Tips and Tricks for Successful Tilapia Cultivation in Ground Pools

Cultivating tilapia in earthen ponds has many advantages compared to other types of tilapia ponds. One of the advantages is the availability of natural feed, so that cultivators can reduce the cost of tilapia feed. How to cultivate tilapia in an earthen pond is not as difficult as one might imagine. In fact, novice cultivators are advised to start cultivating tilapia using earthen ponds.

The consumption level of the Indonesian people for tilapia is quite high, in line with the level of domestic consumption of fish which is at more than 5% per year. Therefore, the demand for tilapia in the country always increases every year. Indeed, cultivating tilapia is a tricky process, especially cultivating tilapia in small earthen ponds.

This article will thoroughly examine the advantages of cultivating red tilapia in earthen ponds and how to cultivate red tilapia in earthen ponds that are easily understood by novice and experienced cultivators. Let's see!

Tilapia Fish Cultivation Business Prospects

To start cultivating with lots of tilapia seeds, between 1,000-5,000 seedlings, an investment of IDR 8-20 million is needed, depending on the use of the cultivation pond, the type of feed, and other operational costs. The business capital can still be used for the following months excluding gross and net income.

The capital needed to buy tilapia seeds is 1,000-5,000 seeds starting from IDR 1.1-1.5 million, depending on the length of the seeds that you choose. Ideally, the best tilapia seeds have a body length of 7 cm.

Meanwhile, the price of tilapia ranges between IDR 30-50 thousand per kg. Let's just say that the yields you get can reach 500 kg, can you imagine how many millions of turnover you will get? Of course very abundant!

Next, where can the Cultivator offer the tilapia crop? You can offer your tilapia harvest to traditional markets, supermarkets, fish collectors, restaurants or places to eat, to export overseas.

Types of Tilapia Fish Ponds

There are 4 types of tilapia aquaculture ponds that can be used. Each type of pool has its own advantages. Nevertheless, you need to consider the number of seeds to be stocked and the number of seeds to be cultivated so that the pond is not too wide or too narrow. The following is a brief discussion of each type of pond.

1. Biofloc Pool

Biofloc ponds are a type of tilapia cultivation pond which has an ecosystem and environment that resembles the tilapia's native habitat so that tilapia are more adaptable to the pond and accelerate the growth of tilapia seedlings. 

Nevertheless, cultivators need to control the quality of the water at all times. This is where the drawback lies, because cultivators will use several equipment that must be continuously on to maintain the quality of the water in the cultivation pond.

2. Concrete Pool

The advantage of a concrete pond as a cultivation pond is the durability of the pond which can be used for a long period of time. In addition, concrete ponds are also relatively free from pests and viruses so that they can reduce the number of viral infections and diseases in tilapia. Concrete ponds have better drainage than other types of aquaculture ponds.

However, making a concrete pool requires a large amount of money. In addition, a pond that has already been made will be difficult to change or renovate because the material for which it is made is so sturdy. Plus, tilapia stress levels tend to be higher due to the unnatural pond environment.

3. Tarpaulin Pool

The advantage of tarpaulin ponds is that this type of pond is easy to make at a low cost compared to other types of ponds. This type of pond is also easy to assemble and disassemble, making it easier for you to move the cultivation pond.

Even though it is easy to move, the potential for leakage in tarpaulin ponds is even higher, so the potential for water is reduced and the threat of death to tilapia is great. Even if you have used a sturdy pond frame, the potential for the tarpaulin pool to collapse remains high.

4. Ground Pool

The last type of cultivation pond is an earthen pond. This type of pond requires a relatively larger area. However, the cost of making a pond is not too expensive, and earthen ponds can also increase the growth of tilapia to a more optimal level.

However, you need to be careful in determining the area of land for making an earthen pool. Find out the quality of the soil, whether it is appropriate to use it as a pond. This is important because certain types of soil are not strong enough to hold pool water, so the water will slowly recede. In addition, pests are also prone to enter the pond through the gaps in the soil, thereby disrupting the growth of tilapia seedlings.

