Outdoor Container Garden

[Becca]

Would sight predators also eat baby fish?

 

[Avatar]

Wet is better

+1. I've read through the links that Ethan sent a couple of times and couldn't quite get my head wrapped around it (Sorry - I'm slow like that). The whole surface area of the pipe thing makes sense to me.

Maybe you sussed this already but if not imagine snorkeling: no/negligible pressure at the surface (just like your shallow outflow), but swim down just a few feet and the pressure registers on your eardrums right away. Same thing, air or water, deeper you go, gravity makes the weight of what's above you so.

 

[mchambers]

Raccoons

My dad has a "Have a Heart" trap that you can borrow if you'd like. Had a raccoon hanging out for a few days last year by my containers. Covered them with screen and put out the trap with some tuna fish in it. Never caught him, but think he had likely moved on by then.

.22 pistol is also a cheap solution... though more permanent than the relocation idea.

Gee, in my neighborhood, in NW DC, I'd probably be moving a raccoon at least once a week. Sometimes I find that they've dug up our flower pots, if I water the pots using water that I used to clean filter media.

 

[Avatar]

Very macho

.22 pistol is also a cheap solution... though more permanent than the relocation idea.

That's a little harsh, however, seems like maybe paintball guns and urban raccoons were sort of made for each other. Could use differnent colors and have a neighborhood competition...

 

[chriscoli]

That's a little harsh, however, seems like maybe paintball guns and urban raccoons were sort of made for each other. Could use differnent colors and have a neighborhood competition...

Think that would work on deer, too?

 

[Avatar]

I gots da blues

I know it does. Where do you think the expression "It's not easy being green" comes from? To say nothing of pink, orange or screaming yellow...

 

[Avatar]

Carnivores-are-they

Would sight predators also eat baby fish?

The self-respecting ones don't have any choice but to...they're pretty unmoved by arguments re: long-term yield, resource capitalization, etc.

 

[Tony]

Very cool.

[YT]IvhnGeXiuq0[/YT]

 

[msjinkzd]

I am not sure why I have no issues with predators, sometimes I think it is because my pumps/spray/surface agitation is so loud. Worst I get is damselfly larvae.

 

[Sonny Disposition]

Sailfins aren't good sight predators. They make their living mostly by grazing. They'll pick off a larvae or two if they get close enough, but don't make their living that way, like the anabantoids do.

Make sure to keep the hardness up in the tub. Use calcium chloride (driveway ice melter, or dissolve a little garden limestone in a gallon jug periodically.) And watch your emergent plants. Many will pull Ca+ from the water.

Sailfins die when the water gets soft. A little salt wouldn't hurt, either-- half teaspoon or so per gallon.

-Remind me, and I'll tell you about how to patch a broken tank.

Like you said, I don't think the larvae will be as much of a problem with moving water.

I got my tub from George when he was moving down to Florida.

I was only doing the Buenos Aires tetras outside last season and (knock on wood), don't think I had issues with dragon fly larvae. They sure munched up any mosquito larvae. Never saw any in the tub and when I wold accidentally get some somewhere else in the yard (bucket left out, pot, etc), I'd dump them in and the tetras would darn near make the water bubble like a bad piranha movie, lol.

With the water movement, I don't figure I'll get as many mosquitos laying eggs in there this year though...

Would you consider them to be good "sight predators?" I am planning on adding 4" wild-type mollies in with the tetras and some swords to the bottom tank once the night temps stay in the 60s. Still trying to figure out what the second species in the bottom tank will be. Likely candidate now is Serpae tetras.

In terms of temperature insulation, both the fiberglass tub and the glass tank are probably pretty lousy. It makes sens to put them on/partially in the ground, but already got it set up. May change things up a bit next year, but for now, I'm just going to try preventative measures when extreme temps come into play.

For cold, will turn off the dump filter and maybe even add a heater over night. For hot, the tanks are already in partial shade, but I hear what you're saying about cooking fish. Was using a leaker 55 last year and let the water fall too low (about 6"). Cooked a nice juvenile group of Gymnogeos Matt gave to me.

Lol on the gouramis and mainganos. I don't feel too bad as the former are often the jerks in the tank.

