Mary Allen
A large ornamental fish farm usually looks impressive and produces a lot of fish. We explain here how you can create a pond for private ornamental fish farming in your home garden.
Before the Construction: the Planning of the Ornamental Fish Farming
There is a lot to plan before the pond is built – whether it is a simple ornamental pond or, as here, a pond for private ornamental fish farming makes no difference. The most important factor is first of all the location. The plant needs enough sunlight and must never be in permanent shade. In general, it is best if there are no deciduous trees in the immediate vicinity. That makes a lot of extra work in autumn when the falling leaves have to be netted out of the ponds.
If you expect visitors to the pond later or if small children are often near the pond, it is necessary to also think about the safety of the pond. You have to secure the tanks so that potential guests do not unintentionally pay a visit to the fish. You should therefore consider fencing in the pool. However, non-slip and securely paved paths that go around the pond area are indispensable.
The Pond Construction
We now want to introduce four ways of how you can create the planned pond. Here you should consider beforehand how much space you have available so that you do not end up with too much pond liner or a pond tub that is much too small. You should also consider the nature of the soil in your garden and the possible costs of building a pond.
A variant of the pond construction is a natural fish pond in a loamy soil. Such a pond is inexpensive to create and allows all the freedom in design. The problem, however, is that loamy soils are not found everywhere.
On the other hand, it is possible to create a pond with a pond liner everywhere. This variant also enables a shape-flexible and long-lasting pond design, but it is more cost-intensive. The construction phase is also more complex, as the hole not only has to be dug but also then has to be laid out in several layers – and that’s not that easy at all.
A more cost-effective variant is pond tubs, which are even more durable than pond liners with modern materials. Of course, you are not so free in the design, because the shape is fixed.
Probably the most complex, but most durable variant is concreting the fish tank. Experts have to work here and a concrete mixer is required. In addition, the greatest care is required, because subsequent changes can only be made with great effort.
A large pond, as we know it from industrial cultivation, is not possible in most gardens. An attractive alternative for smaller areas is the excavation of several small basins that are connected to one another by streams. Ideally, you combine pond liner with pond tubs. This is both creative and cheaper than simply using a pond liner.
When planning, you have to bear in mind from the outset that fish farming tanks are completely emptied from time to time. Therefore, enough space is needed between the individual ponds. In addition, you need a basin or a suitable, coordinated filter device that ensures clear water. The right oxygen content in the water is just as important for successful breeding as clear water. For this, you have to ensure sufficient water circulation and ventilation in order to obtain the ideal value. Streams and waterfalls can also be used for smaller pools.
The Final Phase
When the basin has been excavated and the necessary technology installed, the final phase begins. Each individual basin should be surrounded by a 30 cm wide trench. This ditch prevents soil and plant debris from being washed into the pond and polluting the water during heavy rain. Aquatic plants are also important for water quality. These also provide oxygen and make a lasting contribution to the water level.
You can install fountains and water features so that the pond is also visually pleasing. These not only have a visual effect, but they also provide the oxygen mentioned above. It can take up to a month for the water level to level out and be stable; you should check the values regularly with water tests. Only when the values are in the green for longer and the aquatic plants have developed, the fish stock is added: Here you should start with a few fish and slowly increase the number. In this way, the water level is not suddenly brought out of balance.
Our last tip: you have to be prepared for the fish you want to breed and take their behavior into account: Kois, for example, need spawning brushes to lay their eggs.