A fish pond can be created artificially. This provides not only quality fish on the table or for sale, but also aesthetically effective - a beautifully designed pond can become a decoration of the site. There are several types of fish ponds. To organize a reservoir, you need to choose the right place and follow the instructions.
Types of fish ponds
There are many varieties of ponds where you can raise fish. They are classified according to various criteria:
- purpose of the pond - for spawning, feeding, wintering, outgrowth;
- pond water supply - key (fills the natural key), stream (natural stream), digging (ground, rain, flood waters);
- the bottom of the pond is artificial or natural.
You can independently organize a pond using various technologies:
- without concreting (without facing) - the borders of a dug pond are covered with clay and turf;
- concrete - practicality and durability, the organization of such a reservoir is quite laborious;
- with PVC film - a simple option, but with a limited service life;
- plastic - limited size, suitable for breeding small and ornamental fish.
Choosing a site to create a reservoir
To organize an artificial pond, you need to choose the right site. The following factors are important:
- Elevation. The place for the pond should in no case be lower than the level of the rest of the site, otherwise all dirt and rainwater will fall into the pond. If the site is flat, then the elevation can be created artificially.
- The lack of trees, shrubs. They should not be near the pond, as the fallen leaves will fall into the pond, rot there, and this negatively affects the inhabitants of the pond. If it is impossible to alienate the reservoir from such vegetation, you will have to regularly clean it.
- The right lighting. Sunlight should be exposed to water for a maximum of 7 hours per day. Shadow can be created using artificial fences - this option is most effective. The complete absence of light is also undesirable, since the flora in the pond will grow slowly, and the fish will lag behind in development.
- Soil features. A clay sole is well suited for organizing a pond. It is better to choose a site for a reservoir so that there are no stones in the ground.
- The correct calculation of the area of the reservoir. It is necessary to consider for this the amount of fish that is planned to be raised. Overpopulation of the pond should not be allowed. This is fraught with increased feed consumption, a large number of fish waste products - as a result, water will bloom.
DIY pond technology
When creating a pond for fish farming on your own, you first need to decide on the technology. When choosing, you need to consider not only your needs, but also opportunities.
With film
To create a pond with PVC film, you first need to choose the material. It should be quite dense - 2-3 mm. Black film will cost cheaper. The size of the material also matters - it must be one large or several large pieces that need to be joined. It’s good to use large banners as the material, but first you need to check the material for integrity.
You will also need:
- shovel;
- sand;
- special soldering iron or glue (sealant) for joining the seams of the film;
- stapler with staples;
- two flat boards;
- strip of polyethylene 10-15 cm.
First you need to dig a pit for the future pond and give it the desired shape. The advantage of the film is that this material is very flexible, so any design idea can be realized.
When giving the future body of water the necessary shape, excessive bends should be avoided. Angles sharper than 130 degrees are not recommended.
At the bottom of the pit, you need to make a sand pillow. A 10 cm layer of sand is enough. The walls of the reservoir should be leveled - sharp stones should not stick out of them, the roots - the film may break due to this.
The next stage is the main one. It involves the connection of individual pieces of film. If you use a soldering iron for this, then just press the edges of the material for 3-5 seconds. Additionally, a second seam can be made.
When using glue (sealant) to join the seams, it is important to first degrease the surface. To do this, you can use acetone, gasoline and other liquids with similar properties. After degreasing, the treated surface must be wiped dry and left in the sun to dry - the material for bonding must be absolutely dry.
The next step is surface cleaning. To do this, use sandpaper - grain should be minimal.
To glue pieces of the film you need to overlap with a step of 10-15 cm. To use the boards effectively for this, they should be perfectly even. A piece of film must be attached to the board with a stapler, as well as prepare the second part of the material. Use a strip of polyethylene as a layer. It must be thoroughly greased with glue on both sides, and put on pieces of film only on those sides that will be in contact. Then you need to connect all the parts and put on top the load - a heavy board. The drying time of the adhesive is indicated on the packaging, but it is recommended to wait at least 24 hours.
