FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE WHERE A FISH POND SHOULD BE SITED AND DESIGNED

What are the conditions necessary for siting a fish pond? Are you thinking of going into the fish farming business and you are thinking of the factors to consider as you plan to site your fish pond?

Fish farming is one of the lucrative business ideas that is fetching in thousands of dollars during the harvest season.

Venturing into the business may look difficult and tiresome in the beginning, but its end products are seriously jaw-dropping.

Do you want to know the factors to consider before siting in a fish pond? Do you have a passion for fish farming, but don’t know the necessary factors to consider before siting in a pond?

Are you into the fish farming business already but it doesn’t seem growing as expected?

If yes, then carefully read and study this comprehensive guide as its promise to provide all that you need to know about the necessary factors to be considered before siting a fishpond.

Ideally, the majority of people tend to believe that the only factor to consider before siting in a fish pond is where there is an adequate supply or flow of water but it is a practical lie.

The factors to consider before siting a fish pond are far more than the availability of water only, other important and necessary factors to put in place for the smooth transition of the lucrative business are however as follows:

ESTABLISHMENT OF FISH POND

 

Location

The first factor you should take into consideration is the location where you will construct the fish pond.

The best place for this lucrative business is where there is much shade plus an area where there is little or no run-off water as it could expose the fish in the pond to harmful organisms.

Water Availability

No doubt, this is the first thing that struck everyone’s mind when it comes to the factors to consider before siting a fish pond. But the fact is that there is much to it.

Truly, the availability of water is one of those factors to consider before siting a fish pond, because fish is an aquatic animal as such requires water for survival.

There must be an adequate and constant supply of water into your pond and you can obtain this from different sources such as the streams, rivers, lakes, canals, springs, irrigation and what have you.

Mind you, dirty water wouldn’t be suitable for your fish pond, the health of your fish would be determined by the quality of the water in your pond.

Do ensure that your fish pond water is neat, clean and there are an inlet and outlet of air into the water.

The Weather

This is another factor to consider before siting in a fish pond. Because you’ve seen a cool area where there is more than enough water doesn’t mean you can site your fish pond there straight away.

You must consider the climatic weather condition of the area before siting in your fish farming.

This is as a result of the variety of fish you will be farming in your fish pond. Different varieties of fish require different climatic weather conditions, your inability to consider this factor may ruin the business even from the inception.

Informatively, if you are going for the trout fish, this variety is best reared in a cold environment.

Catfish, Tilapias, and the likes thrive well in warm-weather conditions, they cannot survive in an environment with low temperatures as they require and enjoy the warm climate; their only means of survival.

Vegetation

In addition to the climatic weather conditions, another factor to consider before siting a fish pond is the vegetation of the proposed site for the fish farm. The most preferable vegetation to cultivate your fishpond is preferably grassland.

The reason is, when it comes to site clearing, it will be very easy to clear and excavate.

This is a great advantage over a woody vegetation site that may require an expert to do the land clearing, stumping, and escalating as such, cost you more money in siting up the fish pond.

Topography

It was stated earlier that the availability of water is not the main factor to consider before siting a fish pond the topography is another factor to consider that is of high necessity if you want to run the fish farming successfully.

The shape or outline of the land where the pond will be sited should be sloppy for easy filling and draining of the water in the pond. However, a fish pond can be situated or constructed on a good level or flat ground though, much soil has to be tilled to create the intended slope.

Also, the floor of the proposed land for the fish pond should contain clayey soils- with little or no traces of pebbles, gravels, or rocks- this type of soil helps to hold and retain water for a long time.

Lastly, make sure the soil is rich enough to survive the fingerlings.

Size

The size of the proposed fish farm should also be considered before constructing the pond. The size of your fish farm will determine how much your pond can hold.

If you are building a fish pond for commercial purposes, it is advisable to go for a wider space to avoid the loss that may incur from the fish during their course of competing for food and space.

Proximity to Hatchery

The fingerlings are fragile and they die off easily, as such, immediately they are hatching and release from the hatchery they are supposed to be sent off to the pond.

So, therefore, the proximity of the hatchery is another vital factor to consider before siting a fish pond.

Lastly, make sure you ask around if there are any existing legal issues to be solved before siting your fish pond.

So, if you coupled the above factors to consider before siting a fish pond together, that means you’ve taken care of all the problems that may arise in the future in your fish farming business.

SUMMARY

Here are some factors to be considered before setting a fish pond:

Conditions Necessary for Siting a Fish Pond

THE LAND: This is the first factor to be put into consideration while siting a fish farm. The best land for fish farming must be the land that comprises both sandy and loamy soil.

It must not only be sandy or clay soil.

The land used for the fish pond must be able to retain water for a long period, it must not be the land that is liable to erosion, the land for the fish pond can either be purchased or inherited.

THE SOURCE OF WATER: water is not always available throughout the year, therefore a fish pond must be sited where it is accessible to water.

The sources of water may be from different sources e.g drill well, dug hole, borehole, or from the stream or supplied by water cooperation. This is also one of the important factors to consider when designing a fish pond.

ACCESSIBILITY: The fish farm (pond) must be accessible to customers and any other pond users. The way to the pond must be motorable and free from hurdles. Transportation of fish to the markets must be easy.

SECURITY: Adequate security must be provided for the fish against predators such as snakes, birds, and even men. To ensure maximum security the farm area must be well fenced and security personnel may also be needed to avoid loss of fish.

FAR AWAY FROM POLLUTION: The site where the fish pond is sited must be far away from pollution. Examples of pollution include oil spillage, chemical discharge e,t,c.

All these may cause mass death to the fish which leads to a shortage. These are some important things to consider in fish farming.

Download: 15 Comprehensive Manuals on Starting a Fish Farm

One Comment

  1. Isaac Aderoyeje says:

    The write-up is good. I wish to go for fish farming hence, seeking for your information and knowledge to be a better fish Farmer. Supply me all what it’s takes to be a successful commercial fish Farmer please.Thanks. Isaac.

Comments are closed.