TYPES OF FISH PONDS

 

CHAPTER FIVE

TYPES OF FISH PONDS

There are basically two types of pond systems, viz: Earthen or Natural type and Concrete type. We also have the tanks types (fibre, plastic, glass, wooden, tarpaulin ), pens and cages, happa, raceway etc.

5.1   CONDITIONS OR FACTORS TO BE CONSIDERED BEFORE SITTING A FISH POND.

The factor or condition necessary for sitting a fish pond include:

1.         Adequate water supply.

2.         Soil in the area.

3.         Vegetation of the area.

4.         Topography of the area.

5.         Availability of fast growing fishes.

6.         Availability of supplementary feedstuff.

7.         Closeness / availability to market

1.         ADEQUATE WATER SUPPLY:- Water availability should be adequate but not excessive and may be provide by springs wells or surface run off. Check well water for potentially high level of dissolved substances such as iron, which may cause problems in the pond. Also, well and spring water may be low of in oxygen when it is pumped or flows out of the ground. Do not use standing surface water (such as pumping from creeks and sloughs) to fill ponds if you can avoid it, because it is a source of unwanted fish, parasites and fish diseases.                       For pond where surface runoff is the main source of water, the contributing drain- age area should be large enough to maintain a suitable water level during dry periods. The amount of run off from a water shed depends on local climate, topography, soil type and plant cover.

2.         SOIL IN THE AREA:- Suitable soil is one of the main factor in selecting a pond site. The soil should contain a layer of clay or silt clay material that water will not seep through. Sandy clays are also usually satisfactory. The more clays in the soil, the better it will hold water. At least 20 percent clay is necessary to hold water.

3.         VEGETATION OF THE AREA:- Low vegetation, especially grasslands are preferred. woody sites are not suitable because clearing and stumping will greatly increase the cost of setting up the fish pond

4.         TOPOGRAPHY OF THE AREA:- Consider topography first because it directly affects building costs and management.Place the pond where enough water can be held with the least amount of earth fill. A good site is usually one where you can build a dam across a narrow section of a steep valley and where the slope of the valley floor lets you flood a large area such sites are ideal minimize area of shallow water (water less than 2 feet deep). Avoid large areas of shallow water because they become too shallow to use in late summer and fall dry period and they encourage the growth of undesirable aquatic plants. Likewise steep sloping valleys may make the pond too deep which may lead to poor fish production and possible fish kills. Also avoid location with constantly flowing creeks or streams as these flush the pond and make it difficult to manage pond water chemistry.

5.         AVAILABILITY OF FAST GROWING FISHES:- Fingerlings or baby fish for stocking  a fish pond should be the type that can grow fast and mature within, a very short time. The use of improved varieties (breeds) in stocking fish pond makes fish farming more profitable.

6.         AVAILABILTY OF SUPPLENTARY FEEDSTUFF:- Supplementary feeding is done to ensure rapid growth of fish and allow high stocking density. Artificial or compounded feeds in form of pellets are used to supplement the natural feed (planktons). The addition of fertilizer also promotes the rapid growth of planktons (natural fish food) in the pond.

                                                     

                                                            Diagram of fish pond

 

5.2                                                       EARTHEN FISH POND

 

This is the oldest form of fish culture system in Nigeria. The system involves the development of pond is limited to area where there is clay soil close to a water body or along the gentle flowing stream or spring. It is situated in swampy area where clean fresh water is available.

ACTIVITIES INVOLVED IN EARTHEN POND CONSTRUCTION

 

1. Clearing: Clear the pond area of all vegetation, debris, tree, stump etc

2. Pegging/ Marking: The area to be dugout is mark with stake indicating depth of cut from the ground surface to the pond bottom.

3. Demarcation: Demarcate the base of the pond by pegging within the first marked area (toe stake) and then the outer area (top width stake) depending on the size of the pond under construction.

