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Bait keeping 101
Ok I have seen a lot of folks on here ask about keeping minnows. It inspired me and others to think it was pretty simple. Well I can tell you from experience it isn't exactly easy as its made out to be. After a lot of trial and tribulations here is what I know and use.
First mistake I made was using a galvanized feed trough. I killed almost every batch of minnows put into it. The problem lies that the galvanized tank puts off zinc in the water and is toxic to the small fish. You can use the galvanized feed troughs if they have the patina look or if you seal it with a two part epoxy paint.
Second mistake is adding too many minnows with my tank not having turned over. What I mean is I built an5 gallon biobucket filter and come to find out if takes approximately 10 weeks for it to mature and build up enough good bacteria to maintain the ammonia levels in the tank.
Those were the two biggest mistakes. Now you ask what is a biobucket filter.
It is simply a 5 gallon bucket with scotch bright pads and rocks used to hold the good bacteria in.
Here are some pictures
Now to help get the biofilter jump started you can by products call jump start that contain the good bacteria and will help you facilitate the tank biological process. I have settled on a 100 gallon tank and use a 500gph pump. You can see the flow I have.
Cost to set up the bucket filter:
Pump $30
Gravel $10
Scotch brite pads $10 from dollar tree
Pvc and connectors $25
I didn't not glue any of my joints except for the 2 inch pipe coming out of the bucket with silicone.
Once established this will only need flushed about once a year.
Water enters the bucket from the top through the pipe down to the bottom where it is forced up through the filter material and out the pipe on the side of the bucket.
The next is air stones. What is needed is a diffusing stone. Not just for bubbles but tiny bubbles. This helps to degas the tank and infuse air back into the water. The air absorbed into the water is needed for the bacteria in the tank to multiply and thrive as they are anaerobic.
The 100 gallon Rubbermaid tub cost around $83 from tractor supply.
Now for the water. You will need a test kit that you can test the ph, ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate levels. Cost around $30. This will help you tremendously when starting as you can tell where your tanks is at water quality wise and with the tank cycling process. When you first start,daily to every other day water exchanges will be required to help control the ammonia levels.
There is a lot of you tube videos on bio filters and the ammonia cycle in tanks. I will try help with a little breakdown for you.
Now if you don't want to make a filter they sell external filters for $150-$200 depending on size you need for your size tank however you will still have to deal with the cycling of the
tank.
Fish waste is ammonia which is also acidic. The ammonia is broken down in the filter by good anaerobic bacteria to nitrites. There is a secondary break down by bacteria to nitrates. Nitrites in high levels cause methemoglobin and the fish die from lack of oxygen as there blood is unable to use the dissolved oxygen. So when starting your tank you will do upto 50% water change depending on how many fish and water you have in the tank to control the ammonia until the good bacteria has built up to control/breakdown the ammonia.
Also, to combat the nitrite levels which is a secondary rise, you can add salt to the water. Salt is good for the fish as it helps promote slime and keeps the nitrites from binding with the fish's hemoglobin and them suffocating. Can tell if this happened if you cut a minnow that is dead or dying and it has brown blood.
Salt in the form of pool salt or stock salt should be added at a rate of 1 cup to 50 gallons of water to yield a rate of 2 parts per million. Dissolve the salt in a bucket of water along with your chlorine remover then add to the tank when doing water changes.
Now when you do a partial water change make sure to replace the salt and chorine remover per how many gallons you change out.
Now with water changes. It is important to not shock the fish. So what i do is pour water in a cooler from my tank and put minnows in it with an air bubbler. Take remaining water out that I want to drain and discard from tank. I Add new water to the tank and bucket of dissolved salt and chlorine remover. Let it sit for 30 min. Then take my fish in the cooler and put in bag or sit bucket in tank allowing it to float. Doing this for 15 minutes or so will acclimate the fish back to the new water temperature.
Shocking fish during water change outs can stress them and they will belly up on you.
Once a system to change water is figured out the are easily maintained even in the new tank process.
I recommend to start with a small amount of fish at first IMO is best.
Water quality is what kills most fish in your tank. When your tank starts to cycle the water will get cloudy. Don't fret and clean the whole tank. Doing this you will be starting over again. Just continue with the partial water changes.
Symptoms of poor water quality are the hazy eyes. That is the fishes natural immunity sliming over the eye to protect it from the bad water. They can recover from bad water but you really need to stay on top of it until your filter cycles .
On another note, never add lake water to your tank or minnow bucket in the boat then add minnows back to tank. You will introduce new bacteria in water system and it won't be good lol.
Also if you get minnows from bait shop look at them before adding to tank. Look for the hazy eyes or white patches or growths on them. Don't put new minnows with those symptoms in tank. This Can indicate a fungus or bacterial infection.
Also when I add minnows to my tank I don't add the water just scoop out minnows and chunk the water.
Any questions feel free to ask. Hope this helps you out. There isn't a lot of information available for minnows and holding them at home.
If you using a filter the better bait blue coloring will be absorbed by the filter. It is cheaper to just by chlorine remover.
Here is an example of my test kit contents. Comes with a reference sheet for the different tests.
Finally my setup which can hold 6lbs minnows comfortably
Merry Christmas to all!!
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