Advantages of Cultivating Tilapia in Ground Ponds

Specifically, it was explained that the advantage of cultivating tilapia in earthen ponds is that the capital required for a farming business is much cheaper than wall or concrete type aquaculture ponds. You only need to pay for the services of an earth digger to make an earthen pond.

The use of earthen ponds as aquaculture ponds can also optimize the growth and development of tilapia seedlings because the ecosystem and environment of the earthen pond resembles their natural habitat, thereby reducing the risk of stress to fish.

Another advantage is the availability of high-quality and nutritious natural food for tilapia fingerlings. Because when the pond is built, usually the pond will go through a phase of calcification and fertilization to create natural food and reduce the potential for disease.

Tilapia Fish Cultivation Tips in Ground Pools

To start cultivating tilapia in earthen ponds, there are several factors that need to be considered so that tilapia farming is successful and produces a large and quality fish harvest.

1. Land Pool Planning

It is best if you build an earthen pond on soil that is not easily porous and is able to hold large volumes of water. The criteria for suitable soil to be used as an earthen pond are fertile soil, free of oil, and far from factories so that it is not easily polluted by factory waste. In addition, the location of the ground pool is recommended to be close to a spring to maintain and control the water circulation.

Here are the steps for making a pond:

• Digging the ground according to the shape and size that has been determined.
• Dry the bottom of the pond by drying it for 3-7 days. The pond is ready when the base of the soil is cracked and when stepped on it will leave traces 1-2 cm deep.
• Repairing ponds and treating the bottom of earthen ponds so that they are free of dirt and rocks.
• Make pond drains.
• Do calcification in order to maintain a normal water pH level which is at 7-8. To determine the dosage of lime, first check the pH of the water. The dosage used for pH 6 is 500 kg/ha, pH 5-6 requires a dose of 500-1,500 kg/ha, pH 4-5 requires a dose of 1-3 tons/ha. Add lime to a depth of 10 cm from the soil surface and let it sit for 2-3 days.
• Fertilize using organic fertilizers such as compost or manure so that the pond soil is fertile.
• Water the pond gradually. Add water to the pond starting from a depth of 10-20 cm and letting it sit for 3-5 days to allow algae and aquatic organisms to grow. After the pool water is exposed to sunlight, fill the pool again with water as high as 60-70 cm.

2. Selection of Tilapia Fish Seeds

The following are the criteria for superior quality tilapia seeds:

• The physical condition of the seeds is healthy.
• Tilapia fingerlings do not have defects.
• Active seedlings.
• Tilapia seedling body size has a uniform length.
• The color of the indigo seeds has a matching color.
• The weight of tilapia seeds ranges from 10-20 grams/head.
• Seedlings will respond aggressively to feed.

3. Spreading Tilapia Seeds

When spreading the seeds, cultivators need to pay attention to the stocking density of the pond. Ideally the stocking density of ponds ranges from 15-30 fish/m2 provided that the weight of tilapia seeds is between 10-20 grams/head.

Furthermore, do not immediately sow the seeds into the soil pool. Let the fish adapt first to the pond temperature. You do this with the acclimatization process, which is letting the plastic container sit above the surface of the water for several hours. After that open the plastic container and let the seeds come out by themselves slowly.

4. Feeding

You can use natural feed or artificial feed for tilapia seeds. However, you need to pay attention to the nutritional content in the feed. Artificial feed such as pellet feed must contain as much protein as 20%-30%.

The daily feed portion is 3% of the total body weight of the fish. Feeding is done twice a day, namely in the morning and evening.

5. Water Quality Monitoring

Perform regular water quality checks on a regular basis. Two parameters that must be checked are the pH level of the water and the oxygen content.

When the aquaculture pond water lacks oxygen, increase the flow of water debit in the water circulation system so that the oxygen-deficient water can be replaced with new, oxygen-rich water. Meanwhile, if the water contains NH3  and followed by an unpleasant odor or looks cloudy, then the water quality begins to decline.

The solution is to replace the water with a new one by removing ⅔ of the water in the pool and then changing the water. Be sure not to drain all the water, leaving ⅓ of the old pool water.

6. Harvest Process

The cycle of cultivating red tilapia in earthen ponds is 4-6 months. Red tilapia can be harvested when it enters the weight of 300 gr/head or 3-4 fish/kg.