4. Determine the gradient and mark out the water inlet and outlet.

5. Complete removes top soil and set aside.

6. Start digging from the outlet inside the marked stakes.

7. Build walls or dyke using loamy or silt clay soil.

8. Installation of drains, core trench, spillway, inlet pipes, freeboard.

9. Compact walls at every 15-20cm layer of strengthen embankment  to avoid collapse when impounded with water.

10. Pond bottom should slope towards outlet or drain.

11. Pond inlets and outlets should be properly screened.

12. Plant grasses on dam to prevent pond from flood.

 

5.3                                                       TYPES OF EARTHEN POND

 

1.         Contour Pond Or Embankment Pond Or Paddy Pond: This fish pond is constructed in the slope of a highland with clay soil and nearby stream.

2.         Excavated or Dugout pond: The pond is constructed by digging out an area of an average of 1.5m depth, the dugout soil is used to build wall or dyke around the pond to prevent flooding during raining season. It is always sited in a flat swampy land which can either be dry or wet and water allowed to naturally flow from underground in the pond.

ADVANTAGES OF EARTHEN POND

1. It is relative cheaper to construct.

2. It has a large stocking capacity.

3. Fish growth is rapid.

4. Fish live in natural environment.

5. High profit.

DISADVANTAGES OF EARTHEN POND

1. Sorting may be hard in the pond.

2. Fencing and security guard is required.

3. Flooding likely to occur if the wall is not properly built.

 

 

5.4                               CONCRETE FISH POND

 

Concrete ponds are constructed using cements, blocks and aggregate of suitable ratio.

            Designs and construction of concrete fish pond involves the following: site selection, excavation of concrete fish pond, erection of the walls, installation of water inlet, water outlet, overflow pipe, plastering, flooring.

 

5.5                               TYPES OF CONCRETE POND

 

1.         Stagnant concrete pond: Water in the pond is always replaced. No water flow out  channel is provided during construction. The water usually replace when the water is polluted with the help of pumping machine. The pond is cheaper to construct with limitation in quantity of fish stocking capacity. Fish grow may not be fast as expected due to poor water condition.

2.         Free flow concrete pond: This type of pond is suitable for quick response grow-out fish and the scope of this work will be centred on this system of pond. The construction includes water flow-out channel. Water flow is regulated and continuous at stipulated period. This ensures water freshness and turbulent that makes the fish agile for improved feeding rate. The disadvantage of this type of pond is that it waste a lot of water.

3.         Water recirculatory concrete pond: The construction involves complete water filtration system. The water system involves high water efficiency. Water in a storage tanks at elevated height flows freely into the pond. Waste water out of the pond is either stored in another chamber passed directly through a bio-filter recirculation and it is a continuous action. This type of pond is the most advanced in terms of water efficiency, stocking capacity, water quality and percentage of dissolved oxygen in the pond water but have a very high initial cost of construction and equipment benefits acquisition. Maintenance cost is high, there will be clean out of the pond once a while to remove accumulated solid waste from the bottom of the pond.

ADVANTAGES OF CONCRETE FISH POND

1. It allow culturing fish where flowing streams of water or river is not available.

2. It can be constructed purposely for storing live fish till needed.

3. It can be used for raising fingerlings, especially in the case of fish species which breed easily in captivity.

 

 

5.6                               TYPES OF POND BASED ON THE USE

 

1. Holding pond: This is used to hold fish temporally in readiness for either transportation or fattening for induced breeding purpose.

2. Spawning pond: This is used to hold the set of fish intended for artificial propagation.

3. Nursery pond: This is used to nurse the fry produced during induced breeding into fingerlings.

4. Grow-out pond: This is used to raise fingerlings to table size fish.

5. Segregation pond: This is used to hold fishes either of the same sex or the same species.

 

5.7                               COMPONENTS OF FISH POND

 

(diagram)

Components of fish pond and their functions

 

I. Dyke/ Embankment/ Wall

- It hold water in the pond.     - It prevent seepage or leakage of water.

