Filling your pond

46. Using a small ditch is the easiest way to get water to the inlet and into the pond.

47. If the water comes from a stream, be careful to keep out bad fish. You can do this by using a screen on the inlet.

48. To stop fish from getting out of the pond, put another screen on the outlet.

Stop fish from getting out

49. As a screen you can use:

· a fish trap
· split and woven bamboo
· a clay pot with holes in the bottom
· a piece of metal roofing with holes
· a tin can with holes in the end.

50. To stop other people from taking fish from your pond, you can put some bamboo branches on the pond bottom. This will stop them from fishing or taking fish with a net.

Put bamboo branches on the pond bottom

51. Now you are ready to fill your pond with water.

Fill the pond with water

Fertilizing the water in the pond

52. To make more food in the water for the fish you will need to fertilize the pond. You can do this by adding compost.

53. Build a crib with bamboo or other wooden poles, in the shallow part of the pond, and fill it with compost.

fill the crib with compost

54. Several days later the water will become green. When the water is green, there is more natural food in the pond and the fish will grow faster.

55. To keep the water green, put a bucket of compost in the crib every week.

Keep the water green

How to make compost

56. Make a compost pile near the pond. Put it in a shady place protected from rain.

Protect the compost

57. Make your pile in layers. Make the first layer of grass or leaves mixed with a spadeful of topsoil, and damp it with water to make it rot faster.

58 Then make a second layer of animal manure mixed with a spadeful of topsoil and some water.

Make the pile

59. Use animal manure from sheep, goats, cattle, pigs, chickens or ducks.

Use animal manure

60. In place of animal manure you can also use cotton seed, spoiled fruit, household garbage, ashes from the fireplace or night soil.

Use garbage

61. Then make another layer of grass or leaves, and another of manure, until you have a large pile.

Make a large pile

62. Keep your compost pile damp by watering it every few days.

63. Let the compost pile rot for about a month.

Rot the compost pile a month

64. Take compost from the bottom of the pile, or the old part of the pile, where it is most rotten, to put in your pond.

Use the compost from the bottom

65. Add new layers to your pile every week so that you will always have compost.

66. If you have too much compost you can use some to fertilize your land.