Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Types of fish to choose fish cages

I have used the swimming "noodles" to help float my cages. Noodles come in two sizes 2" and 3" diameter. They work but they are not real durable compared to other things that I have used. It seems the ultraviolet light accelerates the rate of their decompostion which in my case; they last about 2 yrs. If you don't keep the cage in water all-year-round swim noodles may last longer than 2 yrs before they slowly start getting smaller.

I have had the best luck so far with 2 liter pop/soda bottles or clear plastic juice bottles or rectangular vegetable oil bottles. I wrap 2 loops of twine around the bottle; 1 at front end (neck) and 1 at back end. I put the twine/cord ends through the mesh of the cage at just below where I want the water line to be and cinch it tight with a good knot. Often the bottle is very close to the cage top and just below the top frame. The floats are not too pretty but they are very cheap and the plastic is very durable. Recycling centers have lots of bottle shapes to chose from. These will last 3 to 4+ years, yr-round in the water. Actually the bottle caps will always deteriorate faster than the plastic bottle. I have also used fabric softner and detergent bottles; they seem crack easily and leak after about 2yrs.

I have also used commercial, large sized, hard, foam, net floats. These are durable but costly. I like my plastic bottles just as well. Block foam pieces can be used as floats but may not be too durable depending on foam firmness. Muskrats will also chew on foam pieces.

On my cages, I usually have some sort of hard solid 1/2 top for shade for the fish. I suspect it may get intense in that shallow water during mid-summer. I bought a 4x4x4 commercial cage (INQUA Corp) one time and it had a solid hindged aluminum lid which is where my idea originated.

Also be aware that as the cage ages in the water it will get quite a bit heavier due to mostly algae growth build up on the cage. This weight will cause the cage to float deeper in the water so the amount of floatation should compensate for this added weight. Cecil has to routinely clean his cages. I "usually" do not have to clean cages for two reasons. I do not feed as much food&fish in each cage as Cecil. My rooted plants in the pond absorb lots of the nutrients from the caged fish and algae does not develop a heavy build up as rapidly as it does for Cecil. Every one usually needs to periodically clean the outside walls of the fish cage.

Large cages are harder to manage and work with esp when they are loaded with algae.

I may talk the PBoss editor (B.Lusk) about me writing a article about building fish cages. Send me pictures of your fish cages. Thanks.