Summer Tubbin Thread

Cory

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Staff member
I'm starting this thread cause I've already been planning and thinking about the summer tubs I plan to put out to breed fish in. Anyone else have any plans yet?

[flash=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/v/Bqq55EOxuso" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true[/flash]
 

LuminousAphid

New Member
i have been thinking of doing an outdoor tank, because i got an extra 20 gallon at an estate sale a while back and haven't done anything with it yet. i will probably wrap it with something to keep heat in since i don't always need to be looking at it, and also im sure it will help the fish feel more safe. i can't decide if i want to use just a sponge or maybe use the old undergravel filter the tank came with... leaning toward sponge because it should be easier. i think i even have an extra thrift store air pump around somewhere, so i just need a sponge filter
 
I plan on making a Racoon Watering Hole. Seriously.

No. But I would like to give this a go. Perhaps I'll try with that 40 gallon breeder tank, that I used as a sump for the 8 foot breeder tanks that I no longer have. Decisions, decisions...
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
I wanna make a pond so I can have an excuse to get a Jack Russell to protect the fish against raccoons and birds :)
 

MRTom

New Member
I got a couple of north facing windows in the garage that I am thinking of setting up as a green water culture / breeding tub setup. I plan to put in all my rice fish in a big tub. Then a couple of tubs with micro rasboras to see if they breed as well. If I'm not tired by then, I may also setup some croaking gouramis in a tub outside.
 

DMD123

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Contributing Member Level III
I have a 55g plastic drum that Im soaking some Mopani wood in.... maybe I should get some fish in there.... LOL, just because it holds water does not mean I have to have fish in it.
 

MRTom

New Member
DMD123 said:
I have a 55g plastic drum that Im soaking some Mopani wood in.... maybe I should get some fish in there.... LOL, just because it holds water does not mean I have to have fish in it.
At least you're using it for something fish related!
 

DMD123

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Contributing Member Level III
MRTom said:
DMD123 said:
I have a 55g plastic drum that Im soaking some Mopani wood in.... maybe I should get some fish in there.... LOL, just because it holds water does not mean I have to have fish in it.
At least you're using it for something fish related!
Yep, trying to get it to stop releasing tannins.
 

cichlid-gal

New Member
I have found with mopani the best way to stop the tannins is to boil it...that's kinda hard when the piece is really big. You can boil water and pour it over the wood in the tub until it is covered. Then let it steep. Do this about 3-4 times....then the wood will still leach in a tank but it won't leach for as long or as much. Most of mopani wooded tanks cleared up in a matter of less than a month with just weekly water changes using this method.
 

DMD123

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Contributing Member Level III
cichlid-gal said:
I have found with mopani the best way to stop the tannins is to boil it...that's kinda hard when the piece is really big.  You can boil water and pour it over the wood in the tub until it is covered.  Then let it steep.  Do this about 3-4 times....then the wood will still leach in a tank but it won't leach for as long or as much.  Most of mopani wooded tanks cleared up in a matter of less than a month with just weekly water changes using this method.
I used a diesel hot water pressure washer and heated the water and soaked multiple times. Not exactly the same as boiling but pretty close. It is almost ready to go in the tank but I am just giving it a little bit more time.
 

Jubs

New Member
I don't get to do one this year, I'm bummed it was fun last summer. There is no space here and can't have anything outside the apartment. Maybe I can use my mom's back yard or something... hmm
 

Cory

Administrator
Staff member
Trying to decide between buying some more ponds or using tanks. Tanks can have glass tops, which means less cats etc. But also less live food... hmm
 

cichlid-gal

New Member
MRTom said:
Speaking of which, are you going to get your outdoor pond going again this year Donna?
We have been trying to decide if we want to do something a little larger...but even if we don't go bigger...we will definately do the 35G pond again. I have minnows waiting to go. The ones we pulled the end of last summer and a few from the GSAS auction. They have been holding in the garage in a 55G tank.

We saw a very cool pond setup with a larger "pond" and using a pond filter and such that I was enamored with so I'm hoping to move up in size. I have to remember that the "workforce" (john and I) are a little more aged now than we used to be and taking on a big digging project is huge here. We once hit a rock so big that you couldn't even get it out of the hole..we just set the tree roots on top of it and hoped the tree would root around it. The soil here sucks big time as its mostly rocks and not really soil at all. Very hard to dig anything in.

We are off to Home Depot today (and taking the grandkids summer clothes shopping) so the decision will be made ... bigger pond or stay with what we have. Wish us luck...LOL.
 
How do you guys setup your outdoor tanks/tubs? I'm thinking about grabbing either a rubbermaid tote or an empty 10g and put it on the deck, but wasn't sure exactly what I should be doing. Do you guys use a filter? Water changes? Substrate, etc etc.
 

Cory

Administrator
Staff member
That's the best part of the summer tubs. Pretty much anything works. In the video series I had a 20 gallon tank going with no filtration just plants and bred some livebearers.

I think a lot of it is DIY and discovery. I do a lot of "lets see if this works" this year type of stuff.

I will say the more water you have the easier it is to get good results. I personally do larger ponds because if I was only doing 10 gallons, I could breed that same fish in my house. I try to do things that I'd be too lazy to pull off inside my house.
 

Cory

Administrator
Staff member
Videos have been made!

[flash=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/v/I9xH894N4fo[/flash]

[flash=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/v/nrDkwe6O2SM" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true[/flash]
 
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