MMB Chapter 44
Chapter 44
Zhou Haiming picked up the chalk and drew a cross-sectional diagram of a fishpond on the blackboard.
Mark the locations of the inlet, outlet, deep water area, and shallow water area.
He drew very quickly, with smooth lines, clearly having explained it many times.
"Today is the first lesson, and we will talk about water quality management."
Water quality management is of paramount importance in fish farming; even the best fish fry will not grow large if the water quality is poor.
I'd like to ask you all a question first.
What kind of water do you think is good water?
Someone shouted from below, "Clear!"
Someone chimed in, "Fat!"
Zhou Haiming nodded and wrote two large characters on the blackboard.
Alive, fat.
He turned around and pointed at the blackboard with chalk: "Cleanliness is not the most important thing."
The water in Taiqing is barren; there are no plankton, and fish that go down there will starve to death.
There are two standards for good water.
The first requirement is that the water must be alive, meaning the inflow and outflow of water must be smooth, and the oxygen content must be sufficient.
Secondly, there needs to be fertilizer; there must be enough plankton in the water so that the fish have something to eat.
Running water combined with fertilized water is the best water for raising fish.
Chen Zheng quickly took notes in his notebook.
These words were spoken by Lin Xiaoyun's father in his study, and they were also written in Teacher Zhao's book.
But Zhou Haiming's explanation is more systematic and down-to-earth.
How do you determine whether water is alive or stagnant?
Zhou Haiming asked himself the question and answered it himself: "Watching the fish."
The oxygen content in the water is lowest around four or five in the morning.
If you see fish surfacing at dawn, their mouths opening and closing as they inhale, you'll see them.
This means there's not enough oxygen in the water; the water is too stagnant and needs to be changed immediately.
How do you determine whether the water is nutrient-rich or nutrient-poor?
He asked again, then picked up a glass bottle and held it up in front of everyone.
"Observe the color of the water."
Fill a glass bottle with water and place it in the sun to observe.
The water is light green or yellowish-brown, indicating the presence of plankton and that the water is fertile.
If the water is too clear, like tap water, it's considered "lean water" and needs to be fertilized.
The water is too dark, black, and smelly; it means it's been over-fertilized, and the bottom is rotting. We need to stop fertilizing and change the water.
He put down the glass bottle and wrote a formula on the blackboard.
Dissolved oxygen content > 5 mg/L.
Then he turned around and said, "The dissolved oxygen in this formula is the oxygen content in the water."
You don't need to buy any instruments to measure it; just remember what I just said about observing the fish.
Fish surfacing means there isn't enough oxygen.
Another simple method is to look at the bubbles on the water's surface.
The presence of many bubbles indicates that fermentation is taking place at the bottom of the water, and oxygen is being consumed.
Conversely, a clean water surface indicates stable water quality.
After a morning of classes, Chen Zheng's notebook was filled with five pages of notes.
Zhou Haiming truly lives up to his reputation as a technician who has visited dozens of villages.
He has a unique way of lecturing.
For each knowledge point he explains, he will accompany it with a real-life case he encountered in the countryside.
"One year I went to Zhaojiadu and found that all the fish in a farmer's pond had turned white belly up."
He was so anxious that he squatted on the bank of the pond and cried.
When I went over to take a look, the water was as black as soy sauce. When I asked him, I found out that he had poured three truckloads of pig manure into the pond.
They said they wanted to make the water more fertile.
As a result, the pond became too fertile, causing marsh gas to rise from the bottom and suffocating all the fish.
"And another time in Lijiawan,"
Zhou Haiming glanced at Li Quan in the audience as he finished speaking.
Li Quan lowered his head, his ears turning red.
"A fish farmer had white spots on the gills of his grass carp. He thought it was water mold and sprinkled lime into the pond."
As a result, the white spots multiplied, and half of the fish died.
When I went over to take a look, I found it was branchial fungus.
The symptoms of the two diseases look similar, but the treatments are completely opposite.
Lime can be used to treat water mold, but it should not be used to treat gill rot; using lime will only worsen the condition.
Li Quan wanted to say something, but swallowed it back.
Chen Zheng saw it all and understood.
The fish farmer in Lijiawan that Zhou Haiming mentioned is most likely Li Quan himself.
After class, Li Quan squatted in the corridor, smoking silently.
Chen Zheng walked over and squatted down next to him.
