best bred in a country pond
The following fish can be raised in a summer pond.
- Sudak. Over the year, young growth reaches a length of 30 cm. This fish is very voracious. When growing zander from larval age, 300 pieces of juvenile other fish will be needed.
- Perch. Very unpretentious fish, eating only in the daytime.
- Catfish. When growing it, the pond is usually populated with a small fish that goes to its feed - bleak, stickleback, etc.
- Gobies and ruffs. Pretty suitable fish for a pond in the country.
All of these species can survive in a small pond and even breed in it. However, most often in country ponds, carp, tench and crucian carp are bred. These are the most unpretentious, not too gluttonous and fast-growing fish. About how to properly care for them, and talk below.
Breeding tench
Tench is a settled fish and quite capable of existing in water bodies with a very low oxygen content. For successful cultivation and breeding, a pond with a depth of one meter and dimensions of 3 * 10 m will be sufficient. In the case of tench, the second parameter can be considered more important. The larger the area of the reservoir, the faster the young growth will gain weight. This fish grows pretty quickly. By the second year of life, gaining marketable mass in 150-180, however, this is only if all the necessary breeding conditions are met. Those wishing to grow tench in the country should know that this fish is very fond of warm water. In well-heated reservoirs, it grows much faster.
Fish farming in ponds, including tench, begins with the choice of producers. Launch into the reservoir is carried out in the spring. For a small pond, the first female and 2-3 males will be enough. Spawning tench begins in late May - early June.
Fry that appeared in the pond will need to be fed. You can use for this grain waste, as well as weed seeds. In addition, tench is fed with a mixture of vegetables, passed through a meat grinder. Beets, potatoes and carrots are just perfect for this purpose. You can also use feed. These types of food are always given in a strictly defined place, in shallow water. Otherwise, the fish pond will quickly become dirty and silted up. To catch tench, water from the reservoir will need to be drained. This fish loves to dig in silt, especially in the fall, on cold days. Therefore, capture should be done as carefully as possible.
Carp breeding
Carp is also a fish bred in ponds quite often. Its distinguishing feature is fast weight gain and unpretentiousness. To obtain a good result during breeding, it is necessary to ensure that there are no more than two individuals per square meter of the reservoir, and even better - one. The optimum temperature is 24–26 g. Carp does not tolerate too cold habitat. At a temperature of 12 ° just stops eating. This fish does not need a particularly deep body of water. It will be enough 1–1.5 m. It is possible to feed carps with compound feed, as well as legumes and cereals once or twice a day. In order for the fish to develop a conditioned reflex, the food should be thrown in the same place.
Breeding crucian carp
Krash is perhaps the most unpretentious, and therefore simply fish, ideally suitable for breeding in a suburban area. Even in a very small pond you can settle up to two dozen fish (weighing up to 300 g). They feed crucians in the same way as carps and tench. From time to time, in addition to other types of feed, pieces of bread can be thrown into a pond.
Very often, owners of summer cottages release fish caught in lakes and rivers into the pond. In this case, you need to follow one simple rule. It is imperative to equalize the temperature of the water in the tank in which the fish is transported with the temperature of the water in the pond. The package is simply placed in a pond and waiting a little.
Breeding fish in a small pond is a fascinating and profitable business. If you want to build a fish pond with your own hands in the country and get carp or carp in it, you can only in one season. The finished reservoir will surely become a real highlight of the suburban area.