Question about overwintering fish in garage

[MitchM]

Yes, you are talking about doing water changes in a mild climate such as yours or water changes on indoor stock tanks.
My pond and fish are outdoors.
Even with a stream of water running through a hose, at -40 (which it gets here) the hose will freeze and with 2 feet of ice there is no access to the water below the ice.

Ever since I have been using pond breathers to provide gas exchange, I have not lost any fish with no water changes.
I see no reason to perform water changes.

.

 

[addy1]

I have not done a water change in 6 years, well almost 7. The pond does get rain water when it rains other than that the only water added is to fluff the level when it looses water in the summer.

Yes, you are talking about doing water changes in a mild climate such as yours or water changes on indoor stock tanks.
My pond and fish are outdoors.
Even with a stream of water running through a hose, at -40 (which it gets here) the hose will freeze and with 2 feet of ice there is no access to the water below the ice.

Ever since I have been using pond breathers to provide gas exchange, I have not lost any fish with no water changes.
I see no reason to perform water changes.

.

 

[morewater]

Agree with Addy. Water changes are for those like large water/sewer bills. Wholly unnecessary.

 

[addy1]

We are on a well. I never leave anything on a trickle run. In the summer I have a irrigation system that is set to add water on a timed basis. Mid summer 1/2 hour, early summer 15 minutes. My bog plants inhale water.

 

[DeepWater]

Now that the fish are out of the small shallow pre-formed pond, it would be a good time to dig it out a little deeper and a little bigger, and replace it with an EPDM liner. Being in south central Indiana you should have no problem overwintering your pond life outdoors then...

 

[Nanner]

Now that the fish are out of the small shallow pre-formed pond, it would be a good time to dig it out a little deeper and a little bigger, and replace it with an EPDM liner. Being in south central Indiana you should have no problem overwintering your pond life outdoors then...

I believe that is the plan ....thinking just going to put the stock tank in the ground next year...it's 30 inches deep and will be next to the deck so should get some good heat off the house.

 

[Nanner]

I ended up putting a small heater in the stock tank currently in the garage and have the water up to 60 degrees. Thermostat is set for 65...my thinking is to try and develope some good biofilm and good bacteria growing while we are still in this late fall early winter warm stage. thinking we might be at 50 degree water for a long time till we get real cold here.

Took watet tests ...ph a still a little high 8.8 but everthing else looking great.... ph high not a real surprise since I'm on well water .

Doing research on lower ph naturally since ph down is not recommended sounds like natural driftwood and peat moss are my best options. I have plenty of driftwood I have collected over the years so took a piece and placed in my tank. also is giving them a good place to hide.... anyone else use peat or driftwood to lower PH?

Thanks again for the great input and conversations...

 

[MitchM]

I don't do anything to lower ph, just let biological activity take care of lowering ph.
If you haven't measured kh and gh yet, I would do that.

 

[Nanner]

I don't do anything to lower ph, just let biological activity take care of lowering ph.
If you haven't measured kh and gh yet, I would do that.

I ordered the kh and gh test kit...only had the basic liquid test kit to test ph, high ph, ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates. . ..will test here in a few days when it arrives.

Thanks. ..

 

[Nanner]

Got to love amazon prime ... test came just a few minutes ago..

16 drops on both to get them to change colors...

So 272ppm for my gh and kh.

Quick 1st glance that is moderately hard water but goldfish and rosy reds should be ok...does that seem like a right assessment? getting ready to do some more searching here and on the Web.

Thanks

 

[MitchM]

I think you're set. You have a good mineral content that will allow for biological activity without major PH swings.
The only thing I don't know about is the state of your nitrogen cycle ( are you monitoring ammonia, nitrite and nitrate?)
- and I'm not familiar with keeping what you have posted as "fancy goldfish". They may have higher temperature requirements.



.

 

[Nanner]

Thanks Mitch... all my tests( listed below) were 10 days after adding fish and 17 days adding water to stock tank and running filter.

Ph 8.8
Ammonia was 0 to . 025
Nitrate 0
Nitrites 0
GH 272ppm
KH 272ppm

Fancy goldfish ...all 4 were feeders but two appear to have fancy tails so guessing they might be fantail or something but they don't have any of the other characteristics (large round or wobble shaped body) . ..so they might not be fancy at all...lol

 

[keyplayer]

Hello all Ponders...

Lots of good info on the site but didn't see answers to all my questions so thought I would ask to get answers that would hopefully provide the best life for my fish.

