Backyard Fish Farming – Mother Earth News

April 2, 2022

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Using cheap and available supplies similar to an aboveground swimming pool you may get recent fish out of your again yard. “By raising your own fish, you can achieve a higher level of self-sufficiency and provide a healthier diet for your family,” says Steven Van Gorder, creator of Small-Scale Aquaculture. “Backyard fish farming is as practical as gardening for producing food for the family.”

Van Gorders e book explains yard aquaculture intimately, with plans and step-by-step directions that may enable you efficiently elevate fish even when your solely supply of water is a backyard hose.

Puanani Burgess, government director of the Waianae Coast Community Alternative Development Corp. in Waianae, Hawaii, says the strategies “look so simple that everyone thinks, ‘Hey, I can do it.’” Fourteen years in the past, Burgess’ group fashioned a micro-aquaculture cooperative, which tons of of islanders have participated in through the years.

“It is really ideal for small, rural communities like ours,” Burgess says.

Historically, aquaculture has one thing of a foul fame as a result of it has been restricted to giant industrial services that require important quantities of water and vitality, and thus could be main sources of air pollution. In distinction, Van Gorders techniques mix 4,000-year-old cultural practices with refined trendy methods — utilizing minimal vitality and water — and put you accountable for the purity and healthfulness of this meals supply. (For wholesome and sustainable selections whenever you do purchase seafood, see The Health Benefits of Eating Fish. — MOTHER EARTH NEWS)

There are a number of similarities between gardening and fish farming: Both vegetation and fish want meals and heat; simply as sure vegetation favor totally different seasons, there are cold-hardy fish and heat-loving fish; and each types of “gardens” require common upkeep — you may’t simply scatter a handful of seeds or sprinkle just a few fingerlings in a pond, then anticipate to reap something edible in just a few months.

Van Gorder advises starting fish farmers to start out small — not more than 100 fish the primary few seasons. Once you grasp just a few fundamentals, “you will be able to raise several species of fish in tanks, indoors or out, throughout the year,” he says.

In the Waianae cooperative, for instance, just a few aboveground tanks can produce greater than 300 kilos of golden tilapia each six months.

Types of Aquaculture Systems

Here are the 4 aquaculture techniques Van Gorder describes:

Cage Culture. This aquaculture methodology “provides the simplest means of growing fish if you have access to a pond,” Van Gorder says. He estimates a cage system may very well be constructed for about $100. “The only cost is for cage materials, fish and feed.”

In this method, a cage or pen made from plastic pipe and inflexible netting is moored in any appropriate physique of water — a pond, lake, stream or millrace — and stocked with fingerlings which can be fed till they attain a harvestable measurement.

“If you have a farm pond, building a floating cage will provide enough fish to feed your family year-round,” Van Gorder says. Channel catfish is the commonest fish grown in cages; tilapia, trout, salmon and hybrid striped bass are different choices.

Flow-through. This methodology diverts a steady supply of chilly water, similar to a stream, spring or river, into “raceways” that maintain fish. Even a small quantity of water can create a extra productive system than a closed setup. “With just a few gallons of spring water, you can grow trout year-round,” Van Gorder says.

Like cage tradition, flow-through techniques are easy and comparatively cheap, except you don’t have entry to a pure supply of flowing water. It’s additionally essential to notice that flow-through techniques are topic to laws relating to the diversion and use of pure water sources. Be positive to speak with native fish and soil conservation authorities earlier than making use of close by streams.

Greenhouse Aquaponics. Within some type of greenhouse, this methodology makes use of a wide range of vegetation — as an alternative of filters to enhance the water high quality for fish. In addition to tilapia, trout, catfish or hybrid striped bass, you may develop totally different greens — together with tomatoes, lettuce and cucumbers — as you’ll in standard hydroponics. However, as a result of fish live within the water, the nutrient sources for greenhouse aquaponics have to be completely natural; no herbicides, pesticides or fungicides can be utilized.

Greenhouse aquaponics is essentially the most sophisticated aquaculture methodology, requiring a excessive stage of administration and parts similar to a water pump and aerator. Backyard fish farmers usually mix aquaponics with a house recirculating setup (mentioned later on this article). Altogether, such a system might price as much as $1,000, however utilizing recycled supplies can deliver that value down considerably.

Home Recirculating. This is the reply for would-be fish farmers whose solely water supply is a backyard hose. The finest approach to create this miniature fish farm is to make use of an aboveground vinyl-lined swimming pool in a again yard, storage or basement. The price of such swimming pools varies based mostly on measurement, starting from $300 to greater than $2,000. They are sturdy, with solely the vinyl liner needing alternative each few years.

For the best dwelling recirculating system, Van Gorder recommends a pool 12 toes in diameter and three toes excessive. This measurement will maintain about 2,000 gallons of water when stuffed to inside 8 inches of the highest. Unfiltered, that quantity of water can produce solely 10 to fifteen kilos of fish, even with added aeration. But by controlling temperature, eradicating ammonia and waste, and oxygenating the water, that very same quantity of water can produce greater than 100 kilos of fish in a single rising season. Species best-suited to this method embrace tilapia, catfish, bass, carp and trout.

