yup.Gets the good bacteria going and growingThe cycle starts in just a few days to a week.But we used to use 3-4 weeks of only a handful of fish before adding more fish.Then we added and grew the amount slowly, weekly, to allow the bacteria to adjust and grow as the ammonia levels increased.the bacteria first turns the ammonia to nitrites.Then turns nitrites to nitrates.Nitrates are safe for fishies.
Great info, tks Mac. After looking at the photo it says when high content of Nitrite fish will gasp at surface. All my minnows stay on the bottom, have yet to see one come to the surface. Does this mean its not full of nitrite.
It means they are not starving for air.they are getting enough through their gill plates.That's good news15 gallon tank is too small for 5-6 doz minnows IMHO.It won't support that many.Maybe 2-3 at best.Your die off will be high.I was just going by the 40gl tub you was using, couldn't see the bottom for the minnows. Ill see if I can find a bigger fish tank, probably have to use the big tub I have thinks its about 30 gl.Again, keep the water COLD.35-40 degrees if you can.It lower their metabolism.They then create far less ammonia.Colder water will support more minnows.And don't feed them!!!I got an ice machine I can add ice daily, all last summer I added ice to the bucket w/air stone I was using. Didn't work very good cause no filter but the ice did keep temps 40-50Here is what I was going to do.I was going to convert a chest freezer into a bait tank.An old chest freezer, which I did have, and some silicone sealer to make it water tight.I watched several videos on using a chest freezer, wished I had a small one great idea for keeping water temps low. Time to head out, pool trny every Tues at 630, 1st last week won $40.
It's amazing how many fish you can hold in a tank if you have enough mechanical and bio-filtration.
Boom!!Exactly.Great advice.Want to put a lot of fish in a small tank, that's the key.Fresh water.Either a constant or frequent fresh supply of water or plenty of filtration.Or both.
I have also found if you can keep the biofilters going from year to year, even if there are no fish temporarily, the bacteria matures and is more reliable. Once I plant my tilapia, hybrid crappie, and trout into the outdoor ponds in the spring I keep feeding the biofilters ammonia.
Start your minnow tank slow!!!Add a dozen minnows and get an ammonia test kit and test the water daily in the first 2-4 weeks.Watch for an ammonia spike.Do frequent water changes.It typically take about 4 weeks to get the bacteria that eats ammonia going.And another 2-4 to grow the bacteria that consumes the nitrites.In 6-8 weeks add another dozen.Then add a dozen each week till you get to where you want to be.Otherwise you will have them dying on you.And once you establish the system, keep it running.If you don't want minnows in it over the summer for fishing, just keep a dozen or so in there to keep the biology running.Then, in the Fall, start adding them right away, but slowly.As you add more fish, you will add more ammonia load and the bacteria will multiply accordingly.But it all takes time.