I'm in Indiana and have a small shallow preformed pond...really got attached to my fish so ended up buying a stock tank to keep them in over winter in my garage.

Here are my parameters:

110 gallon stock tank placed in unheated attached to house garage. it is placed against inner wood wall. limited natural light only one window it's at the far wall.
Tank filled with roughly 90 to 95 gallons of water . filled about 75 percent from well water and the other 25 using my current pond water.

2 standard gold fish (3 to 4 inches)
2 fancy gold fish (3 inches)
About 8 rosie red minnows (roughly 2 inches)
fish are all healthy and fat
Current water temp is 56 degrees
Aerator running 24/7
Pressure bio sponge filter running 24/7
Filled the tank two weeks ago and added the fish last Friday right before a wicked cold front .
I have fed them twice small amounts.
Have added a bunch of fake aquarium plants in two heaps to give them some place to hide for security .
1 floodlight (100 watt bulb) high above at angle to give them some light.
Have an insulation panel over half of the tank to give them a bit more security as well .
Plan not to heat water and let them chill (slow metabolism into spring)

Now my questions or confirmations.

1. Should I continue to feed until 50 degree water... (small amounts) every 2 or 3 days? after it drops below 50 don't feed them at all? is that true even though it could possibly hang around that 50 for weeks? Just guessing but if we have a typical winter water temps will get high 30s to low 40s at the coldest point.
2. What about the floodlight light. when I have it on they seem to hide in the plants and under the side with the insulation board.(at least while I try to watch from a distance) . I turn it off and they seem to be a little more active with only the florescent light over the work bench. should I do away with the floodlight? If I do it just seems like it will be awful dark for them. Don't want to depress them by keeping them in the dark....lol. I have been leaving floodlight on about 8 hrs a day.
3. I plan to do monthly water changes unless water testing parameters tell me to do it quicker. lucky I'm on a well so plan to fill four 5 gallon buckets a few days before a planned change and let it sit in garage to get roughly the same temp and then change water. Does about once a Month sound about right? I know probably depends how active and how much I feed them but guessing with that amount of water in the tank it was a good guess to start with. Thoughts on if you think that is to often or not soon enough?

I'll try to get a pic added of my over winter set up.

Anything else I should do or don't ...or plan to change with this overwinter project that I'm missing?

Many thanks in advance!!!

I've read the many replies. The ONLY disaster I've had in six years is the ONE year when I took the fish indoors! MY outdoor overwintering pond is overloaded with fish, «too shallow», has NO water change and NO filtration, is never «cleaned» and has a deep layer of natural organic bottom, gets NO «testing» for a minimum of 4 months, freezes over to a depth of 6 inches or more and my average loss over the 5 year OUTDOOR experience is 2-3 fish per season. I DO run a venturi to keep the ice open a tiny bit and last year also used an Air Stone simply because I worried about sufficient oxygen in such a small, overpopulated pond. Healthy fish in a healthy pond can thrive in very cold conditions. And, on sunny mid-winter days they come to the surface and swim around under the ice — entertaining! Just stop feeding them and let them behave naturally — they know what to do! BTW, I'm in Zone 5a. Best of luck! <8—)

 

[Nanner]

I've read the many replies. The ONLY disaster I've had in six years is the ONE year when I took the fish indoors! MY outdoor overwintering pond is overloaded with fish, «too shallow», has NO water change and NO filtration, is never «cleaned» and has a deep layer of natural organic bottom, gets NO «testing» for a minimum of 4 months, freezes over to a depth of 6 inches or more and my average loss over the 5 year OUTDOOR experience is 2-3 fish per season. I DO run a venturi to keep the ice open a tiny bit and last year also used an Air Stone simply because I worried about sufficient oxygen in such a small, overpopulated pond. Healthy fish in a healthy pond can thrive in very cold conditions. And, on sunny mid-winter days they come to the surface and swim around under the ice — entertaining! Just stop feeding them and let them behave naturally — they know what to do! BTW, I'm in Zone 5a. Best of luck! <8—)

Now you tell me...lol just kidding. next year they are staying in the pond (new pond) already bought a bubbler.

 

[Nanner]

Ok question all...

Roughly 17 days with fish 24 days running bio pressure filter in stock tank in garage.

.should I do a water change or is this part of it just cycling and I should just keep an eye out.

My parameters...

Ammonia .25
Nitrite .50
Nitrate 5.00

Concerend about nitrate level...

Still just feeding ever two or three days but probably a little too much. going too cut back on volume.

Water is 63 degrees so I started feeding them a little more volume...my mistake looking back on it.




Many thanks in advance !