Posted: 4/15/2005 6:33:34 PM EDT
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I'm going to build a trout run in my wife's half-finished garden. I'm going to dig a ditch and a series of pools in a circular pattern, install a dark earth-tone liner, and install some centrifugal pumps along the bottom of the run to give it a current and prevent mosquitos from breeding in it. Then I think I'll throw some rocks in there to give it a natural look, a few rapids and waterfalls, and put down a little gravel to anchor some ferns and stuff in to clean the water and help with the natural look, and put some different kinds of trout and other fish in there. I have enough space to make it viable, but I've never built one of these before and I don't want it to look like cheap crap. Think natural, and not an oversized goldfish pond. Anyone here built anything like this before? EDIT: I haven't come up with any numbers as far as volume, dimensions, or pump sizing yet, but I have a decent idea of the construction method. |
I'm not a fan of goldfish under any name. I had planned to plant additional shade trees and keep the water sufficiently deep and moving. I'm not certain that is enough, but trout live in the mountains near here. They need temperatures below 70, and preferably in the low 60s. EDIT: The ferns and water plants in the pools and current should keep the water filtered if it is lightly stocked; I could add some filters to the pumps to help if it needs it. If I kept the pools relatively deep and the ditches at a suitable depth, and kept the thing more or less shaded, I think that would provide a reservoir of cool water to maintain the temperature. I need to run some numbers on that though. |
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You might want to check your local laws about keeping trout in a setting like that. I know in Montana doing something like what you're suggesting might be frowned upon. Probably considered something similar to keeping them in a fish tank. I know you can privately stock streams and ponds with trout and other game species but somewhere MT FWP draws a line on "captivity" for game species. Your deal sounds cool, I just want to make sure that you won't have a problem with your Fish Wildlife and Parks department or their equivalent. |
If it wasn't hard, then everyone would be doing it. I'll run some numbers and see if I can get everything within the conditions they need. I'm not going to start without a plan. I'm going to post it here before starting for critique; if there are any problems, I want to get them settled out before digging. |
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Sounds like an excellent project. Maybe you should put in a small windmill/solar/battery backup/waterwheel/airpump device so they can get aeration even if the electric fails. Unfortunately, my area of expertise is limited to 200 gal fishponds from Home Depot. Koi, and some small catfish and drum that I pulled out of the Missouri river. Not nearly as high rent as trout. Where do you live, and can I visit with my #8 flyrod? |
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you're gonna need a cooler. Trout need water in the 50's to 60's to stay healthy. And they need a lot of flow to keep oxygen levels high. A couple of people I know who raise them pump the water in from a pipe a few feet above the surface and that helps keep the O2 content higher. |
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There are three main types of trout around "these parts". Brook trout Rainbow trout Brown trout They all tend to like water between 50 F and 68 F; higher than this is bad. This might pose a problem. I don't want to bother with chilling the water and it does get rather hot here during the summer; if I can't find an alternative, I'll abandon the idea. They like highly oxygenated water. This shouldn't be a problem, as I can put in enough pumps to keep it moving swiftly, have enough volume and depth, add plants to help with filtering, and put in a waterfall or two and some mini-rapids. Easy enough. They grow to about a foot long or so, and like some cover. This brings up another question. Does anyone know of a fish that will eat or drive away snakes? |
#8??? I was catching rainbows all last weekend with a #4 baby, including a nice hook jawed male, 3.3 lbs. Trout are such awesome fish. Great fun to fight. I'd like to get a #8 for some salmon though... |
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I dont want to rain on your parade, but you will probably never be able to keep the water cold enough in a small closed system like that, for any kind of trout. Rainbow trout thrive in ICY cold water, usually well below 50 degrees. They might survive a little while in a 60+ degree "stream", but they will never get very big and they probably wont be healthy. Much above 65 and they probably wont survive more than a week or two. Pretty much the same thing is true for Brook trout. Brown Trout are more tolerant of warm water... but not buy much. Browns are also very hard to raise in a hatchery setting, which is similar to what you are looking to do. Most of the trout fishing waters in Utah dont get much warmer than mid-fifties anywhere below the surface, even in the midsummer heat. Take that as a grain of salt from a fairly avid trout fisherman. I wont suggest oversized goldfish, but maybe something in a warm water gamefish would be a better choice...bass, bulegills? I know thats more of a pond fish, but... its your pond 
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Like others, I imagine you'll have a lot of problems keeping the water cool enough for the trout. One way to get around it might be to have a steady flow of well or spring water entering your trout run while allowing the old excess water a way to escape. If the ground source for the water is very deep the water should be cold and may solve your problem. Aeration shouldn't be a problem with fast running water, waterfalls, and pumps. Bass and Catfish will both eat snakes. Largemouth Bass would be especially well suited for that. |
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TNO, I'm sure your are doing lots of google'ing about ponds so you have probably seen this. But just in case... here |