Winter tubs for outside wintering fish

[LadysSolo]

Went to Lowe's today and picked up 4 30-gallon recycled plastic tubs to overwinter my fish in my barn, and got them put into the stall. Won't move fish inside right away, though. Not cold enough yet. At $9.98 each, can't go wrong for the price. Had fish in them last summer that I overwintered in the basement. This is going to be my first winter trying it in the barn. I plan to put a heater and airstone in each tank to keep them from freezing - my aim is around 40 to 45 degrees. The barn usually freezes in the winter so I hope I can keep the tanks warm enough. The tubs I left outside handled freezing very well last winter. Carolyn

[Cincy Ranchu]

Where at in Lowes?

Did you ever consider putting manure around them?

[Ichthius]

Unless you need to keep the stocks separate I think you'd be better off with them in a larger volume of water. It will be easier to keep a larger tub heated and it will have a more stable temperature and environment.

[opera]

Thanks for sharing... what is the dimension of the tub?

Thanks

[bekko]

If you are going to leave fish out through the winter, then put them in the ground to help stabilize the temperatrue. Putting the tub in a compost heap is an interesting approach Gary.

-steve

[LadysSolo]

At Lowe's they are in the home organization/storage section. Interesting thought about the compost heap. My compost heap does NOT freeze over in the winter - there will be snow everywhere but the compost heap is snow-free. I was using many 30 gallon to avoid overcrowding the fish (wastes and all.) I will have to reconsider the compost heap idea..... Carolyn

[Cincy Ranchu]

If you are going to leave fish out through the winter, then put them in the ground to help stabilize the temperatrue. Putting the tub in a compost heap is an interesting approach Gary.

-steve

I did a fermentation at work last year in Wisconsin and we ran into winter. The fermenters were 55 gallon drums, we buried them up to their lids in yard waste and the drums never went below 70F.

[fishes2catch]

Back in the day farmers in Paris used this method to heat their greenhouses in the winter so that they could produce veggies year round.

[fishes2catch]

Unless you need to keep the stocks separate I think you'd be better off with them in a larger volume of water. It will be easier to keep a larger tub heated and it will have a more stable temperature and environment.

Not everyone is as fortunate as you to have MANY large vessels laying around.:)

[LadysSolo]

Measured the tubs today - 17" x 29" x 18" deep. And I do want to keep the fish separate - Bristol adults, bristol fry (next generation), and two separate groups of ranchu (two groups of 3.) So 4 heaters and 4 sponge filters will be used unless I go the compost heap route. Unfortunately, there would be NO WAY to get electricity to where the compost heap is unless I strung unbelievable lengths of extension cords, and then the horses could get their legs caught in the cords (extremely dangerous) :badidea: as the compost heap is in the pasture. Carolyn