Crisis...Kinda

[Busy B]

Was going to do a water change today...only it started early. !wow! I had taken off the lid to the filter to check it out and forgot to put it back on. I have a submursible pump that feeds the filter by way of a hose..outlet falls back into the tank where the fish are still being held for the winter.

Was in the other ghouse and came back to the small to hear a strange noise...walked in, ghouse was flooded..fish were swimming in 3 inches of water! EEEKKKKKK!

So they got a huge change out...not too happy now..lots of fresh water but I'm guessing low in oxygen cause it's well water. Everything is hooked back up and running again...

Anything else I should watch for? Their slow moving, not so much rapid gill movement but a little piping at the surface.

I can actually see them now..Man have they grown.

[Jackie Ramo]

See if you can't have the return break the surface more to areate the water more, or add an airstone if you have one. May be a ph and temp change as well. Still I'm sure they will survive.

Makes your heart skip doesn't, seeing them like that....

[Busy B]

Oh yeah! Was just grateful I went in there when I did. There's a few inch drop for the outtake and I have 2 airstones...tried to keep the temp the same...water comes from the kitchen sink via a garden hose..

If it's the PH their on their own..I don't have a clue how to alter that.

[Jackie Ramo]

They'll be fine!! and tomorrow they will be soooo happy in that new water.

[Busy B]

Think I've figured out their behavior...with that slightly tinged green water, they couldn't see me that well...now we're right there staring at each other :lol:

They are starting to act more normal...

Could of been worse...pump sits 3 inches off of the bottom.

[Terri]

Nothing like a close call to get you moving huh? ;-) Glad your babies are fine Busy :)

Last summer my water garden pretty much drained to nothing -> 4 times in one week, goldfish smooshed together in 1-2inches of water around the pump... anyways, total water changes pretty much for them and no issues health-wise. Reminds me I have to fix the way I have it set up so that doesn't continue this year LOL

[Jackie Ramo]

I think we've all experienced empty pond or empty tank syndrom. Some luckier than others. But it sure gets you moving in a hurry.

[Merlin]

Hmm ok I admit it I did something simular a few years back. :( I decided to do a partial water change, emptied the required amount of water out of the pond and filled back up again. As I was in a rush I just disconected the hose from the tap, meaning to put it away later, Oops I forgot. I came out in the morning to find the pond had gone down two feet, I had left the hose in the pond and as my pond is two feet above ground, the water had syphoned back out and flooded the lawn. :-P DW was not impressed :wink:

[Jackie Ramo]

I have a bad habit of leaving the sump pump in the pond and have drained the pond not once but 3 times... Almost did it again on the weekend but remembered after about an hour. Here I am draining the pond while trying to fill it up :-x

[Busy B]

Their still mad at me...but it's been getting hot in the ghouse now..80 to 90 :grin: warmth feels good!

[Jackie Ramo]

My seeds are starting sprout!!! The cuttings I took for you are leafing out but no roots yet.

Fish are a constant headache I think these days anyway... I don't like them today so don't care they don't like me :frisbee:

[Louis]

ok everyone, on the count of three, raise your pumps 16" ...1....2....

[Ron C]

I haven't drained the current pond by mistake. It can't be done. The pump is in the skimmer box. When I had the smaller preformed ponds I was always draining it to a few inches. A tube would come loose, always something. I have left work more than once because my neighbor called to say those ponds were almost empty.

Yesterday I had a bad experience. I have two koi in a qtank 100 gal. as I am treating a secondary bacterial infection. I have the tank netted, but somehow one of them found a way out. When I got home it was barely moving. Took me about a half an hour to revive her. Dang fish....

[Merlin]

Glad you were in time to save her/him :) .

[Jackie Ramo]

ok everyone, on the count of three, raise your pumps 16" ...1....2....


Good advice for me Louis since I moved GG inside, more of a chance of something going wrong and the water going outside instead of inside.

Ron, my pump is in the skimmer as well, hasn't stopped me from draining the pond. I guess I'm more creative than you :lol:

[Busy B]

16 inches and I would be almost out of the tank! :shock:...I'm lucky it was a small pump..still had 3 inches of water left..:grin:...guess you know that that means the pump was 3 inches high.

Made it thru another water change with no problems but the water is greening up so fast I can't keep up! Ghouse is hot, hot, hot! Pond has maybe 3-5 inches of ice left...better hurry up and melt.

[Jackie Ramo]

Well the goodnews Busy is that your plants will love the green water.

[ozzyrockman]

Below is a photo of a low level switch that I use in both our big pond and our qt pond b/c of the amount of equipment & pipework that is outside of these ponds. I would say if you have any hoses running outside your pond, for the price its a cheap investment. The arguement can be made that your pump will stop working, sure it will but your pond won't be empty. This unit is a Little Giant RS5 it has an 18' cord and can be used on pumps to 10amps.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v698/ozzyrockman/low_water_shutoff1.gif

[Jackie Ramo]

I use a float on the outside pond but should also get one for the inside one. Saved my pump a couple of times. my pond can't empty but the pump can run dry. The inside pond could empty....

[Busy B]

Looks like they are staying in the greenhouse longer...it's snowing.

[Jackie Ramo]

Oh stop babying them and put them outside :lol:

Sad for you my dear. At least you have the greenhouse to keep the winter blues away.

[Busy B]

Sure a couple pots of hot water ought to melt a hole in the ice so I can slide them in...!bonk

I'll get you my pretty:frisbee:

[Jackie Ramo]

:lol:

Truly I hope it warms up there soon. We were hot here yesterday. The poor crocus that had just opened are now fried along with the seedlings I put out to harden off...