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allen42
04-04-2005, 10:01 PM
hey yall , i have a 150 gallon rubbermade tank and i wanna use it as a qt/holding tank , i am also planing on building a 1500/2000 gallon holding tank soon , very soon , but i wanna get this tank up & running 1st

we have well water , so water changes wont be a problem

IF we did a complete water change 3 times a week , do we still need a bio filter ? just have a air pump in the tank ?

if we do , i planing on using a 55 plastic drum CG Gave me and build one kinda like Gene designed and built for Dale & Patti ,, if i do go that route , how big of pump would i need ? I was thinking of trying one of the smaller 250 gph mini pumps , would it work ?

even after we build the BIG Holding tank we are still planing on using this as a QT for smaller fish and keep it under the shed as well

any ideas or comments will be most helpful !! if something is stupid , just say so !!

Thanks so much

woodyaht
04-05-2005, 12:18 AM
I'd filter it, 100% water changes 3 times a week would stress the fish, all the parameters would change to often for me. I use a 150 stock tank as well, and I have a 800gph pump on it. When I was building my pond, I used a 3200gph pump throttled back to about 2000-2500gph with my pond filter, and it worked great. I wouldn't use a 250 gph pump, the area is so small, I like to turn the water over way more than I would in my pond.
This is my QT set up:http://www.koiphen.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7107

Gene
04-05-2005, 05:58 AM
I agree with Chris. Use at least a Pondmaster 950.

allen42
04-05-2005, 06:32 AM
Thanks for the replys yall & yes i hear ya !! Will go with at least 850 gph !

CarolinaGirl
04-05-2005, 07:23 AM
Do you need some bird netting for that new bio-filter? If you do...you know you are welcome to come get some!

allen42
04-05-2005, 02:26 PM
No not for the boi filter BUT i will need some for a cover for the Rubbermade & the holding tank hehhee I aint forgot what i saw :no: :no: :no: and ya can bet i will be back down to gte some :yes: :yes: Thanks again for the drums & the netting !!!

CarolinaGirl
04-05-2005, 02:51 PM
You are welcome to what you need. It makes good bio media too...and the price is right!

Graham
04-05-2005, 03:13 PM
I agree with everyone else here...filtration is the way to go and heat it.

One of the major problems with massive water changes is maintaining the temp on the new water, Most well water comes out at about 50* and with lousy O2 levels. Unless you wanted to kill your houehold hot water tank every few days $$$$$ :eek: it just wouldn't be practical.

Campcheryl
04-05-2005, 04:11 PM
How many fish are you planning on housing in this tank and for how long?

Cheryl

schildkoi
04-05-2005, 06:55 PM
With well water you may have another viable option, a flow through system. If the well water is good (no heavy metals, etc) then flowing through water constantly should be considered. You'd still need a drain to collect waste but having a constant trickle of about 15 gallons per hour (depending on fish load) could save you the price of a filter/pump, etc. This water will need to be degassed!

A drain line on the bottom of the tank to a "T" with a valve on the opposite side of the "T" to with yet another "T" on the opposite side of the valve waste. The "T" should then be extended upwardand 90'd at the desired water level and back down ward. The other "T" is extended upward and widened through a bushing and the water coming over the over flow trickles to the other "T" to wast. You need that open atrea to fall so that a siphon action does not occur.

edit: I did see Graham's concerns about water temp form the well water. Double check its temp but I am guessing about 55-60F. In S. Carolina I don 't think the temp would do harm, especially during those hot summer months and in fact could be an increased benefit at the trickle rate. Large water changes periodically during the week could lead to high shifts in the tank temperature though.
Steve

allen42
04-05-2005, 07:06 PM
How many fish are you planning on housing in this tank and for how long?

Cheryl


I am a honest person , so when asked I tell , even though i aint always proud of the answer lol , what it will be used for the 1st month or so is a holding tank for gladfish , alot of goldfish ,way more than should be stocked in 150 gallons , heres the low down , last year at the NC show i hooked up with a guy that wholesales Koi & Goldfish & he lives almost 3 hours away from me , so in order to get enough fish to make the trip worth while , we need more room to keep some goldfish , shubs & sarasas , we have 2 ponds now , a large one that has MY FISH in it , mainly Koi BUT 3 goldfish that my wife refuses to part with & herons are scared of em becuase of thier size LMAO ,, anyway , for the next month or so we plan on housing a shipment of goldies in the stock tank while our new 1500-2000 gallon holding tank can be built THENNN i plan on buying heaters & setting the rubbermade tank up as a QT tank only

allen42
04-05-2005, 07:12 PM
With well water you may have another viable option, a flow through system. If the well water is good (no heavy metals, etc) then flowing through water constantly should be considered. You'd still need a drain to collect waste but having a constant trickle of about 15 gallons per hour (depending on fish load) could save you the price of a filter/pump, etc. This water will need to be degassed!

A drain line on the bottom of the tank to a "T" with a valve on the opposite side of the "T" to with yet another "T" on the opposite side of the valve waste. The "T" should then be extended upwardand 90'd at the desired water level and back down ward. The other "T" is extended upward and widened through a bushing and the water coming over the over flow trickles to the other "T" to wast. You need that open atrea to fall so that a siphon action does not occur.

edit: I did see Graham's concerns about water temp form the well water. Double check its temp but I am guessing about 55-60F. In S. Carolina I don 't think the temp would do harm, especially during those hot summer months and in fact could be an increased benefit at the trickle rate. Large water changes periodically during the week could lead to high shifts in the tank temperature though.
Steve


Thanks Steve , i THINK i gonna go with the triclke in about 15 gallons or so an hour way you spoke of for the next month or so , THEN turn it into a real QT with a couple heaters in it when the new holding tank is finished , i have always wanted a hospital tank because when we get fish in , it is always a few with damaged fins i have to work on & a few more that are stressed for whatever reason , also i could put a new batch in there for a QT so IF they did come down with buggs , treatment would not cost near as much with 150 gallons to treat

schildkoi
04-05-2005, 08:03 PM
Keep an eye on the water Q readings and vary the flow upwards if neceesary. Don't forget to drain off the crud in the bottom and degass the well water.

Steve

Campcheryl
04-05-2005, 08:10 PM
Good Luck with your goldies. Be sure to cover the tank so no predators will get them.

Cheryl

cindy
04-20-2005, 10:19 AM
bump :yes:

allen42
04-20-2005, 11:56 AM
hehehe @ Cindy , wanting to know what i did eh ?

Well , started off with a *flow through* , didnt take me long at all to realize that i was gonna have an AZZ load of water around that was gonna cause a mess, so , i have opted for Genes barrel filter with a 950 gph pump , matla ( sp ) & media , also a TT from 4 " pipe like Dale & Patti's that Gene built Till then i am doing a water change MOSt everyday & feeding VERY little , Gene says the Order should go out the end of this week , i already got most everything done till I get the stuff from Gene ( pump , matala, a few fittings )

the good news , of 403 goldies , i havent had but one die, a lil shub that was sick from the harvest , except for the few that jumped out the 1st night cuz i didnt have the tank FULLY netted ! , left one lil edge open & i be ****** if 4 didnt find it !

I'll take some pics & post after we finish !