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Once we have the feature cleaned out, it is time to begin the refilling and acclimation process. We like to use plastic tubs with lids to acclimate the fish back into their ponds. It allows them to make the transition into their new temperature slowly and comfortably, while they are protected and can’t jump out. This will keep stress to a minimum. We will use your tubs if you have them, or we will use our tubs, leave them behind for you, and bill you the cost of the tubs. The fish are moved into the tubs with water from the tank, which is still the original pond water. Once all fish are relocated into the tubs and the tubs secured on the shelves in the pond, the remaining clean pond water from the holding tank is pumped back into the pond. We also begin filling the remainder of the pond with your hose and water supply.
***We purchase our tubs at the local “box stores”, and generally pay $3-$8- each for tubs depending on what is available. You can save these tubs and use them again in future years.
We also HIGHLY RECOMMEND that you use aeration in the tubs to keep your fish happy and stress free during the acclimation process. We will use your aerator, or we will have aerators available for you to purchase if you don’t have one. They come with two stones and can aerate two tubs. In 2009 the two stone aerator costs $49.00 out the door. If you already have an aerator, we will have replacement air stones and tubing as well. AN AERATOR IS A GREAT THING TO HAVE ON HAND IN CASE A PUMP BURNS OUT! IT WILL KEEP YOUR FISH ALIVE UNTIL A REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT CAN BE MADE! If you do not have or want an aerator, we can do the acclimation process without them, but oxygen levels will be lower in the tubs, therefore each tub will hold less fish, resulting in more tubs being needed. You should also know that oxygen levels will continue dropping as time passes, so if the new water is much different in temperature than the old water, you will still need to provide some sort of supplemental aeration. Acclimation should not occur faster than one degree per hour, and therefore, may take quite a while. You do not want to release the fish (dump the tubs) until the temperature in the tub has equalized with the temperature in the pond!
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