Li Quan offered him a cigarette, but Chen Zheng waved it off and lit one for himself.
"The fish farmer in Lijiawan that Zhou mentioned is me."
Li Quan said in a muffled voice, "Last year's grass carp had white spots on their gills. I thought it was water mold, so I sprinkled lime on them."
As a result, all of the more than one hundred grass carp turned belly up.
Those were the largest batch of grass carp I'd raised in three years; they all died completely.
He took a deep drag of his cigarette, and smoke billowed from his nostrils.
"If I had held this training course two years earlier, my more than one hundred grass carp would not have died."
"Zhou is right, the old methods of fish farming don't work anymore; we need to learn new methods."
"Brother Quan, it's never too late to learn."
Chen Zheng patted him on the shoulder, "Your family still has three ponds, about ten acres of water surface, the foundation is still there."
"Once we master the new method, doubling our output next year shouldn't be a problem."
The afternoon classes continued.
Zhou Haiming explained the scientific formulation of feed, with manure as a base and concentrated feed as a supplement.
Soybean cake, rapeseed cake, wheat bran, and rice bran are four refined ingredients mixed in a specific ratio.
It is much more effective than simply feeding manure.
Chen Zheng circled the sentence in his notebook and wrote a line next to it in the blank space:
"Test feeding in the fishpond, observe the effects, and record the data."
I returned to my dormitory in the back building of the Dongfeng Hotel that evening.
He opened his notebook and reviewed the day's lessons.
Some of what Zhou Haiming said overlapped with what Lin Xiaoyun's father said.
For example, how to control the degree of fertilization? The book only says that the water color turns green or yellow.
Zhou Haiming gave a more precise standard: a transparency of 30 to 40 centimeters.
"Take a bamboo pole, tie a white plate to the end, and slowly lower it into the water."
If you can't see the plate clearly anymore, measure its depth.
The transparency is between 30 and 40 centimeters, which is just right for water and fertilizer.
Too deep and the water is too clear; too shallow and the water is too fertile.
Chen Zheng wrote down this transparency measurement method in his notebook, thinking he would measure it for the fishpond when he got back.
The second day will cover fish disease prevention and control.
This is what Li Quan cares about most.
He arrived early in the morning and sat in the first row.
He opened his notebook, gripped the ballpoint pen in his hand, and stared intently at the blackboard.
Zhou Haiming drew a table on the blackboard.
List more than a dozen common fish diseases, their symptoms, causes, medications, and contraindications.
Fish diseases are classified into four categories: bacterial, fungal, parasitic, and environmental.
The symptoms of these four types of diseases are sometimes very similar, but the treatments are completely different.
Remember this: diagnose first, then prescribe medication; treat the symptoms.
Prescribing medication without a diagnosis is like looking for a needle in a haystack; you're lucky if you don't find it, but if you do, you'll end up with a pond full of dead fish.
He listed the typical symptoms of each fish disease and drew a diagram of fish anatomy.
Mark the locations of the gills, liver, kidneys, and intestines.
He took out a glass jar filled with formalin from under the podium, and inside the jar was a sick fish.
The gill covers were turned up, and the gill lamellae were covered with white spots.
"This fish has gill fungus."
The typical symptom of gill mold is white spots on the gills, which is very similar to that of water mold.
But look closely.
The white spots in branchial fungus are inside the gill lamellae, while the white spots in saprolegniasis are on the outside of the body.
One is inside, the other outside; their treatment methods are completely opposite.
Li Quan stared at the glass jar for a long time, then wrote a few words forcefully in his notebook.
Gill fungus, characterized by white spots inside the gills, cannot be treated with lime.
The third day will cover feed formulation, and the fourth day will cover fish fry breeding.
Chen Zheng filled one and a half notebooks.
Zhou Haiming explained in detail, and the farmers below asked even more detailed questions.
Someone asked whether fishponds should be covered with straw mats in winter.
Someone asked how to change the water during the transport of fish fry.
Some people also asked how the farming density of eels differs from that of fish.
These are real problems they encountered in the fields, by the ponds, and on the lakes.
The exam was on the last afternoon.
The questions were simpler than Chen Zheng had expected, consisting of more than a dozen questions, including multiple choice, true/false, and short answer questions.
There are three short answer questions.
What are the key points of water quality management, and what are the basic principles of fish disease prevention and control?
