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How to Build a Backyard Fish Farm. With the growing popularity of backyard vegetable gardens,
backyard fish farming is becoming another popular source of food. Start small by building
a fish pond. You will need A shovel A garden hose Local authorities A contractor 8-8-4
crop fertilizer A computer with internet access Tilapia fingerlings A dip net and fish food.
Step 1. Dig a test hole as deep as you plan to make your pond. Then fill it with water
from a garden hose and see how much water drains to determine the seepage quality of
the soil. Backyard fish ponds are typically 5 to 15 feet deep. Step 2. Contact your local
government authorities and ask if permits are needed for building a backyard fish pond.
Step 3. Decide where your pond will be dug. Locate it where it will be exposed to sunlight
to promote algae growth and where children and pets won’t be attracted to it. If you’re
a beginner or on a tight budget, build a fishpond only in a warm climate. Colder climates require
expensive heating and filtering systems. Step 4. Hire a contractor with equipment to excavate
a hole for the pond. Then fill the hole with water, spread 8-8-4 crop fertilizer in the
water to grow algae, and wait 4 to 6 months. Step 5. Stock the pond with fingerlings or
young fish. Tilapia is a tasty fish that is easy to raise, and they tolerate a variety
of environmental conditions. It’s recommended that a fishpond be stocked with five to six
fingerlings per square meter of surface area. Spring is the best time of year to stock.
Step 6. Wait for six months to a year for the fish to grow. Lower a dip net to the bottom
of the pond, sprinkle a small amount of fish food into the water above the net, and lift
the net to harvest the fish. Did you know Fish farming, also called aquaculture, has
been around for centuries and may have been practiced in China as early as 2000 B.C.E.