The film must be carefully laid out. She should protrude beyond the edges of the reservoir. The ends of the film must be dug up, and on top lay stones or bricks. You can lay the whole pond with stones, but you need to do this very carefully so as not to damage the film.
The video below shows an example of creating a pond with PVC film:
Without concrete
This option can be used if the soil is waterlogged and groundwater is high. To organize an artificial reservoir, you will need the following materials and tools:
- shovel;
- turf;
- clay;
- water;
- mixing spatula;
- branch pipes.
First you need to outline the boundaries of the future reservoir and dig a pit of the desired depth. The pond can be organized on the site of a natural gully on the site - it needs to be expanded and deepened, an earthen dam should be organized. Pour it over the entire length in layers of 15-20 cm and carefully tamp. The dam should be half a meter above the water level in the pond. The end of the dam should go around the ditch, which will divert the flood.
After preparing the pit, proceed according to the following algorithm:
- Make holes for the tubes and install them.
- It is necessary to cover the walls and bottom of the pond with diluted clay - the layer thickness should be 10-15 cm. Then, the walls should be uniformly overlaid with turf.
- There is another option - mix the clay evenly with turf and dilute the mixture with water. The consistency should be so thick that the composition does not spread. They need to evenly process the walls and bottom of the pit.
- Fill the pond with water. It is not yet possible to launch fish - the pond must stand for at least a month. This is done so that the bottom of the pond is covered with silt and it is possible to plant plants that successfully take root.
- After the set time, the water must be drained and filled again. After organizing the necessary conditions (suitability of the aquatic environment), you can start the fish.
With the organization of supply and bypass ditches, concrete gutters can be made. If a natural gully was used to create a pond, then a coastline is carried out on the crest of the dam. To do this, pour sand with a thickness of 10-15 cm. The width of the coastline can reach a meter.
Concreted
This version of the artificial reservoir is attractive due to its long service life, but its implementation will require a lot of time and effort. To create a pond with a concrete base, the following materials and tools are required:
- shovel;
- crushed stone;
- sand;
- components for concrete coating: cement, sand, water;
- reinforcing mesh;
- putty knife;
- film for waterproofing;
- tubes (drain, a set of water).
Mixing for concreting is best done independently. The feed from the machine is appropriate when organizing large ponds, as there will be a lot of concrete.
The creation of an artificial pond with concreting is carried out according to the following algorithm:
- Border marking. You can choose any form of the future reservoir, but taking into account the features of the forthcoming work, it will be extremely difficult to execute sharp bends.
- Dig a pit. At this stage, it should be borne in mind that the concrete layer will take a certain place, so the capacity of the reservoir will be less. It is important to observe the angle of inclination of the side surfaces - it should be 20 degrees.
- Remove all trash, tree roots.
- Make holes so that you can collect water in the pond and drain it. Install tubes in these holes.
- Tamp the soil. You can do this with your feet, but it’s much faster and more efficient to use a special device.
- To organize a pond in soft soil, it is first necessary to pour crushed stone with a thin layer, and then arrange a sand cushion - 1 cm thick is enough. Soil compaction should begin only after such a preparatory stage.
- Arrange waterproofing. To do this, take the film, spread it at the bottom and push it to the walls. Use sharp pegs or stones to secure the edges at the top.
- Prepare the concrete mix. For one part of concrete, you need to take three times as much filler (crushed stone, sand). Add so much water that the mixture is quite thick.
- Run the first layer of concrete and wait for it to solidify. Manipulations must be repeated several times to get a 10-centimeter concrete layer.
- Without waiting for the concrete layer to dry, lay the reinforcing mesh on the walls of the reservoir - just attach it to the desired area and slightly press down. This stage is optional, but allows you to organize a good support.
