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Philosophy on captive release


9 replies to this topic

#1 gzeiger

gzeiger
  • NANFA Guest

Posted 16 February 2015 - 06:58 AM

Whenever this topic has been discussed, one of the major concerns has been introduction of pathogens from an aquarium to wild populations. What do we think then about wastewater?

 

I've just moved, and the fish room is now a shed that's less than 50 feet from a natural lake. I'm used to doing water changes by just running a hose outside and watering the lawn, but now I'm not sure that's safe. There is no sewer connection available.



#2 Sean Phillips

Sean Phillips
  • NANFA Member
  • Allegheny River Drainage, Southwest PA

Posted 16 February 2015 - 08:40 AM

How close are you to any woods? A friend of mine has an extremely large Fishroom (357 tanks), well fishrooms anyway (he has 4), and every room has a large pvc pipe that he hooks up his siphon to during water changes and the water goes through the pipe, through his yard, and right down his hill in his backyard. I'm sure a simple system like this could be replicated as long as the pipe is kept on an angle.
Sean Phillips - Pine Creek Watershed - Allegheny River Drainage

#3 gzeiger

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Posted 16 February 2015 - 09:06 AM

I'm very much in the woods, but apart from a slightly flat stretch right around the shed it's all uphill away from the lake. What you're describing is basically what I've always done (with a hose, not hard piped), but I don't think I can possibly get more than about 80 feet from the water with a gravity drain system.



#4 smilingfrog

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  • Minnesota

Posted 17 February 2015 - 12:14 AM

Not sure how much water you're talking about, but a possibility might be siphoning into a barrel, pouring bleach into the barrel, letting it sit overnight, adding dechlor, then water the lawn with it.

#5 gzeiger

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Posted 17 February 2015 - 04:59 AM

That's a possibility. The tanks I have up now would need about 50 gallon water changes at a time. By spring I'm going to have a tank built in the 800-1000 gallon range,



#6 Matt DeLaVega

Matt DeLaVega
  • Forum Staff
  • Ohio

Posted 17 February 2015 - 06:39 AM

You could dig a trench and fill it with gravel. Use it like a small septic system allowing the water to leach into the ground.

The member formerly known as Skipjack


#7 mikez

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  • NANFA Guest

Posted 17 February 2015 - 12:15 PM

Matt's idea makes the most sense if you really feel it's needed.

My feeling would be let it go into the ground and let nature take its course. It would probably not be good, and possibly not legal to let it go direct into a water body. But I gotta think you can find a way to let it go into the soil.
Mike Zaborowski
I don't know, maybe it was the roses.

#8 gzeiger

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  • NANFA Guest

Posted 17 February 2015 - 08:00 PM

It will go into the ground, I was just wondering if anyone thought there was a concern with the short distance. I wouldn't say that I'm concerned specifically, I'm just asking if I should be. The ground is mostly sand and will absorb the water.



#9 Matt DeLaVega

Matt DeLaVega
  • Forum Staff
  • Ohio

Posted 17 February 2015 - 08:17 PM

If it will readily absorb and you do not have a stream of waste water going into the lake, I would not be concerned. I might avoid changing water if it was dumping down rain, but otherwise I think you are okay. It's great that you have taken the time to think about it. I know you are not the average fish keeper, but many would not think twice about draining straight into the waterway. To many it would make sense: put the water in the water.

The member formerly known as Skipjack


#10 scottefontay

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Posted 26 February 2015 - 10:59 AM

There is minimal (if any) risk to the waterbody at that distance, unless of course the water cannot enter the ground due to frozen or saturated conditions.   You could always use a pump and sprinkler system to disperse the water over a larger area.  I used to use a Pondmaster 950 and a simple oscillating yard sprinkler to water the lawn


Scott Fonte
Fairport, NY

My only problem is that I always want a bigger tank...



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