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Joined: May 2014
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I would like to create a new pond on my property, but it would be no larger than 0.05 acres. I'm happy to invest in aeration, and to make it as deep as is necessary for safe winters here in Ohio. I don't need to fish it very often, and don't need to eat any fish. Are there any non-koi or goldfish that I can support. Maybe hybrid BG and CC?
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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In that small of a pond of 0.05ac, I would consider using just female fish or just males depending on the species. You will not have reproduction to cause problems and fish present will just grow, grow. Depth consider at least 6ft and 7-8ft would be better if it can be built that deep based on shape (2100-2300sqft). If you aerate in winter and a few hours each day during open water season fish survival should not be a problem. Male BG, female YP, single sex BCP, one CC, maybe one or two HSB or one LMB or SMB. Pellet trained would do best thus you would not have to try to keep natural foods abundant enough for good growth.
Last edited by Bill Cody; 05/10/14 09:31 PM.
aka Pond Doctor & Dr. Perca Read Pond Boss Magazine - America's Journal of Pond Management
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Wow! Thanks for the reply. So could I even put LMB in there at the right percentages- Also, with just one sex, would I need to commit to some kind of restocking schedule?
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Restocking would depend on harvest and natural mortality. Normally with no harvest you would need to add only 2-4 replacement fish every two to 3 yrs based on who died. If you pellet feed you will be able to monitor who is still alive and feeding regularly. Initially I would stock only one pellet trained LMB. More could be added but you then risk reproduction and an unbalanced system. You could use some of the natural swimming pond concepts - methods and maintain 'pretty' clear water on a regular basis with visibilities of 5-7ft. Reproducing fish will often tend to reduce water clarities due to the small ones over eating the water filtering - clearing zooplankton.
Last edited by Bill Cody; 05/10/14 09:40 PM.
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Well thanks again-I'm excited to learn its possible. I was getting a little depressed reading about minimum size requirements, but it didn't occur to me to keep repro down by just stocking single sex. So glad I joined the forum tonight. I'm sure I'll have a million q's in the future. Thankyou
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Joined: Apr 2002
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If LMB are your passion, then you could stock pellet trained LMB (10-15) both sexes and just feed them daily to keep them growing. Cecil Baird1 has done that in one of his ponds. He could provide you with an estimate of the number of pounds of bass that could be grown in 0.05ac. If the adult bass do not keep the offspring eaten then periodic draining and restocking would be easy in a 0.5 ac pond. Another option would be to stock only HSB and feed them. No worry about reproduction, great fighting fish and you could grow 10-15 in 0.05ac. Once you catch a HSB 16"-20" (2.1-4.3 lb) you will forget about LMB as an angler's sport fish.
Last edited by Bill Cody; 05/12/14 10:42 AM.
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AB maybe forget game fish all together. There is a group called something like north american native fish association. Go find their web page and see what other cool native fish you can find for your fish pond.
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Great ideas- thanks- just the idea that my young sons can cast a line and catch a fish is all I need- no problem to catch and release or to go out there and feed them. How does one aerate in the winter?
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To aerate in the winter, you basically use the same system that you use in the summer, just move the diffuser to approximately 1/4 the total pond depth. 8' deep pond? Have the diffuser at 2' depth for the winter. Just move the diffuser so it keeps the ice thawed all the way to shore. That way, if anything (or anybody) go for a swim mid-winter, they can reach the shore to get out and not have to climb back up on the ice.
If your sons want to fish, have them use single hooks and have the hooks barbless (or pinch the barb down). Use a net to get the fish out of the water and keep handling to a minimum. Try and get the fish back into the water as fast as possible.
If they fish a lot, and the fish get educated, switch from artificials to live bait, but watch for them swallowing the hook. If the fish get hook shy, they might have to be replaced with less smart fish.
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Angling techniques, catching & releasing, and hook smart fish are detailed topics that warrant lengthy discussions in themselves. All become more important topics the smaller the pond becomes.
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A flow through coldwater pond can be quite small that is fed by an artesian well or just a well.
My 1/10 acre (59 by 88 feet) trout pond produces 500 lbs. of brook or brown trout after planting at 6 to 8 inches and a 2 year period.
I've produced brown trout up to 12 lbs., rainbows just under 10 lbs. and brook trout over 6 lbs.