- It house the cultured organism

 

II. Core- trench

-          It reinforces the dyke built with low clay soil to avoid seepage

 

III. Inlet

-          To prevent unwanted aquatic organisms from entering the pond.

-          To let water into the pond or impoundment.

 

IV. Outlet/ Monk/ Spillway/ Overflow sprout/ Stand pipe.

-          To keep water at suitable level in the pond.         - The passage for draining of the pond.

-          To prevent overflow or flooding of pond.

 

V. Freeboard

-    Prevent fishes from jumping out of pond.            - Prevent flooding of pond.

VI. Harvesting basin/ Catch basin

-          Collection point for all fishes during total harvesting or for easy removal.

 

CALCULATION OF AREA, VOLUME AND STOCKING RATE

A pond measures 10m by 10m by 3m in length , breadth and depth respectively. Determine the (i) area of the pond (ii) volume of the pond (iii) number of fish that could be stocked in the pond if the stocking rate is 10

fish/m².

Solution

(i)                 A= L x B = 10m x 10m = 100m².

(ii)               V= L x B x D = 10m x 10m x 3m = 300m³.

(iii)             If 10 fishes / m² = stocking rate

100 m² = 100 m² x 10 fishes = 1000 fishes.

Daily management practices in a fish pond

i. maintenance of water level

ii. Clean filters

iii. Check leakages

iv. watch out for predators

v. observe fish behavior / culling of injured, weak or deformed fish.

vi. monitor water quality parameters

vii. removal of death fish

viii. feed the fish.

 STRUCTURE QUESTIONS

1.      Which of the following steps indicate the correct sequences in the construction of concrete ponds? (a) Stripping top soil, casting, building of walls. (b) Stripping of top soil, sand mixing, staking (c) Casting, sand mixing, Stripping of top soil (d) Casting, staking, mapping.

2.      Which of the following structures is used in complete draining of a fish pond? (a) Inlet (b) Monk (c) Overflow (d) Spillway.

3.      Which of the following soils is best for pond construction? (a) Clay (b) Humus (c) Loamy (d) Sandy.

4.      Which of the following is not a factor necessary for setting up a fish pond? (a) density (b) Soil type (c) Topography (d) Vegetation.

5.      Culturing facilities include the following except (a) Cage (b) Levee (c) Pen (d) Pond.

6.      Aquaculture involves the use of the following culturing media except (a) Aquaculture (b) Cage (c) jar (d) Raceway.

7.      Which of the following is the function of an outlet in a fish pond. (a) Allow exit of water (b) Beautifies the pond (c) Prevent aquatic weed (d) Prevents fish theft.

8.      The component of a pond through which water flows in is called (a) dyke (b) inlet (c) levee (d) spillway

9.      An embankment built around a pond with sand to prevent flood from entering it is called (a) dyke (b) monk (c) outlet (d) slope.

10.    The following are point considered in pond site selection except (a) accessibility (b) plankton (c) soil (d) topography.

11.    Which of the following is an outlet of a pond? (a) embankment (b) levee (c) monk (d) slope.

12.    The following are type of earthen pond except (a) barrage (b) contour (c) dingy (d) paddy.

THEORY

1.      List five harmful effects of excessive aquatic weed in an earthen pond.

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2.      State four methods of controlling aquatic vegetation in an earthen pond.

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3.      (a)What is a pond.

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          (b)List two type of pond?

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          (c.)State five components of an earthen pond.

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5.            List five steps involved in fish pond construction.

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6.            Mention five conditions necessary for sitting a fish pond.

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7.            List  five tools required for fish pond preparation.

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8.            Specimen  A is MATTOCK and specimen B is  SHOVEL.

(a) State one use of specimen A and B in the construction of fish pond.

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(b) Name  four other items that are required in the construction of fish ponds.

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