What is the core of scientific feed formulation?
Chen Zheng answered easily.
Water quality management involves running water with added fertilizer, maintaining a water transparency of 30 to 40 centimeters, and judging dissolved oxygen levels by observing fish surfacing.
For fish disease prevention and treatment, diagnosis should precede medication, and medication should be prescribed according to the symptoms. There are four treatment methods for four types of diseases.
Feed formulation: manure as a base and concentrate as a supplement, with soybean cake, rapeseed cake, wheat bran and rice bran mixed in proportion.
I've already gone through this content countless times in my mind, so I don't need to think about it at all when I write it down.
After the exam, Zhou Haiming graded the papers on the spot.
After grading all the exam papers, he handed out the training course completion certificates one by one.
When the message reached Chen Zheng, he patted Chen Zheng on the shoulder again.
He thought to himself, "Teacher Zhao is right."
This kid is indeed very well-rounded, with solid theoretical foundations and clear thinking.
To learn to this level in five days is truly remarkable.
Chen Zheng took the certificate.
The certificate was stamped with the bright red official seal of the county aquatic products company. He folded it carefully and tucked it into his notebook.
"Mr. Zhou, I have a few questions that are outside the scope of the courses these past few days. Could I take a moment of your time?"
Chen Zheng put away the certificate and asked.
Zhou Haiming was tidying up the lecture notes and specimen jars on the podium.
Hearing his question, I stopped what I was doing and sat down by the podium:
"Go ahead and ask. Teacher Zhao said that you can ask me any questions you have, and I will answer them to the best of my knowledge."
Winter is coming soon, and the temperature in the Baiyang Lake area can drop to minus five or six degrees Celsius.
The book says that in winter, the water depth should be kept above two meters to maintain the water temperature and prevent freezing damage.
But in my family's new pond, the deep end is only a little over two meters deep, and the edge is about one and a half meters deep.
At this depth, will the fish survive the winter?
Zhou Haiming nodded, pulled a sheet of white paper from his lecture notes, and drew a simple cross-sectional diagram:
"Two meters or so is basically enough, but there are two things to keep in mind."
After the water freezes in winter, several holes need to be drilled in the ice to allow air to enter the water.
This is the most easily overlooked detail.
Also, they shouldn't stop eating completely in winter. Once the water temperature drops below five degrees Celsius, the fish will basically stop eating.
However, during the intervals when the water temperature warms up, such as on a sunny afternoon, the water temperature may briefly rise to seven or eight degrees Celsius.
At this time, you can feed them small amounts of high-energy food to help them get through the coldest period.
"What about the eels?"
"Eels are different from fish."
Eels hibernate in the mud during winter, so the bottom of the ponds where eels are raised should have a thick layer of silt, at least 30 centimeters or more.
If you want to raise eels long-term, the bottom of the pond shouldn't be too hard.
Chen Zheng kept these two points in mind and then asked, "The fish fry are bred by themselves. What you just talked about was the breeding method of silver carp and bighead carp."
I'd like to ask if it's possible to artificially breed the wild mandarin fish in Baiyang Lake?
Zhou Haiming took off his glasses, wiped the lenses with the corner of his shirt, put them back on, and looked intently at Chen Zheng.
"Artificial breeding of mandarin fish is a difficult problem in the aquaculture industry."
Mandarin fish are ferocious fish, and their gonads are difficult to develop naturally in artificial environments.
The Provincial Fisheries Research Institute conducted an experiment a few years ago, successfully injecting oxytocin once, but the survival rate of the fish fry was extremely low.
Less than 10%.
Your idea is on the right track, but the technology is not yet mature.
My suggestion is to first raise the four major freshwater fish species and crucian carp and bream, which are already mature species.
"We can learn about mandarin fish gradually, but don't rush into it."
Chen Zheng nodded, mentally reviewing Zhou Haiming's words.
It's a fact that we shouldn't blindly invest in immature technologies.
But the direction is correct.
Wild mandarin fish from Baiyang Lake are of high quality and command high prices.
If we can overcome the challenge of artificial breeding, then it will be a path that no one else can take.
It was already getting dark, and the training course officially came to an end.
Chen Zheng walked out of the conference room with his notebook tucked under his arm and took a deep breath.
The air in the county town smelled of coal smoke, unlike the fresh scent of reeds by Baiyang Lake.
That evening, he went to the Dongfeng Hotel again.
