Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations RBT in Mid-Missouri

Don't rule out water temp. Cooler water holds more O2. But, if the trout are coming from 65°F water you don't want to chill the water to 45°F with them in it with ice and then put them back in 65° water when you get to the pond. I prefer to keep temps as close as possible, and about 5°F difference is my limit. You might be fine, you might not. Don't forget about ammonia build up. Hopefully the fish will be purged for a couple of days before you pick them up.

The only way to find the limits is to kill fish, unfortunately.

Phil,

It amazing how much ice it takes to drop water temp.

According to the text Recirculating Aquaculture 2nd Ed Timmons and Ebeling page 631, the required mass of ice to drop/change 200 liters (52.8 gallons)of water 10 C. (18 degrees F) is 24 kg (52.9 lbs.).

I found this out the hard way once when I wanted to drop a 300 gallon tank 20 degrees F. to preclude acclimating some fish from a cooler pond. (The plan was to drop the tank water temp to the temperature of the pond they came from and then to just slowly warm it back up after I added the fish). I think I dropped at least eight 20 lb. bags of ice in the tank and still didn't get a 20 degree F. drop.

According to the text to drop/change 100 liters (264.1 gallons) of water 10 C. (18 degrees F.) requires 120 kg. (264.6 lbs.).

Judging by how much ice it takes to drop water temperature 20 F. I wouldn't be concerned tossing in a bag of ice every now and then during stops on the way to the pond. I've done it several times with trout. An easy way to acclimate them at the pond is to slowly pump the pond water through the hauling tank with a sump pump until the tank and pond are the same temperature. I just held the hose down with the tank lid and let it overflow out the gate valve that was partially open.

Off for haul number two. Don't wanna see any morts this time. I learned a lot from first trip and will be hauling twice as many this time. Had a little free time from my little girl to better get my ducks in a row. Gonna have to take it slow and make slow stops. The tote half full will weigh around 1500lbs plus 1500lbs of car hauler. Max pulling weight of 2014 Escape AWD is 3500. I think I will be pulling every bit of that said and done. No electric brakes. Damn I'm crazy. The things people will do for a pond. I hope to have good news midday. The trout that made it on last trip were literally going airborne at feed time last night. It was neat to watch.

Better setup this time.

Just need a bigger pulling rig.

I am always worried about being able to STOP more than going. I have two trailers, one with electric brakes and one without. It's always scary to pull a heavier load with the one that doesn't have brakes.

I'm surprised that your tandem axle trailer doesn't have brakes.

Best wishes for the haul.

It has brakes. I borrowed it. My ride has no hook ups for brakes. Getting ready to add the weight. This should get fun soon.

Good luck, hope to see good pixs of later to day...

I think I see beads of nervous, anticipatory sweat rolling down that Escape.....

Be careful John, good luck!

Haha John you clearly need to buy a brand new F250 for the pond, right? Just ask the Mrs. I'm sure she'll agree.

Looks good and I think you'll be fine.

To show you how much weight is involved with the water I had a trout farmer tell me about stopping quickly when someone pulled out in front of him. He was driving a dual wheel pickup with a tank in the bed. When he stopped the tank smashed its way into the cab and nearly crushed him.

Made it. Zero morts! Pics to come.

Looking forward to it!

Congrats!

Glad you made it!

You should be aware of the fact that they do make electronic brake controllers for most vehicles tho! Fairly easy to self install.

Late to this but if ice is needed I always transport with an extra ice chest full of frozen plastic soda bottles filled with water. I can add one or more and or take them out to control temps without contaminating the water.

Everything went great this time. I tried to snap more pics but they would not hold still. No floaters. Used jumper battery pack to power 300 gal aquarium pump with two 12" air stones.

Video is private. Not gonna join, but glad things went well.

Sorry, should work now. It's not much.

Well done!

Get some of the Goldens they have...The Emmerson trout are amazingly beautiful!!! They are almost always in pristine body condition with no deformities like so many hatchery trout are.

I got six of them in the 1 to 2 pound range. I was going to get all golden ones but they did not have them in 1/2 pound range. They were very nice people and I will be a customer for life. I need to make video of these hogs feeding. This is going to cost me some serious cash in AquaMax.

John,

One of the good things about the bigger trout is you don't have to feed them as much as the smaller ones and as many times per day. I feed about 115 two to two and a half pound brook trout only once per day and go through less than a bag of Aquamax per month during peak water temps.

That will be something to consider next winter Cecil. Thanks. They all cost the same per pound there.

Molly loves helping feed the trout! Heck, I love feeding the trout. I love the V-lines they make feeding. Had two jump out of the water in tandem last night. Coolest fish in pond to watch feed. Wish pond was spring fed so I could have this all year around. Her wows are what it's all about.