Subject: [permaculture] Small ponds and possibilities for aquaculture systems
Date: Thu, 23 Nov 2006 20:26:19 -0500
I have three small wet weather ponds (soil won't hold water completely but ponds are always 1/4 to completely full year
round) and am wondering what types of aquaculture systems could be installed in them. One is rectangular,
25'X35'X5'deepX33Kgallons, the other two are oblong, one 5-6' deep X maybe 10-12Kgallons, the other 4-5' in small deep
area X 15-17Kgallons. We have had 4 successive periods of high rainfall over the past two months and these ponds are
full almost to overflowing. Runoff from 3 acres of gardens is their primary source of water.
What are possibilities for growing food fish in these? I am in plant
hardiness zone 7a.
I can overwinter duckweed, cattails, papyrus, water lillies, several aquarium
plants
(the kind with long branching single stems with whorls of small oblong leaves that is a rapid grower and can clog a
small fish pool) and probably many other plants. Unfortunately water hyacinths are not hardy here but can be
overwintered in a protected container for relocation to the ponds in warm weather. Water hyacinths, cattails and
duckweed will turn murky water crystal clear in a few weeks in warm weather. It would seem that there ought to be a
few food fish varieties that I could grow. What about clams, crawfish, shrimp?
Any ideas and pointers to online resources and publications would be
appreciated.