Because the fish spend all their lives in the identical water, sustaining its high quality is important. Water have to be clear, stored on the appropriate temperature and comprise sufficient oxygen. Smaller swimming pools have much less margin for error and require much more administration. Components of the house recirculating system embrace:

Solar dome. This is an affordable plastic cowl that appears like an enormous bathe cap. Most of the fish beneficial for yard fish farming are warm-water species, which develop finest at water temperatures above 80 levels. In temperate climates, aboveground swimming pools will attain about 70 levels for under the warmest 12 weeks. But a photo voltaic dome will improve the common water temperature to about 80 levels for at the least 20 weeks.

Drum clarifier. This supplies a easy approach to gather and take away nearly the entire natural materials that accumulates within the water. Using siphons and a water or air pump, water flows between the pool and two 55-gallon drums which can be full of plastic mesh (orchard netting), which traps the solids.

Biofilter. This easy water wheel removes poisonous ammonia from the water. It could be made with PVC pipe, corrugated fiberglass roofing and some different supplies accessible out of your native dwelling enchancment retailer.

Aerator. An air pump or aerator provides oxygen to the water, which is critical to lift wholesome fish.

Emergency energy. To maintain aeration and pump units operating throughout blackouts, it’s a good suggestion to attach the system to a generator; or join a easy 12-volt agitator to a automotive battery. Water high quality gained’t endure if filtration and clarification are lower off for just a few hours, however oxygen ranges will quickly fall if there are various fish within the pool.

Stocking Your Water Garden

Once you resolve which system makes essentially the most sense to your circumstances, the following large determination is which fish to lift.

“With an eye toward ‘sustainable aquaculture,’ whenever possible the small-scale fish farmer should utilize those species whose nutritional requirements are more easily met because they feed low on the food chain,” Van Gorder says. Feed pellets for catfish, for instance, depend on soybean meal. More than 1 pound of fish could be raised from 1 pound of dry pellets. Carnivorous fish — trout, salmon and striped bass — occupy a better place on the meals chain. It takes 3 to five kilos of wild-caught fish to make sufficient fish meal for pellets that can produce 1 pound of cultured, carnivorous fish.

Here are descriptions of your finest choices amongst warm-water species — tilapia, catfish, carp and bass and — cool-water species trout, salmon and perch.

illustration of a blue and green tilapia fish

Tilapia. Tastes nice and is likely one of the best fish to lift. Tilapia tolerate all kinds of water circumstances, together with low oxygen ranges and excessive concentrations of ammonia, and are immune to illnesses and parasites. Tilapia develop shortly underneath correct circumstances — water temperatures of 64 to 90 levels, with 84 levels being optimum. Water temperatures lower than 50 levels are deadly. Java, blue and nile tilapia are the perfect species for yard fish farming.

illustration of a green and tan catfish

Catfish. Exceptional style and hardy resistance to illness and parasites make catfish one other good selection for starting fish farmers. Catfish develop shortly — a big fingerling can attain 1 pound inside 5 months. Channel catfish is your finest wager; brown, black or yellow bullhead catfish are different choices.

illustration of a golden brown and red carp fish

Carp. Traditionally unpopular for consuming, carp from yard aquaculture would possibly shock you. When cultured in clear water and ready correctly, it might style glorious, Van Gorder says. Carp are hardy, immune to illness and modify to various water circumstances. Carp tolerate water temperatures from 70 to 90 levels, however develop finest between 80 and 85 levels. Common, grass, bighead or silver carp can coexist in a single aquaculture system.

illustration of a blue and green bass fish

Bass. The finest species is hybrid striped bass, which has a wonderful delicate style, much more so than wild bass. Bass is well-suited to cages and recirculating techniques, however is tougher to tradition than tilapia, carp or catfish. Fingerlings require attentive care — they don’t react nicely to poor vitamin, tough dealing with or brilliant lighting. Large and small people have to be stored individually. Optimal water temperature is 80 levels, however bass will tolerate 65 to 85 levels.

illustration of a brown spotted fish with a pink stripe down its side

Trout and Salmon. Two of the extra flavorful fish, trout and salmon require way more exact circumstances than warm-water species; management of water temperature is the first issue. They require water temperatures between 55 and 60 levels; rainbow trout can tolerate as much as 70 levels with cautious administration of oxygen ranges. These fish could be stocked collectively and develop shortly, offering harvestable fish in a single season. Best species are rainbow or brook trout and coho or Atlantic salmon.

illustration of a green and yellow striped perch fish

Perch. The yellow perch is fashionable for its style, particularly in Canada and the northern United States. It grows finest in water temperatures between 68 and 74 levels. Yellow perch eat trout feed and may develop to a harvestable measurement — a 3rd of a pound — in a single season.