Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Raising Forage and Bait Raising Minnows and Bluegill in tanks

ANyone have photos of a good set up for raising them in converted LBC totes? I want to add bluegill every quarter but dont have the budget to pay for stocking, I'll be bucket stocking, but thought It would be smart to set up a tank.

Hardest part I thought would be keeping it cool in florida heat since itll be kept outside (in shade). Ideas for that?

Get on youtube and punch 'bait tank setup' into the search bar.

The possibilities are endless...

I agree with Augie, lots of tank setups on youtube. It`s a bit more difficult to raise them rather than just hold the fish for a period pf time. Keeping levels of nitrates or ammonia in check will be the most difficult obstacle.

I think the biggest obstacle will be filtering the water.

You say you don't have $$ for purchasing fish, will you have $$ to pay the electric bill?

Are filters that significant on eletricity?

Nah, not for a small tank. I bought one for a small tarp "pond" I was making to raise bait in, and its rated at 320gph and only uses 12 watts. The same company also makes a 200gph one and its only 8 watts.

https://www.amazon.com/NO-17-Submer...hy=9009601&hvtargid=pla-815084505344

Make sure you have a brand new pump sitting on the shelf - if the filter pump goes out you might not have time to get a new one before the fish start having issues.

What are you going to do to ensure that the fish have enough O2?

In an ibc tote you could set up an under gravel filter. A pvc manifold with slots cut in it six inches of gravel over it with a couple of risers with air stones in them. It creates a lift and draws water down through the gravel and sets up a digesting system in the gravel. You have to keep the air going 24/7 to keep the system working. Much cheaper than running a pump. You could also run a canister type filter. That and partial water changes occasionally should be fine.

Esshup- I thought 2 small (cheap) solar diffusers should do the trick.

cb- That sounds like what I would want to do, got a link?

Sorry no link just experience with large aquariums. You should be able to check under gravel filters for aquariums. One bit of advice would be to place screen material about a inch below the top of the gravel layer to keep them from digging down through the gravel thus allowing the water to be pulled up and not have to flow through the gravel filter layer.

I setup a intex pool from Amazon.
It has a drain built in and I run two box filters and a large air stone. I use it to raise certain species that I can only get as very small fish. Once they are a decent size I put them in the pond. It seems to help predation and you can really get them growing when they have no competition. I have a group of Carpintis I’m growing that I hope will make great pond fish for catching and eating.

Here’s a pic of some of the exotics I’m putting in the pond this April.

speaking of raising exotics and stocking in a Florida pond (and thanks for pictures and keep us posted please!)...

This reminded me of a great and very long thread (18 pages) with lots of pictures of our friend who goes now on pondboss by RER. His thread was so interesting as he had put many salt water fish in his freshwater pond and did well with it. When you have time start at page 1 and read through this thread or at least enjoy the pictures!

I had hoped he would come back and post again but nothing since 2018.

Eurohyaline pond / RER's pond

Hey, what part of FL?

Canyoncreek I will keep you updated as long as someone is interested. I have a swarm of jewel cichlids that I think will make an excellent forage. I have some mojarra and mullet that are actually growing eating the softened Aquamax.

Citydad, I am central east coast north of Sebastian have you thought of using tilapia and other cichlids as forage?




These jewel cichlids should breed like crazy come spring.

I'm interested too!! Thanks for posting and double thanks for the pictures!

Ive got Tilapia in here already pretty sure I have too many big ones, whent hey come out from hiding in a month or two im gonna try to do some work with a cast net on that part.

Also they are definitely taking up space that bluegills need to be in IMO.

This is all WAGs cause i can't afford a shocking to my pond to count fish :P