| Overstocking a pond with fish is a very common | | | | are a couple of formulations and guides you can |
| error new pond owners make. A lot of times we | | | | go by to help you come up with a good starting |
| will encounter a customer with pond problems and | | | | point. One formula is basically to 10?-12? of fish |
| they buy some product and see minimal results. | | | | per 10 square feet of surface area or about 1? of |
| Well, upon further examination and fact finding we | | | | fish per square foot. To calculate square feet |
| find that the person actually has an overstocked | | | | simply multiply the length times the width of your |
| pond. | | | | pond. Some people also go by the 1? of fish per |
| It is easy to see how this happens as a person | | | | 10 gallons of water rule. I think this rule is more |
| will get this new pond and immediately add baby | | | | appropriate for aquariums or maybe shallower |
| fish. Well these fish seem so small and there | | | | ponds say 2 ft or less becuase you could end up |
| appears to be so much room left that more is | | | | with a scenario where the pond is deep but not |
| added. What is not taken into consideration is how | | | | very big and the fish have no room to move |
| big these fish will be when full grown and how | | | | around. Remember, use the adult size of the fish |
| they will breed. Then before two long they have | | | | as the measuring point not the baby size. So if |
| a huge fish population in what may only be 1000 | | | | your pond will support 20? of fish, make sure you |
| gallon pond. | | | | select 20? of fish based on their full grown size, |
| So how do you determine how many fish to add | | | | not current size. |
| to your pond? The good rule of thumb is to aim | | | | Another consideration too is the type of fish |
| low as it is always better to have fewer fish than | | | | added. Generally koi are a little messier than gold |
| too many. You can always slowly add more if | | | | fish or others so they will produce more waste |
| your pond can support it. Another key component | | | | for their weight so again, fewer may be |
| is to make sure you ave proper filtration for your | | | | better…in the beginning. |
| size pond. In this case it is better to aim high, as | | | | Bottom line is this…a sure fire way to make |
| in selecting a filtration system that ay even be | | | | ponding easier and to ease the stress of trying to |
| rated for a pond slightly larger than yours. This will | | | | keep fish healthy and water clear is to be sure |
| also give you some flexibility in the number of fish | | | | you are not over stocking your pond. Your fish |
| you can support. | | | | will love you and you will be all the happier. |
| No as for a specific number of fish to add, there | | | | |