Pond Boss Forums POND CONSTRUCTION Selecting a site A miniature backyard pond

I am currently working on a micro backyard pond as water feature but I keep growing it with the idea that i can stock it as my own private fishing hole. I would like some feedback on whether this is a viable idea or whether i should just throw in koi. Basically I have dug a 12' X 22' hole 3 to 5 feet deep (with an additional 2 foot lip around the back half that is a foot and a half deep).

The plan was to have a kick asz water feature in the back corner of the grass, with a 5,000 gph stream running 50' and dumping into it (which would run 6 hours a day). I figure it is about 8,000 gallon pond, so it will turn over water 4 times a days.

Originally i thought to fish crappy, but now i am thinking that a dozen 12" LMB would be more impressive when the buddies come over to BBQ and we drop a line in.


I have a few questions. Is this deep enough? After reading these forums I am thing that rather than 5' I should be shooting for 6 or 7 and I would still be cutting it short (relatively mild winters though, there wouldn't be ice on the surface or anything, but some sub 32 nights).

Is this big enough? It's around 330 sq ft of surface area, would another 50 do the trick anything (another 2,000 gallons).

Is that enough filtration? I know it is a 1/4 what you want for koi but I don't plan on filling the pond like they do with koi and I am not looking for a $100 more on the power bill every month.

What fish would you use? I know catfish could live, and blue gill pound for pound are fighters, trout I think would be get cold, and I thought LMB would be the most impressive.

Also, are there any other threads you recomend I read which might cover the topic of mini ponds.

I think it would make a cool grow-out pond. Stock several adult bluegill and let them spawn. Seine it once a year and sell the fingerlings!Its fun to watch the BG feed and an occasional line in the water could be a blast as well!

Tiny, welcome to the forum!!

If you're around enough (at least once a day at the same time every day), or can set up a feeder, if legal, I'd toss in HSB instead of LMB. They won't spawn, and are pellet trained. They might be harder to catch than LMB, but they put on a show when you feed them. Don't stand too close or you might get wet.

The problem is I live in ca, and if you aren't stocking one of the 6 approved species it becomes a nightmare involving permits and god knows what. I guess since it is my backyard I could get some in the mail and nothing would come of it.

What are the advantages to HSB, just the show at feeding time? The harder to catch worries me, but a dozen + big ones in that little pond should be easy enough to catch no matter the breed.

ya never know what sticks to bird legs.....

LMB, if not feed trained from the beginning are kinda hard to feed train (pellet wise - they eat BG readily) LMB might pull off a spawn, while not being bad in itself, that means they'll probably eat a lot of their own babies.

HSB won't spawn.

What are the 6 approved species for your "slice of heaven"?

Speaking of birds a small pond like that can be wiped out by that dag gone blue herion in a heart beat.

I can only remember 5 of the 6 approved species. Bluegill, crappie, rainbow trout, LMB, and catfish (I thinks channel cat)

Give my cur something to do all day, defending the fish would give meaning to his life. Right now he just chases the dove.