Want to keep my pond above 60F - Zone 6b

[bmitchell486]

Hello
I would not go with the garage, as the air temp with be to low and the heaters will not be able to keep it at temp.

The basement is your best bet.
Don't know how far away your basement is from your pond.
But can you get a clean barrow put it in basement and run a hose from the pond to barrow pump pond water to barrow as much as possible.
Move fish and filter or pump to circulate water to barrow.
Drain the rest of the pond move it and filter to the basement set up pond with about half water get it running pump a little more water from barrow to pond.
Let it run a hour or so make sure temp is close to the same as barrow (to avoid shock) and them move fish over to pond with the rest of water from barrow. Slowly bring the temp up to your preference.
Over the next few days keep a eye on ammonia and nitrates as.you will get a small cycle. And do water,change as needed.
You can use the sump pump to drain the water out of the basement.
That is more or less what it is there for if your basement floods the pump puses the water out.

Ruben

Cool. Yeah, these guys are just 4-5 inch ranchu, so I will just transport them in a 5 gallon bucket. It's much easier than transporting koi!

They're used to 90% water changes, so they'll be fine in new water. I'll float them in a bag for about 20 minutes before dropping them into the new pond water. The cold water from my sink is roughly the same temperature as their water outside right now, so I think they'll acclimate just fine with floating for 20 minutes.

I shouldn't have a cycle bump, as it is completely cycled and I complete regular maintenance on my filter monthly anyways. I'll just do a normal service to my filter and move it with the pond. It's only a 110 gallon size stocktank, so I can easily carry it.

My main questions are if there is a heater that would work in my garage, or if the sump could handle water changes.

Have you personally pumped water from an aquarium/pond into your sump pump before? Just wanting to make sure I won't break my house

 

[bmitchell486]

I agree that you need to do water change but you dont need to do water change every week once the pond is establish.

You can get a cheap fountain pump and connect it to the hose for water change. I think your sump will be fine. I just never use it.

Cool. And yeah, I'm growing these guys out, feeding high quality food/bloodworms 3-4 times per day. Even though I have a 13 gallon filter with a 620 gph pump, I want to keep their water pristine for growth. I am raising them essentially as indoor aquarium fish are raised, not not like koi.

I attended a breeder social recently, and was talking with some pro's who raise top view ranchu. Even though my water is deeper than traditional Japanese top view ranchu conditions, they recommended that I do one 50% and one 90% water change weekly.

I'm hearing that my sump pump should work just fine. I hope so!

 

[Mmathis]

If you're asking about a heater to place in the tank, to keep the water at 60, in a 30 degree garage..... I doubt it. I think there is some chemistry or physics involved with the heat transfer process. And the cost of running it. And I would be afraid I'd cook the fish. Though I did read somewhere once where someone heated their pond by running the water through a conduit system connected to a furnace. But that still involves the knowledge for getting it just right.

Maybe @Meyer Jordan can help out on this one.

If you're asking if a sump pump will discharge the old water out of the basement when you do water changes...... It should as that's what they are made for, right? If you're concerned, is there a sink in the basement? If so, just put a small pump in the tank and run the hose to the sink. How were you going to get the water out of the tank in the first place?

I apologize for sounding grumpy -- not feeling well today.....

 

[bmitchell486]

If you're asking about a heater to place in the tank, to keep the water at 60, in a 30 degree garage..... I doubt it. I think there is some chemistry or physics involved with the heat transfer process. And the cost of running it. And I would be afraid I'd cook the fish. Though I did read somewhere once where someone heated their pond by running the water through a conduit system connected to a furnace. But that still involves the knowledge for getting it just right.

Maybe @Meyer Jordan can help out on this one.

If you're asking if a sump pump will discharge the old water out of the basement when you do water changes...... It should as that's what they are made for, right? If you're concerned, is there a sink in the basement? If so, just put a small pump in the tank and run the hose to the sink. How were you going to get the water out of the tank in the first place?

I apologize for sounding grumpy -- not feeling well today.....

Thanks for the help! You don't sound grumpy at all I hope you get to feeling better!

Okay, I will not put them in the garage. I was exploring the options with heaters, sounds like it will not work.

What I would prefer to do is keep them in the basement, but was worried about the sump pump. I will just use my siphon hose to siphon water from pond into sump area. I was asking if others have done this because yes, in theory this will work because that is the function of a sump pump. However, has anyone tried it during winter in my zone? Could my pipes freeze, and the sump couldn't pump the water? During deep freezes, there is no natural running water (bc everything is frozen) so my sump would not normally run, and I'd have no idea if it's normal for those pipes to freeze up.

