Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

My new system stays around 40 degrees at the moment. The fish in the store have probably been kept in 60-70 degree water. That's quite a difference. I know to let the fish acclimate to the water but it will take a long time to acclimate to a 30 degree difference.

I know to put an air stone with the fish to keep the oxygen up buy I am worried that the ammonia could build up in the bags.

Suggestions? Tips?

Shouldnt take too long, you can slowly remove water from the bag into the FT and add water from the FT to the bag to assist.

I seem to be having the same problem with 48 F degree water.


Fresh start up.
Tap water treated for cloromine and chlorine conditioner.
600 gallon FT- 6 ft deep 10 ft Diameter in ground tank. ( water level at 3 ft) [Stable temp around 50 F]
ph - 6.8
aeration - recirculating with a 5 gpm ( fish never showed signs of gasping)

Trying to "start" the system up with goldfish. AS a test I transferred 2 fish from the aquarium<--same tap water/same conditioner ...the rest of the goldfish in the aquarium are alive and have been fine for days. Left the 1/2 gallon fish bag floating in FT for 2 hours to get the temp to equalize from 68 F to 48 F.

Goldfish then released into FT swam around and looked great for 45min. Then, approx at the 2 hour mark they became sluggish and began to lay near the bottom. I coaxed them with a net to see if they were alive.... they had some tail movement but very lethargic.

Perhaps thats normal at the cold temp? Although they were fine right out of the bag.

Going to re-check the pH and see if they are alive in the morning, as its 10pm here. I dont care if they die AFTER I get the nitrogen cycle going!

perhaps not start up with fish, but use some type of ammonia to start the system and them deal with adding fish later.

I can honestly say I didnt do any testing of water n what not when I started my single barrel system. I used well water, ours is drinkable, and put 5 GF in my FT (30 gallons). It got cold and they all died. I decided for my second attempt Id get bigger fish being that my first ones were the smallest the store had. Opting also to get 3 instead of 5. Well sadly I got to the store late and the only guy there new nothing of fish. He kept telling me the large 3 inch ones were koi and not comet. They were indeed comet and in no way was I going to agree with him and pay 15 bucks of a 3 inch comet.

So given the situation I had him fish me out 3 of what seemed to be the most feisty 1.25 inch comets. I mean these guys didnt even calm down in the bag. Well, theyve been alive ever since in my tank. Probably going on about 3 months. They huddle near the pump mainly because yeah the water is definitely COLD. I havent completed my greenhouse just yet and they were subject to a 3 day period that started at 5 degrees F and didnt break 29 till the fourth day. The top of the tank iced over except for where the water comes down (constant flood at the moment) and sure enough those little guys were still fighting the hard fight.

I bought a cheap heater for them recently and will put it in there today. Sure theyre alive but I want them to be happy and to grow.

Well that is a drastic temp change for store bought fish. A Perch or Catfish may survive but that is even a big change for them. I am going with a large deep tank est. 1000 gal. but I am taking my fish right form lake to the tank. With the deep tank in ground I should be able to keep the deeper water at 50 degrees all year long in Michigan and the higher water will be warmer in the summer and cooler in the winter but with perch and catfish and tilapia think I will be just fine. However I will have a back up heater just in case. For a hardy fish try to keep with water temp within 10 degrees of where there are coming from for awhile.

For less hard fish 3 degrees or less.

A little more than half of the golds died within the first week. I haven't seen them eat once but the remaining fish seem to be doing fine. Even after I had a clog and lost half of my water twice in 2 days.

what kind of fish and how far are you transporting?

MOving fish stresses them and they lose their protective slime coat... then the cold inhibits their ability to restore their immune system. Every time i have tried to move fish in the cold i have had huge casualties due to infection. I recommend either waiting until it warms up or establish them indoors for a couple of weeks then move them the short distance to the back yard or whatever which will not be so stressful.


brian

You wont maintain 50 without supplemental heat. My fish tank is actually 12 feet below natural ground level, and 6 feet below the bottom of my greenhouse, and I am in Texas and my water gets below 50 even in a greenhouse. I will have to add some serious heat to keep tilapia healthy all winter.

so I am just starting up my first system and didn't think much about the temperature down in my basement until now. I put a thermometer in the tank and it's only 52 degrees down there! Are my fish going to be in hibernation once I put them in that cold of water (assuming they don't die) I was going to start my system with goldfish for now until I can find some eating fish. are they going to eat and produce "nutrients" for my plants at that temperature?

I honestly was shocked it was that cold. we have the thermostadt set at 68 degrees up in the rest of the house.