 

[Becca]

Sailfins aren't good sight predators. They make their living mostly by grazing. They'll pick off a larvae or two if they get close enough, but don't make their living that way, like the anabantoids do.

Make sure to keep the hardness up in the tub. Use calcium chloride (driveway ice melter, or dissolve a little garden limestone in a gallon jug periodically.) And watch your emergent plants. Many will pull Ca+ from the water.

Sailfins die when the water gets soft. A little salt wouldn't hurt, either-- half teaspoon or so per gallon.

-Remind me, and I'll tell you about how to patch a broken tank.

Like you said, I don't think the larvae will be as much of a problem with moving water.

Ah, I plan to put anabantoids in my outdoor set-up once I actually get it set up (B. patoti). If they do manage to breed, hopefully I can get the males to cough up the babies elsewhere, or at least grow enough Java moss for the little ones to take cover. Some documentation indicates that they're good parents... I guess if they eat their young I'll just call social services...

 

[Tony]

Sailfins aren't good sight predators. They make their living mostly by grazing. They'll pick off a larvae or two if they get close enough, but don't make their living that way, like the anabantoids do.

Make sure to keep the hardness up in the tub. Use calcium chloride (driveway ice melter, or dissolve a little garden limestone in a gallon jug periodically.) And watch your emergent plants. Many will pull Ca+ from the water.

Sailfins die when the water gets soft. A little salt wouldn't hurt, either-- half teaspoon or so per gallon.

-Remind me, and I'll tell you about how to patch a broken tank.

Like you said, I don't think the larvae will be as much of a problem with moving water.

I'll keep an eye out for some small gouramis or paradise fish.

Didn't really think of adding hardness to the water, but it makes sense. Even with the rain we've had here over the last couple of day, I'm sure the pH is down in the tank.

For patching, I was just going to patch the hole like I do for drilled tanks - silicone and a small glass patch. Any reason why this wouldn't work with the fiberglass?

Ah, I plan to put anabantoids in my outdoor set-up once I actually get it set up (B. patoti). If they do manage to breed, hopefully I can get the males to cough up the babies elsewhere, or at least grow enough Java moss for the little ones to take cover. Some documentation indicates that they're good parents... I guess if they eat their young I'll just call social services...

I believe that Sam removed the young when he saw them and grew them out for a while before reintroducing them to the parents. Those patoti are hunters for sure.

 

[dogofwar]

Josh W (Batfish) has some great little gouramis in stock...

Matt

Ah, I plan to put anabantoids in my outdoor set-up once I actually get it set up (B. patoti). If they do manage to breed, hopefully I can get the males to cough up the babies elsewhere, or at least grow enough Java moss for the little ones to take cover. Some documentation indicates that they're good parents... I guess if they eat their young I'll just call social services...

 

[Becca]

Josh W (Batfish) has some great little gouramis in stock...

Matt

I know - I picked up 2 pygmy sparkling from him before the last meeting and they are doing great. One is developing speckles and red edges on its fins... I think I might have a pair, which is interesting, because they are in a gallon bowl mounted on the wall and I WAS NOT planning to breed the little buggers.

When I get my 29 set-up I may see what else he has. I used to do really well with the gold-banded chocolate gouramis, but the licorice have always died on me.

 

[Avatar]

Actually

I believe that Sam removed the young when he saw them and grew them out for a while before reintroducing them to the parents. Those patoti are hunters for sure.

Actually I discovered them during a cleaning and they never re-met their parents probably because I neglected to clean that tank again for far too long thereafter. They were of a decent size however and living all together in an 8 gallon Biocube before being exported. Pretty sure now there's at least one female in the group of four so the outdoor experiment may yield some fry.

They are definitely serious about feeding, apparent that they are adapted to subduing live fry.

 

[Sonny Disposition]

Yes. The silicone and glass patch was what I had in mind.

I'll keep an eye out for some small gouramis or paradise fish.

Didn't really think of adding hardness to the water, but it makes sense. Even with the rain we've had here over the last couple of day, I'm sure the pH is down in the tank.

For patching, I was just going to patch the hole like I do for drilled tanks - silicone and a small glass patch. Any reason why this wouldn't work with the fiberglass?



I believe that Sam removed the young when he saw them and grew them out for a while before reintroducing them to the parents. Those patoti are hunters for sure.