You need to know how to calculate your pond’s surface acres to know how many fish per acre to add.  Different fish species need to be added in different quantities.

Knowing the total surface acres of your pond will also allow you to know how much fertilizer and lime to add for optimum pond health.  Why bother with adding fertilizer or lime?  If you do not fertilize your pond, you may be able to harvest up to 40 lbs of adult Bluegill (about 120 of them) per acre and about 10 lbs of Bass (8-10 Bass per acre) per year.  If you do fertilize you can harvest up to 160 lbs of Bluegill and 35-40 lbs of Bass per acre each year.  But you need the total surface acres to tell you how much fertilizer and lime to add.

So here is how you figure it out:

THE FORMULA:  
1.  Step off or measure the length and the width of your pond in feet.

2.  Multiply the length number times the width number.

3.  Divide that total number by 43,560*.  This gives you the surface acres of your pond or lake.

An Example:
The pond length is 850′ and the pond width is 400′.  So multiply 850′ x 400′ = 340,000′ (the total)
Now divide the total 340,000 by 43,560 = 7.80**  or (7-3/4 acres)
The pond surface is about 7-3/4 acres

* 43,560 cubic feet is the water volume needed to cover 1 acre to a depth of 1 foot.  It is equal to 325,851 gallons.  One acre is approximately 210′ x 210′.

** What comes after the .   is just a fraction of an acre.  Whatever the .  number you get when you multiple your width and length, compare it to the list below to get your remaining partial acreage:

.25   = 1/4 acre
.50   = 1 half acre
.75   = 3/4 acre  (so 7.80 in the example above is closest to .75 or 3/4 acre)

If you need help, please call us with your stepped off pond width and length numbers and we will calculate your surface acres for you.  We can recommend how many of each fish species you need once we get your pond’s surface acres figured out.