Artificial Trout Stream in my back yard?

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daj24601

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Apr 1, 2005
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So what do you think of this idea. I would like to dig a long trench in my yard, to resemble a wandering stream. I would like to set it up like a pond, except this trench would be on a decline, allowing for running water with an underground pump to circulate and push the water, giving a nice flow, like a small stream. The purpose of this is so I can have a big brown in my back yard. Is this nuts? Has anyone ever heard of such a thing? Possible? (of course will cost $$$$$$$)
 

OrionGirl

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Aug 14, 2001
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Possible, but difficult for a number of reasons. First, a typical pond has a liner to help keep the water inside. You will be able to use the same material to line a bed, but it will be more work, and would plan on having a substrate of cobble and smaller rock. I would still plan on having a large pond area at one end--brown trout are very happy in large lakes and ponds, as long as the water is clean enough, and the mor total volume you can provide, the better the health of the fish. Second, you will need to build in a number of 'habitat' things, like rock work, and wood work, for the fish to hide in. You'll also need to plan on having food available--browns are pretty piscivorous, though large cichlid pellets would probably work as well. All in all, I would plan on having about 600 gallons of water, and lots of healthy vegetation, submerged as well as overhanging to provide shade.

Rebuilding habitat is not an easy task!
 

daj24601

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Apr 1, 2005
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True, it would not be easy, or cheap, but very enjoyable. A small pond at the end is a good idea, or perhaps in the center.
 

ergo sum

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Mar 15, 2005
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I was at a house here in Denver a while ago that had a trout in a small pond in the back yard. I believe it was fed on pellets. Biggest problem seemed to be the hawk that came by everyday. I don't know the details. I don't know how it was kept. The pond was not large at all. The trout just seemed to like to hide. Stayed mostly inside a small protected area under cover. Most of the time you could just see its tail sticking out the back. It was big.

The guy that kept it was your basic outdoors type, fished hunted etc. He was also a pediatric Brain Surgeon. So I just tended to figure he knew what he was doing.
 

Gambusia

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I have some rainbow trout I keep in a 150 gallon tub in my basement.

Your project is doable.

Lots of 02 and cold water temperatures (60-65 is good for brown trout).

Get some fingerlings if you do- 3-5".

Good luck!
 

barbuto

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Nov 28, 2008
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haha - thats great. I didnt realize how old this was when i was reading it
 

jtcurtis

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Jun 27, 2011
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how did you find this thread, its almost 4 years old??
Hey I just found this topic too. Funny after being quite for so long.
I have a spring on my property that is only a about 9 inches deep and 10 ft in diameter. the depth and size stays constant year round. Even during very dry summers (I live in VA). I am in the planning stages of developing it into a small trout stream (15 feet with a 10 ft pond/dam at the end).
I don't think I can use a liner so I'm thinking about digging it out to about 3-4 feet deep and placing lager flat stone in the bottom as a liner. Any thoughts or ideas on how I can make this work, I'm open to suggestions.....

Thanks,
Jeff
 
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