- On top of the reinforcement, another layer of concrete must be applied - a thickness of 5 cm is sufficient.
- Align irregularities with a spatula using the same concrete mix.
- Wait until all layers of material have solidified. If the weather is sunny, too hot or dry, then it is necessary to line the concrete with grass or cover it with wet burlap. In the heat, concrete can be sprayed with ordinary water - this will prevent the appearance of cracks in the material, which is extremely undesirable.
In the next video, the author of the video shares his experience in building a concrete pond:
Plastic
This option of organizing an artificial pond for fish farming is simple. The difficulty lies only in finding a container of a suitable size. Usually it’s small capacity for fish farming. You can choose any color and shape. To order you can make a design of any design. Plastic is required strong enough.
In addition to a plastic container, you will need a shovel and pipes to create an artificial pond. It is necessary to outline on the selected section of the border and dig a pit of suitable shape and size. 5 cm allowance is recommended on each side.
In the dug pit, holes for the pipes must be made. You need to insert them after installing the frame. The free space between the plastic container and the soil must be densely covered with earth.
If the soil is soft enough, then after preparing a suitable foundation pit, it is recommended to ram it. The gaps between the frame and the soil must be filled up tightly so that the plastic does not deform when the container is completely filled with water.
Conditions for breeding fish in an artificial pond
It is important not only to choose the technology for creating an artificial pond for fish farming and put it into practice, but also to create the necessary conditions for life for the inhabitants of the reservoir. Otherwise, their growth and reproduction may slow down, there is a risk of death.
The following conditions are important for fish breeding in an artificially created reservoir:
- Oxygen. If it is not in the water, then the fish in the pond will simply die. The source of oxygen is various aquatic plants. Water lilies, water hyacinth, water walnut are preferred. Buy flora useful for an artificial pond should be in a specialized store. If you take plants from a natural reservoir, then there is a high risk of their death in unusual conditions.
- If you plan to populate the pond with plants, then you need to select them in accordance with the depth of the reservoir. For a shallow pond, it is good to use a grouse, a ditty, and a birdhead. Ponds of medium depth are well populated with a water lily or pond. If a deep pond is organized, then you can use a basilicum, Siberian chistyak, and loosestrife to fill it.
You may also be interested in reading about fertilizer for ponds and their proper use.
- Timely purification of the artificial reservoir. It is necessary to remove garbage, fallen leaves, grass. Otherwise, decay processes will begin, which adversely affect the level of oxygen in the reservoir and can lead to the death of its inhabitants.
- The optimum level of acidity. It is necessary to focus on the type of fish that are supposed to be bred. The best option is a neutral level of acidity.
- The presence of the necessary elements in water. Proper feeding of pond fish will help maintain a healthy population. Fish need iron, phosphorus, potassium salts, nitrogen compounds. It is necessary to saturate the pond with them correctly. In a specialized store you can buy special additives - the dosage and other conditions of use are indicated on the package. You can also make feed yourself. Making food for pond fish with your own hands is not an easy task, but it will cost less than expensive food.
- Water temperature. Fish can only be launched after the water in an artificial pond warms up to 24 degrees.
- Silt layer. It is formed when a pond filled with water will stand for at least a month. After this, it is recommended to change the water, but do not touch the silt layer. After changing the water, wait a few more days.
It is recommended to launch fish in an artificial pond in stages. You need to start with just a few individuals - for this, 4-5 fish are enough. They need to be carefully monitored - this allows you to make sure that you have all the necessary conditions for aquatic inhabitants. If the fish feel good, then you can run the rest of the individuals.
The remaining maintenance rules depend on the specific species of fish bred. Each of them has its own characteristics - it is recommended to study all the necessary information in advance.
Creating an artificial pond for breeding fish with your own hands is not difficult. It is important to choose the right site for the pond, prepare the necessary materials and carry out the necessary work. A prerequisite is the creation of optimal conditions for the fish - this is necessary for its successful existence and reproduction.