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Author Topic: Small Pond Advice  (Read 473 times)
BoatGuy
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« on: March 24, 2012, 06:31:52 PM »

We have a small pond on our property. I don't know a lot about it (other than there are enough snakes out there, to make me wary). I haven't measured the depth. But, it has never run dry, even last summer with the heat as bad as it was.

It is pretty small (I wish I had one like Johnny's, but it would cover our farm...lol) at about 5000 sq. ft. of surface area.

I would like to grow some fish in it (to my knowledge, it has never been stocked).

What kind should I use? How many? How deep must it be, to be viable (through an Oklahoma winter and summer)? So many questions, I know. But, I don't want to waste money, if it's not big enough to sustain them.

I'm reading about pond management now. And, I'm going to call the extension office on monday. Just wondering if anyone had any ideas?
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Night Timber
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« Reply #1 on: March 24, 2012, 10:32:26 PM »

U will need to find the depth, that will tell you if it's deep
enough to sustain fish during the winter months. Also do you have algae growing in it, this will help tell you about oxygen that's in the water. I go to our county extension agent  and ask for advice and help, here it is free for the advice and they will some times come out and see what you have. Depth is a big concern though, even in the heat as well as the winter. I don't know if you have ever used a sane, but you might get a cheap one and throw it out in the water and see what you retrieve. Blue gill or red ears, bass as long as you keep them under control. And cat fish, they can survive in about any kind of a pond. Cat fish are tough, if you just want to raise something to harvest. We had an ole pond that wasn't very deep and it was small, we threw cat fish in it and fed them just like we do the live stock. Fun to watch them and also see how big they get. I didn't read down far enough to see you had already was going to check with your extension agent, I do know we put some chemicals in to control algae and I just lost what the other name of the stuff was that we had growing in our pond.  Lips sealed Must be my age, that's my excuse any ways.  Shocked
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BoatGuy
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« Reply #2 on: March 24, 2012, 10:49:21 PM »

Thanks Night Timber.

There is a bit of algae in it. But, not bad. I'll try to get some pics of it, tomorrow. I don't have a seine or cast net, right now. But, I think I'm gonna put a small bobber and a large weight on a line and cast around to see how deep it is around the middle. There are turtles and snakes in it. The cattle drink from it, so it can't be all bad. It's pretty clear and I'll do some total dissolved solids measurements on it, while I'm down there.

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Johnny-Max
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« Reply #3 on: April 14, 2012, 08:38:40 PM »

I am getting tilapia for my pond tuesday Grin
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« Reply #4 on: April 14, 2012, 09:02:21 PM »

That's cool, Johnny! Karnie and I just got back from a class on building LARGE hoop houses, 75' L x 17' W x 8' H . The interesting thing about the ones that we built today, is that they aren't going to be used for growing plants, but for a whole aquaculture setup for tilapia. It was really impressive. Wish I had taken some pictures. But, they are of the same design as that done by Tod and Jamie Hanley from the Kerr Center, in Oklahoma. In fact, Tod Hanley was there, today.

If you're interested in the hoop house design for greenhouses, you can see it here (and download plans, instructions, price lists, etc)

http://www.kerrcenter.com/publications/hoophouse/index.htm
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Johnny-Max
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« Reply #5 on: April 16, 2012, 01:54:56 PM »

This weekend, I went to the park with my grand-boys and 3 dipnets in hand. We caught a variety of minnows and glass shrimp and washed them and let them go in my pond.  Smiley
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longbskt
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« Reply #6 on: April 17, 2012, 06:34:21 PM »

Johnny - aren't you concerned that the tilapia will eat all the minnows and shrimp before they can replicate?
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Johnny-Max
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« Reply #7 on: April 19, 2012, 06:44:55 AM »

The odds of them finding the new types we put is are slim and none, because we have literally billions of small minnows (Mosquito fish) that the birds must have stocked early on. They had no preditors and a quarter million gallons of water all to themselves, same with the crawfish.

Now to introduce a few preditors of my choice.
I think I am going to just put in a hundred or so hybrid striped bass.
They can get uo to 50 lbs. But I am sure they won't in my small pond.
I think they will do ok, since my pond is 30' deep. They will have plenty of food until Fall!
« Last Edit: April 19, 2012, 06:46:45 AM by Johnny-Max » Logged

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