At 45 gpm 24/7 from a well from some time in May to the end of September, sometimes in to October my water stays about 60 degrees from top to bottom except for the top few inches that are in the low 60's on really hot days.
I do deal with prolific Chara and some filamentous algae although not much of the FA. Iron discolors the water to a smokey green but seems to have no effect on the trout. It also acts as a light barrier somewhat to Chara growth although I still get my share of it.
Electrical costs are about $100.00 per month but I recoup that when I sell the fish to a taxidermy market.
Last edited by Cecil Baird1; 05/11/14 08:37 AM.
If pigs could fly bacon would be harder to come by and there would be a lot of damaged trees.
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Last edited by Cecil Baird1; 05/11/14 08:34 AM.
If pigs could fly bacon would be harder to come by and there would be a lot of damaged trees.
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Lunker
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Is there away to measure the flow rate from an artisian well during the hottest times of the summer and calculate a rough pond size that would support trout in central Indiana?
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Yes.
If you're talking about surface flow if you could concentrate the flow into a PVC pipe you could measure it by timing how long it takes to fill a known size of container, i.e., a 5 gallon bucket. If it's a lot of flow you could install a flow meter on the pipe.
If it was a well punched into a confined aquifer, AES/Pentair sells various flow meters at various costs that are easy to install.
If pigs could fly bacon would be harder to come by and there would be a lot of damaged trees.
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Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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Cecil in the second to last why didn't you comb your hair? Ya hungover Canuk
Do nature a favor, spay/neuter your pets and any weird friends or relatives.
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Lunker
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Sorry, I did not ask the question clearly enough. If I know the flow rate out of the pipe from an artesian well, can I approximate the maximum pond size (and shape) such that I could keep trout year round (small enough to keep the temp down midsummer)? I can figure out the flow rate mid summer as you suggested, but do not know what a "safe" maximum pond size might be. I understand that it is heat gain from the air minus heat loss from the input water and surrounding ground, but do not know a practical way to calculate the actual pond size.
Last edited by RAH; 05/11/14 09:13 AM.
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Awesome trout! those are all pellet fed then?
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Joined: Apr 2002
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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Yes but to do trout without a spring running into the pond, one needs a well to keep the water cooler than 70F with dissolved oxygen top to bottom during the hottest summer days and months. Trout can be easily raised in a pond from early October to early June in Ohio. In June the cold water at the bottom of the pond looses dissolved oxygen and it forces the trout into the too warm water above.
Cecil - please tell us more about the LMbass that you raised in your larger pond in terms of pounds per acre, time of production, and final sizes at harvest. When we know those details we can use that data for raising HSB in a small pond.
Last edited by Bill Cody; 05/11/14 10:50 AM.
aka Pond Doctor & Dr. Perca Read Pond Boss Magazine - America's Journal of Pond Management
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Cecil, I've never seen that table top looking like that before!
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I'm happy to put in a well, but where is my overflow going to go? Is there any other way to keep water cool?
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Lunker
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Lunker
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Same ways that you keep your house cool. Pumping from a well (or an artesian well) is an open geothermal system and is a very efficient way to go. I would have used my artesian well for heating and cooling my house but open geothermal systems are prohibited in Boone County Indiana. My efforts to use this water for heating and cooling my house were opposed by the county lawyer and surveyor, and my attempts to get the county commissioners to support a variance were supported by most the commissioners but they never rendered a decision. I finally hired a company outside of my county to install a traditional non-geothermal system. Now the water simply dumps on the ground. Efficient small-town government in action!
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Maybe some members with seasonal annual trout will provide some pictures. Cost of digging and operating a well will exceed the cost of building the pond. You can raise numerous other quality fish with less cost and effort compared to the trout cold water well method. You can still have trout as several members here do. You just do not have them year round. IMO try the other fish first and then if you don't like the results then look into digging a well. Example of what HSB will do in a small pond after 16 months. Who would not enjoy several of these fish? http://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=375896#Post375896
Last edited by Bill Cody; 05/11/14 03:25 PM.
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My well and pump installed was only $2000.00 back in 2001. I think the pond was also $2000.00.
Last edited by Cecil Baird1; 05/11/14 05:59 PM.
If pigs could fly bacon would be harder to come by and there would be a lot of damaged trees.
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Prices have changed a lot since then Cecil! I had the house well replaced in 2008 and it ran $3,500. 4" well, 68' deep, 25 gpm 3/4 hp pump.
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