| Mud ponds work best when the feed rate is only about 2 grams per square meter per day. With good aeration, the maximum for koi is probably about 5 grams of feed per square meter per day. So, figure the total weight of the fish, multiply by 1.5% per day feed rate, divide by 2 (up to a maximum of 5) to get the area in square meters. Multiply meters by 10.8 to get square feet.
Example:
two 24-inch fish weighing 8 pounds each = 3,256 grams
7,256 grams x 1.5%/day fed = 109 grams feed per day
109 grams divided by about 2 = 55 square meters = 585 square feet =
about 24 feet x 24 ft
or:
109 grams divided by 5 grams per square meter = 22 square meters = 234 square feet = about 15 ft x 15 ft
Despite the name and the dogma, mud ponds seem to work best when the soil is a little sandy and the pond leaks a little. It makes for a more robust benthic community and forces water renewal. That said, unless you have a lot of free water, you look for very tight clay soils to build in.
-steve hopkins |