Kids Want To Go Out And Play

doody

I kept 3 small koi and about 10 small goldfish indoors over the winter. I also have some tropical umbrella plants indoors as well. I know I should have left the fish outside over the winter, but I had a new 150 gallon fish tank that I didn't want it just sitting around with just plants in it. Anyway, I can tell these guys are itching to go back out to the pond so they can have more room to play. Can I start acclimating them back to the pond now or should I wait, and whats the best way to do it? Just to let you all know, I live in Ohio/Z-5, and I don't have the pump or filter running yet. What about the umbrella plants is it to early for them to go out?

Thanks in advance for any help!!!!

__________________
"What we see depends mainly on what we look for", because "Creation and art are defined only by the boundaries we confine ourselves"

both quotes written by authors unknown

Advertisement

spoonman

buy some more fish

__________________
"Little laurel trees, your roots can find
No mountain, yet your leaves extend
Beyond your own world into mine
Perennial wands, unfolding in my thought
The budding evergreen of time."
-Kathleen Raine, The Trees in Tubs

bmor

i'm in canada not far from detroit and i'd wait until late may if i were you to put out the tropicals and the fish. tropicals such as taro and umbrella palms are not very forgiving to frost. be careful when you do put them out also as they tend to burn in the sun if you don't aclimate (sp?) them well. best of luck

Mudman

Doody

I'm in Chicago - same zone. I routinely overwinter my fish & tropicals inside.

Best plan:

Intoduce fish & any hardy pants early to mid may (depending on weather conditions. Fish like some plabt cover.

Tropicals - mid to late may - again depending on weather trends.

This works for me. Umbrella palms are hardier than you think. Mine have survived down to mid 30's for short times.

Good luck.

doody

Thanks for the advice all!

Spoonman, My dad's friend is closeing his pond for good and is giving me first dibs on everything. He has many koi, and lots of plants and rocks. He lives an hour away, so tomarrow will be a bussy day. I'll try to post pic's. Ill transfer the koi in large storage containers.
I guess now would be a good time to ask how I should acclimate the fish to my pond.

__________________
"What we see depends mainly on what we look for", because "Creation and art are defined only by the boundaries we confine ourselves"

both quotes written by authors unknown

TreeBay

You would want to do that a couple of weeks before you move the fish, ideally. Keep the containers covered or the fish will jump out.

What's that pond constructed from? It makes a lot of difference. Concrete takes a long time to cure and needs to be etched with muriatic acid and drained a couple times. Hand laid fiberglas needs to outgas some too. If it's a PVC or butyl rubber liner, you may be able to use it the fastest. Above ground "swimming pool" pvc liners usually have toxic fungicides in them.

Assuming its pvc, or one of those black plastic liners, you'd want to acclimate it quickly, you'd want to fill it and mix in a big jug of Novaqua (and if you are in an area that has chloramines in the water) Amquel.

Then wait about 48 hours and put in a couple of test fish. Be careful that you don't overload the pond. Do you have a filter in that pond?

Just a suggestion - I'm sure you can find more on the web.

Regards,

Matt

__________________

Want to be a seller on bonsaiAUCTIONS? Get authorized today!

bonsaiTALK: Over 100,005.36 Megabytes Served this Month!