My basement pond project

[jameskoi]

DrDave,

No outside... I'm planning to stop koi keeping entirely.

It doesn't take a lot of work to maintain, but it's the amount of food and energy these guys consume that's making me think twice. It's just the fact that I don't look at them as much as I have in the past that's making me think of two things. Reduce the herd to maybe ~6 (down from 30) or just shut it down.

I'm not out of fish keeping entirely. I still have my 72G reef tank that will always keep.

Maybe one day I'll get back into it with an indoor pond. These guys are too big already. Need to start small again.

 

[DrDave]

Sorry to see you go, There may be folks on the forum nearby that you can sell them to. Your collection is very nice and I am sure you won't have much trouble finding homes for them.

 

[jameskoi]

I'm going to talk to my local dedicated pond store first to see if they're willing to take my whole herd on consignment. I'll find out soon if that's possible. If not... It's going to take a while to trim the whole heard down.

Thanks... I'll be lurking this forum from time to time until my system shuts down.

I'll upload a few more youtube videos in the future, including the filter system.

Oops... I meant maybe one day I'll get back into koi keeping with an outdoor pond... Not indoor.

 

[stroppy]

sorry to hear you will be leaving us jameskoi ... you have worked so hard on your indoor pond, your fish are lovely and a credit to all your hard work :0)

 

[digginponds]

DrDave,

No outside... I'm planning to stop koi keeping entirely.

It doesn't take a lot of work to maintain, but it's the amount of food and energy these guys consume that's making me think twice. It's just the fact that I don't look at them as much as I have in the past that's making me think of two things. Reduce the herd to maybe ~6 (down from 30) or just shut it down.

I'm not out of fish keeping entirely. I still have my 72G reef tank that will always keep.

Maybe one day I'll get back into it with an indoor pond. These guys are too big already. Need to start small again. :frown:

30 fish can have it's down falls

 

[jameskoi]

I'm back again... I virtually sold all my koi and ready to think about closing it within 2 months.

I just moved my 2 smallest koi (still around 14-15") that I'm holding for buyer into my 130G to keep the tank cycled properly in case I still need it. Load and behold one of the them laid eggs yesterday. Just checked now and 99.9% of the eggs still amber clear. Used a flash light and the eggs are ALIVE! I guess the other one is a male and decided to participate. I can't confirm which one did it. I'll snap pic of parents later. I think the kohaku did it b/c it has a very large anus. It lost some scales too during the quest. The other koi is damage free.

I'm going to try to raise them. If timing is right and if I'm successful, I can move them into my 1500G pond. I have no clue how to raise fry. I only have one shot at this and I'll need to read up on fry raising right now. First order of business, jerry rig water pump in such a way so that it won't suck up fry.

 

[DrDave]

Jim
You can use screen door material or a nylon sock to protect the fry from being sucked into the filter.
Dave

 

[jameskoi]

Jim
You can use screen door material or a nylon sock to protect the fry from being sucked into the filter.
Dave

Thanks... Yup, that is what I'm planning to do. I'll go a little extra and stuff scrub pads inside stock and then around pump. It's a very powerful Eheim water pump.

 

[stroppy]

just when you thought you had seen the last of the fish bug, its back !! good luck on raising your little ones james :0)

 

[jameskoi]

Haha.. Thanks...

Yeah, won't be shutting my pond down just yet. Let's hope I'll do the right thing and I'll end up with at least 1000 to go into big pond. I guess potential pool table will have to wait. lol

Looks like I'll have to do hours of reading to figure out this new challenge. I don't like the idea of culling but I have no choice. I'm estimating 3000+ fry will hatch tomorrow. Who knows, maybe much more.. I don't know.. a carpet of eggs on 1/2 of my 130G tank bottom and some places, it's 3-4 eggs thick. Very bottom all white but top layer and middle are in good condition. I'm sure tons of eggs got sucked up by pump... i thought about using the blue stuff (i can't spell it but I have) but too many eggs and lack the resources so culling starts now already. tons got splashed all over the place along edge of 130G tank rim, and canopy bottom. Must have been a crazy night that I missed... parents ate some the next day too (no surprise, they're now moved back into pond).

 

[koiguy1969]

you might want to start hatching some brine shrimp for food...you can order eggs and some freeze dried from ebay maybe buy some egs at a petstore to start off...theyre high protien and fry will love them...a week or 2 of fresh hatched then you can switch to freeze dried.....heres some videos on brine shrimp hatching
https://www.gardenpondforum.com/raising-your-own-fry-foods-t5770.html

good luck my friend...its not that hard..

 

[Malak]

If I had that setup, I'd raise lobsters. lol
Nice job!

 

[jameskoi]

you might want to start hatching some brine shrimp for food...you can order eggs and some freeze dried from ebay maybe buy some egs at a petstore to start off...theyre high protien and fry will love them...a week or 2 of fresh hatched then you can switch to freeze dried.....heres some videos on brine shrimp hatching
https://www.gardenpondforum.com/raising-your-own-fry-foods-t5770.html

good luck my friend...its not that hard..

I did a bunch of readings during lunch break and last night.

I should have bulk shrimp eggs at my door by Monday (I hope). If timing off, i can pay premium price at LFS. Once fry become free swimming.. I think by Monday, i'll start off with hard boiled egg yoke for a few days and switch over to baby shrimp.. I'll gauge the requirements as I move along... It looks easy on paper... well keeping fry... One thing I know, hatching shrimp eggs is easy. done before in massive quantities... I have buckets of salt already thx to reef tank.

Thanks... I'll update this thread again as news comes along for anyone that wishes to learn. It all started out as a basement bond challenge just wanting to grow koi, to wanting to shut down and selling all koi b/c too big and I don't look at them anymore (only 4 left for sale but still holding a whole bunch for buyers until weather warms up). Looks like I'll be here for a little while longer provided fry lives!

Timing should be perfect if fry lives. They'll be going into 1500G pond for grow out. hehe

 

[jameskoi]

koiguy: question:

Let's say I have 3000 fry. How long would 50g shrimp eggs last? My supplier ran out of 454g containers... i just ordered 3x50g. I hope that is enough.

 

[koiguy1969]

that should be enough ....i switch to freeze dried after about 10 days
http://cgi.ebay.com/HBH-FREEZE-DRIE...721?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item518cb311d1

you'll be suprized at how much is in a pound....they will hand feed at 2-3 weeks with the freeze dried.