Master Qian reserved a simple meal for him.
A plate of braised beef, a bowl of braised bream, and a large bowl of white rice.
Chen Zheng sat at the square table in the back kitchen.
While eating, he mentally considered the matter of the commendation meeting for farmers.
The meeting is scheduled for next month, with Deputy County Head Xu personally overseeing the event. He is also on the list of thirty representatives of livestock farmers from across the county.
"I'll go to the awards ceremony."
Chen Zheng put down his chopsticks. "Master Qian, I'd like to prepare the necessary documents for that loan you mentioned in advance."
I have already written the application, the description of the fishpond, and the aquaculture plan.
If Deputy County Head Xu approves it, I'll dig two more ponds next year, making a total of five or six mu of water surface.
"Did you bring the application form?" Master Qian asked.
Chen Zheng took out several folded sheets of paper from his pocket and spread them on the table.
These past few nights in his dorm, he has drafted the application several times, revising it until he is satisfied.
Fishpond area, species to be stocked, expected yield, next expansion plan, funding requirements and intended use.
Master Qian took it and read it from beginning to end, his brows gradually relaxing.
After reading it, he folded the application and returned it to Chen Zheng, then took out a lighter from his pocket and lit a cigarette.
"Your application is better written than our supply and marketing cooperative's official report."
Deputy County Head Xu hates nothing but empty talk and pretense.
Your materials are well-organized and the data is solid; he approved them after reviewing them.
The morning after receiving his graduation certificate, Chen Zheng went to the post office.
He wanted to call Zhao Deming to report on his studies over the past few days.
Also, ask Director Fang about the progress of the land title application.
The post office is located in the middle of the street, with a white sign with red lettering hanging at the entrance.
Pushing open the glass door, I saw several people lined up inside.
He waited for more than ten minutes before it was finally his turn.
Zhao Deming's voice on the other end of the phone sounded somewhat weak.
"Director Fang has almost finished verifying the land deed."
All the land deeds belonging to the Zhou family are valid. The five and a third mu plot of land in Lijiawan is currently registered under Li Shouye's name.
The entire four mu of land in Zhaojiadu is in Sun Maocai's hands.
The situation of the four plots of land in Baiyang Town is quite complicated. Two of them have been requisitioned by the town government to build agricultural machinery stations.
The remaining two pieces are in private hands, one belonging to the Fang family and the other to the Wang family.
Chen Zheng gripped the microphone, his heart skipping a beat: "Teacher Zhao, do you know the owner of these plots of land?"
"I only know one of them, Sun Maocai. I'm not familiar with the others."
Zhao Deming then said, "Zhengwa, there's something you need to be mentally prepared for."
Although the land deeds of the Zhou family are valid, the actual occupants of the land also have their own supporting documents.
According to the current policy of the Land Administration Bureau, this situation usually goes through a mediation process.
Either you pay to take the land back, or the other party pays to buy the land deed from you.
Either negotiate a solution that is acceptable to both parties.
It's almost impossible to acquire land solely based on land deeds.
Chen Zheng already had a premonition about this.
Regarding Wang Laoliu's land, Director Fang's statement about maintaining the status quo was actually just a prelude to mediation.
Seven land deeds, seven plots of land, each need to be negotiated and discussed separately.
This involves personal relationships, historical grievances, and actual investments; it's quite complicated.
"Teacher Zhao, I understand. Could you please put in a good word with Sun Maocai for me?"
I told him I had the original land deed for his land and wanted to sit down and talk to him.
"Okay. Mao is an honest man, we should be able to talk."
But you'll have to figure out how to deal with the other companies yourself.
Two of the four plots of land in Baiyang Town belong to the town government; that requires administrative procedures and can't be rushed.
Zhao Deming paused for a moment, then changed the subject, "How's the training course going?"
"I've finished the course and received my certificate. Zhou explained things in great detail, and I learned a lot."
"Okay. Have you finished reading my book, 'Freshwater Fish Farming Techniques'?"
"I've read it three times. I asked about all the parts of the book that I didn't understand during this training course."
Zhao Deming chuckled on the phone, said, "Do a good job," and hung up.
Chen Zheng left the post office; the sun was already high in the sky.
He returned to the back building of the Dongfeng Hotel, returned the key to room 203 to Master Qian, and packed up the cloth bag.
They embarked on their journey back to the village.