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Thread Like Summary
4CornersPuddle, ewest, FishinRod
Total Likes: 6
Original Post (Thread Starter)
by FishinRod
FishinRod
I am in the planning stages for several forage ponds at our farm. My recent test holes found excellent clay, so I can build the forage ponds of almost any shape or size.

The ponds will be designed to allow easy control of the water level and be shaped for seining. (Basically, assume the paint roller tray design.)

My questions are based on trying to determine:

What pond depth, side slopes, and dimensions would be optimal for the natural productivity portion of the forage pond.

I am attempting to start a thread for "rules of thumb" that would be generally applicable to other people's situations. Therefore, I am NOT going to list my specific goals.

However, depths and dimensions that are optimal for one type of forage species may actually be detrimental to a different forage species. So when answering, please state what forage goals would be optimized by your design or reply!

Further, a rectangular forage pond that is 1' deep might optimize the food chain for FHMs, BUT those dimensions might subject them to slaughter by a wide range of predators.

Personally, I learn the most when the experts describe the optimal conditions, but then explicitly note the trade-offs. If the discussion becomes "wide ranging", then please note what factors you are specifically addressing in your reply.
Liked Replies
by FireIsHot
FireIsHot
Originally Posted by FishinRod
How would those requirements change if you were raising tilapia instead of BG?

I'm certainly no expert, but I've raised my share of fish.

I can't think of any requirements for tilapia other than a correctly sized raschel weave net, and a gallon of clove oil to semi-sedate them, as getting them out of a pond is laborious at best. I had one of the biggest tilapia breeders in TX tell me the best way to raise tilapia, is to throw 5 pounds in a pond and walk away. Other than feeding mine, I did the same, and the pull out weight was mind boggling to say the least. I'll never do it again. If I had to pay $1 for every cuss word while seining them, I could buy a new boat.

This is no help, but my Coppernose found their own best places to spawn, and repeatedly spawned in the same hard bottomed beds. My plan after my hatchery pond clean out, is to do the same, then fill in the preferred existing beds with gravel. That does seem to help the numbers. The spawning depth fluctuated with clarity and water level, and there were beds in about a 5' depth range.

Just a few things to think about. The shallower the slope, the easier it is for GBH and great white egrets to whack your spawning beds. I had set bird netting out over the preferred bed areas to protect mine. Concentrate on your water quality, and invest in a quality water testing kit, not a swimming pool kit. If you go with aeration, then have a backup plan prior to oopsy's. A fish kill due to low O2 and high fish volume is not the time to be trying to figure out a solution. I don't aerate, but I do have a PVC venturi aeration rig for my 3" pump ready to go. $10 worth of PVC, and a palm sized piece of thin aluminum is all it took. It takes less than a hour to set it up, and if the pump's already on it's dedicated platform, then it takes about 1 minute. Figure out how you're going to get the fish out, how you're going to hold them at the bank, and how you're going to transport them if needed. Moving fish can be stressful on them, so always go with oxygen, not air, and get some Pentair oxygen diffusers and an a O2 bottle. O2 bottles are pretty cheap on Cragslist.

Finally, small fish are always happier in water. DO NOT load a dip net full of 2" to 4" fish. You can crush or suffocate the lower half of the fish. Unfortunately, I can confirm this.
3 members like this
by 4CornersPuddle
4CornersPuddle
Fishinrod, and other contributors to this thread:

You've got a fascinating discussion going here. Some clever ideas by the OP; some brilliant considerations by some of our real Heavyweights! I'm in awe of your inventiveness.

I have only one more comment right now, and the comment is made in jest, only because you, Rod, can be such a jokester at times.

"My forage ponds are going to be located in our tallgrass prairie field that we bail annually." Where do you send the water that you bail out of your tall grass prairie field before you bale it?

(I can hear teehjaeh57 groaning).
1 member likes this
by FishinRod
FishinRod
Originally Posted by 4CornersPuddle
"My forage ponds are going to be located in our tallgrass prairie field that we bail annually." Where do you send the water that you bail out of your tall grass prairie field before you bale it?

(I can hear teehjaey57 groaning).

Curses, I have been hoisted by my own petard!

I re-read my comments TWICE before hitting "post" to try and find all of my errors in content and concepts.

I do enjoy finding humor at Pond Boss because it is such a good-natured collection of people. I am glad I brightened your day a little with the comical image of me in the middle of a 100-acre field holding a tiny bucket!

(Making teehjaeh groan is just icing on the cake!)
1 member likes this
by esshup
esshup
Couple of points.
1) letting the water flow out to transfer fish to the bigger pond in the flow won't guarantee that a predator won't swim in.......
2) +2 on the Pentair micropore diffusers BUT get the Pointfour ones NOT the generic Pentair ones. The Pentair ones will crack over time, either the stone cracks or the junction of the plastic perimeter to the ceramic stone cracks. Do NOT run O2 thru them when they are out of the water then put them in the water, you will be buying new ones.....
3) You want your seine at least 1/4 taller than the water you are seining, AND you want the mesh smaller than the smallest fish (vertical height) in the pond or your seine will act as a gill net. Those small fish that are gilled are a royal PITA to get out of the net.
4) When you seine your pond it will be a LOT easier on the fish if you seine 1/3 then 1/2, then 3/4 then the whole pond. That way you won't have a BUNCH of fish in the seine muddying up the water and stressing them out. Less fish to move too, so it's less stressful on you.

Just plan the pond sides with a gentle enough slope so they don't slough off over time.
1 member likes this
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