Moving Pond fish back into the pond!

[animallover09]

Ok, so spring is finally here in Arkansas and I want to move my four big goldfish back out in the pond. However, im afraid that I may do something wrong again so I need advice.

I took some parameters of the pond and the ammonia, nitrates, and nitrites are 0. But the pond looks horribly disgusting! It has sat all winter, mostly frozen. And now that its thawed out, green slime is everywhere in it. I really want to clean it out but im afraid that ill mess up the cycle. Should I do like a 50% change then another 50% in a couple of days? Its has a small fountain with a filter inside it but I havent turned it on yet.

Give me advice please...

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[IShallNtEatFish]

I can tell you what not to do... I just recently found out I've been doing it all wrong for years

 

[animallover09]

Ok, tell me...im probably doing things wrong too.

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[IShallNtEatFish]

I use to take everything out and scrub it down with bleach then refill it then run it empty for an hour than fish back in...

 

[animallover09]

Yeah, the bleach probably killed them. I used to empty it, scrub it with just a brush and water, then put water back in it. But I think that is causing it to be uncycled.

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[IShallNtEatFish]

Well I would rinse it well and I didn't have that many deaths but I had comet gold fish

 

[khawk95]

If all your water parameters are right it's just a spring clean routine. You should be good with keeping about a 5 gallon bucket of water from the pond and scrubbing it down and then refilling it and making sure to add the left over water. As long as I'm guessing you have bio balls or something to keep down the ammonia? Make sure they don't dry out. I've totally emptied my pond many times. Sometimes not on purpose. Haha but it shouldn't affect anything. It's more like a normal large water change. Hope this helps!

 

[jlk]

Ok, so spring is finally here in Arkansas and I want to move my four big goldfish back out in the pond. However, im afraid that I may do something wrong again so I need advice.

I took some parameters of the pond and the ammonia, nitrates, and nitrites are 0. But the pond looks horribly disgusting! It has sat all winter, mostly frozen. And now that its thawed out, green slime is everywhere in it. I really want to clean it out but im afraid that ill mess up the cycle. Should I do like a 50% change then another 50% in a couple of days? Its has a small fountain with a filter inside it but I havent turned it on yet.

Give me advice please...

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Start by cleaning out any debris followed by a decent wc. Get your filter and fountain running. In a few days, do another wc and continue to do wcs until everything is reasonably clear and stable. Just keep in mind, the wcs and clarity are for your enjoyment (the fish are not that concerned).

The most important issues to consider are temp and ph. If the temp is not reasonably close to the tank they are living in, I would wait until it warms up sufficiently. Ph they can acclimated to but it needs to be considered as well.

No need to go crazy cleaning and remember wcs work in ponds just as well as they in tanks.

 

[animallover09]

Ok, thanks everyone! Ill wait till it warms up some more.

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