getting ready for winter/ fishtank filter

[sissy]

never heard that activated charcoal would make fish black just know it keeps water cleaner and seems to add some oxygen to the water .i add 3 lbs. to each filter outside and 3 lbs. of oyster shells also in each filter .I get it by the 3lb. bag from pet mountain it is acurel brand and really cheap .

 

[rebelangel_3733]

It was years back when I had a tank (for the kids) oh probably 10 gal one...got some from a real pond (3) that were pretty much the size I have now (eh 4 inches) gold/white in color, and after being in the tank for about a week they started turning black! I have no clue how but took out the charcoal filter and walla no more black fishies...so just kept an air hose in it and kept cleaning out the darn tank every month...I have no clue how that happened but have no wants for it to ever again. I dont use anything in my pond other than my diy filter I made and my water is chrystal clear (as long as I clean it out at least once a month). I have to clean out my bubblers filter about every three days though too. Small price to pay for happy fish!

 

[markd]

I squeezed my fish into a 20 (hopefully something bigger this year), and changed out a 5 gallon bucket every Saturday morning. I also ran charcoal in a box filter. My basement is only about 50-55 degrees, and I fed very little. I didn't test, but the fish came through fine, and seemed quite happy (albeit cramped ;-).

 

[sissy]

If you have an unfinished basement you can use sand bags or concrete retaining wall block and throw a liner in and some water and fish and done .I know my fish change color alot from extreme weather changes

 

[Anthony]

I filled mine with pond water, that way the ph and hardness are in better shape.

Thanks anthony, I had tanks in arizona, 175 gallon was my last one, but none since. This tank was my husbands desire, but under my care lol, he wanted our deck shubbies brought in for the winter, they are all around 1-2 inches not counting tails.

How much water do you remove weekly? percentage wise.

50%-75% I am now in a new house and am in the process of building a new fish room, before the move I did 50% on the 18 tanks I had running which was about 400 gallons per week. With lower tempertures and less frequent feedings you could get by with less.
Some of my fry and grow out tanks still get 75% per week.
I would use the pond water to fill the tank but more importantly I would run the sponge filter in the pond for 2 weeks before moving the fish to allow the nitrifying bacteria to colonize on the filter. The water alone does not support enough beneficial bacteria as they are not found in large numbers in the water column.
They colonize and are found on the surfaces of the tank/pond and in great numbers in the filter media.

 

[addy1]

Thanks, I ran the filter for round a month with two tiny fish. When we get back some of the deck shubbies will be put in. They could stay outside until november, december, but honey is impatient.

We have well water, very soft, acidic ph, like 5.5 I am going to try and use pond water for as long as possible,

 

[Anthony]

Thanks, I ran the filter for round a month with two tiny fish. When we get back some of the deck shubbies will be put in. They could stay outside until november, december, but honey is impatient.

We have well water, very soft, acidic ph, like 5.5 I am going to try and use pond water for as long as possible,

Running for a month with a light fish load will certainly do the trick as well!