I do not have a sink in my basement. There are 2 paths for water to get in -- hose attached to my kitchen sink upstairs, or a bucket (ew). There are 2 ways for water to get out -- siphon to sump/pump, or bucket (ew).

Thanks for the advice!

 

[Mmathis]

@bmitchell486 As much as I would like to advise regarding basements & sump pumps.....keep in mind, where I live, we don't have basements -- I wish

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Utilize the basement location. Avoid the use of a heater if possible. On option would be to provide a small heater for the basement itself. If you can maintain a suitable ambient air temperature, the aquarium (tank) temperature will be similarly maintained.

 

[bmitchell486]

Gotcha -- thanks!

 

[Meyer Jordan]

@bmitchell486 As much as I would like to advise regarding basements & sump pumps.....keep in mind, where I live, we don't have basements -- I wish

We don't have basements either and many times we don't even have Winter!

 

[bmitchell486]

Utilize the basement location. Avoid the use of a heater if possible. On option would be to provide a small heater for the basement itself. If you can maintain a suitable ambient air temperature, the aquarium (tank) temperature will be similarly maintained.

Thanks Jordan. My main 2 questions, in my first post, are

1 - will a heater work in a cold garage to keep water above 60 degrees
2 - will my sump pump work in my basement if I use it for water change disposal

In my basement, the ambient are is in the 60's in the winter so I should be good there. Thanks!!!

(Sounding like basement is my best option, just hoping to get some confirmation of others in my area who have used a sump pump for water disposal during the winter.)

 

[Nepen]

Cool. And yeah, I'm growing these guys out, feeding high quality food/bloodworms 3-4 times per day. Even though I have a 13 gallon filter with a 620 gph pump, I want to keep their water pristine for growth. I am raising them essentially as indoor aquarium fish are raised, not not like koi.

I attended a breeder social recently, and was talking with some pro's who raise top view ranchu. Even though my water is deeper than traditional Japanese top view ranchu conditions, they recommended that I do one 50% and one 90% water change weekly.

I'm hearing that my sump pump should work just fine. I hope so!

wow, 50% and 90% water change each week? I think that'll stress the fish out more than just let them be in the tank with higher Nitrate. With breeder you are probably maintain overcrowded tank but to do that much water change is too much imo. I think if you have grow light on and let the algae bloom, that will be better for the fish.

 

[Faebinder]

I'm not sure why is everyone saying 100% that these fish cannot take the cold? My ranchus did GREAT outside in the cold in zone 6b. Even the tosakins.

It's all about how deep is the water and if you are aerating it IMO.

If you are going to keep the fish inside at 60-70 degree you will definitely need to do 90% weekly water changes. More frequent if the filter is not established.

 

[Nepen]

If you are going to keep the fish inside at 60-70 degree you will definitely need to do 90% weekly water changes. More frequent if the filter is not established.

Just curious, why? I have my indoor tank at 70 degree, I do water change once every few months. BUT mine is not overcrowded. What about doing less water change but more often? Actually, how many fish in how many gallon are we talking about anyway.

 

[bmitchell486]

I'm not sure why is everyone saying 100% that these fish cannot take the cold? My ranchus did GREAT outside in the cold in zone 6b. Even the tosakins.

It's all about how deep is the water and if you are aerating it IMO.

If you are going to keep the fish inside at 60-70 degree you will definitely need to do 90% weekly water changes. More frequent if the filter is not established.

I was told that tosai might have trouble. It's above ground, and is 24 inches deep. Have you had success with tosai? (Mine hatched in april 2016)

And yes. Their schedule is 50% on a tue or wed, and then I do 90% every saturday. I will keep this routine up throughout the winter (unless they're in cold water).

 

[Faebinder]

Here is a picture of me fishing out my best ranchu in January to check on him. He had a white spot on his wen that turned out to be breeding equipment.

My pond was only 1.5 feet deep that time but I used a small tank heater to deice it.

 

[bmitchell486]

Just curious, why? I have my indoor tank at 70 degree, I do water change once every few months. BUT mine is not overcrowded. What about doing less water change but more often? Actually, how many fish in how many gallon are we talking about anyway.

6 ranchu, 4-5 inches, 110 stock tank with 13 gallon filter. It's not overstocked, in my opinion, due to my water change schedule. I must do frequent and large changes because of their diet.