# Outside breeding tubs



## Warhawk (Feb 23, 2014)

How many people keep small tubs with fish outside in the summer? I have read how many people do this and have pretty good luck breeding fish. A few years ago I had a small kiddie pool that I keep guppies in and they did okay I ended up with a good number of fry but not sure if it was any different the keeping in the 20g tank in the fish room.

I was talking to a employee at a fish store and he told me how he uses tubs to breed bettas over the summer. He would set up 3-4 tubs with some easy plants and let the water turn green, put 1 male and 2 females in each tub then at the end of the summer pull hundreds of fry just had to feed them once in a while, It does sound easy but he could be way off. This got me to thinking about keeping some fish in some tubs I have this summer. While I would like to breed betta I think I want to do some other fish, but not sure what to try. I'm thinking White cloud Minnows would be cool or maybe some live bearers. This would give me a reason to pick up a group of Swordtails or mollies which I would love to do but i don't know.

I'm thinking I could set the tubs out around middle of May they around June add fish, that should give the micro food to start growing and by June the water should stay pretty warm. Then late Aug or Sept could pull the fish out and see how it worked. For Tubs I have a 55g barrel with the top cut off, two large round buckets about 25g each and one 35g. As long as I keep them in the shade in the middle of the day they shouldn't get too hot. Throw in some duckweed for a cover and maybe a air stone. 


Anyone else do this?


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## Warhawk (Feb 23, 2014)

I think I will be giving it a try this year. My plan is to start prepping the tubs this month. 

I have the following tubs
55g barrel with top cut off(will have to patch a few holes in the bottom)
35g square tub
30g round bucket
25g round bucket(this on I will have to get from my wife she keeps shoes in it)
I also have three 55g barrels I could cut in half for 6 more tubs or just cut the top off for 3 more large ones. 

I'm going to start with the first 3 tubs, I will fill them up on the side of my house. I will need to get some air line and run it out a window I don't want to run the pump outside because of the risk of rain. Then just run sponge filters or maybe lava rock filters on each tub. 

Hardest part will be picking the fish. I have never had Swordtails so those would be really nice. Mollies are nice but I have never had great luck with them they don't do well in my tanks. Both fish should do great in the tubs and could have loads of fry by the end of the summer. I need to decide kinda soon and pick up the fish so they are ready to place outside in june.


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## jaysee (Dec 9, 2009)

I've thought about doing some outdoor stuff but find myself wondering what to do with them in the winter.... one day I will have the green house I want and then I will take on aquaponics with the intent of eating the fish, rather than just as a means of fertilizing the plants.

Which way were you thinking of cutting the barrels? Many of the barrels I've seen for outdoor use have them cut long wise, for a larger surface area.


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## Stan (Feb 24, 2017)

Sounds fun.
I see two possible problems.
1. What's your wife going to do with her shoes? 
2. What are you going to do with all those fish if you are successful?


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## jaysee (Dec 9, 2009)

I have the 125 in my bedroom sitting the empty. Maybe I'll try some sort of outdoor fish project and then pull them inside for the winter......


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## Warhawk (Feb 23, 2014)

jaysee said:


> I've thought about doing some outdoor stuff but find myself wondering what to do with them in the winter.... one day I will have the green house I want and then I will take on aquaponics with the intent of eating the fish, rather than just as a means of fertilizing the plants.
> 
> Which way were you thinking of cutting the barrels? Many of the barrels I've seen for outdoor use have them cut long wise, for a larger surface area.


In the winter I will take them down and store them till spring.

I was thinking of cutting them in half so I had two 25g round tubs. But I think it might be better to just cut the top off so I have more water. It would be less surface area so it will limit the number of fish but more water should hold the heat longer at night. 




Stan said:


> Sounds fun.
> I see two possible problems.
> 1. What's your wife going to do with her shoes?
> 2. What are you going to do with all those fish if you are successful?


Good questions 
Number 1-- I talked to her a few days ago about building her a rack to hold the shoes, that way she can see them all lined up. That would empty the tub and I snag it before she know I want it for fish. Kinda what she did to me when she snagged it for her shoes. 

Number 2-- It will depend on what if I pick. I can sale to the local stores, I have 1 in town and 3 others about a hour drive(all different directions) so getting rid of them shouldn't be to hard. But I really hope to get some very healthy and great colored fish for my own tanks. I'm thinking of expanding my fish room and adding another 6-7 20g tanks and 6-8 40g tanks this summer so I will put a lot of them there. 

I really hope this works like I think so this year will be a test and I can make it work I can expand next year.



jaysee said:


> I have the 125 in my bedroom sitting the empty. Maybe I'll try some sort of outdoor fish project and then pull them inside for the winter......


It's worth a try, I have learned don't put the tanks in the sun because they will heat up very quick. From what I have been reading even in the shade you will have enough light for most aquarium plants and to get algae to grow.


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## Warhawk (Feb 23, 2014)

I'm really thinking of breeding Dwarf gourami they are some pretty fish but never tried to breed them so don't know much about how they do it other than they are nest builders.


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## jaysee (Dec 9, 2009)

Hahaha I meant the fish not the equipment, for what to do in winter 

Have you considered burying the tub? That will help to insulate it I think.


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## Warhawk (Feb 23, 2014)

I thought about that but I'm lazy and don't want to dig the holes. 

I did think about getting some insulation to wrap around the sides or even setup a small DIY green house over them.


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## jaysee (Dec 9, 2009)

Green house wouldn't drive up the temp??

I have 2 mini greenhouses I'm waiting to set up..... stupid cold weather this coming week has thwarted my plans


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## Warhawk (Feb 23, 2014)

jaysee said:


> Green house wouldn't drive up the temp??
> 
> I have 2 mini greenhouses I'm waiting to set up..... stupid cold weather this coming week has thwarted my plans


I'm thinking a green house toward the end of the season. That way I might be able to get another month or so.


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## jaysee (Dec 9, 2009)

Oh yeah, gotcha. You'd probably like the ones I got for my garden. 

Outsunny 9'L x 3'W x 3'H Portable Flower Garden Greenhouse https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HDZ2JMM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_KgfWybB6K3H9K


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## Warhawk (Feb 23, 2014)

Those are nice and the price is good too.


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## jaysee (Dec 9, 2009)

I'm going to have to take some extreme precautions to keep them in place - it's extremely windy on the island 

Yeah they make a 2 compartment one as well, for nearly the same price.


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## dwalstad (May 10, 2017)

Warhawk said:


> I'm thinking I could set the tubs out around middle of May they around June add fish, that should give the micro food to start growing and by June the water should stay pretty warm. Then late Aug or Sept could pull the fish out and see how it worked. For Tubs I have a 55g barrel with the top cut off, two large round buckets about 25g each and one 35g. As long as I keep them in the shade in the middle of the day they shouldn't get too hot. Throw in some duckweed for a cover and maybe a air stone.
> Anyone else do this?


I just put out a 20 gal tank on the deck to grow out juvenile guppies. Whiskey barrels cut in half are great, because they're not so deep. I had to line my half whiskey barrel (25 gal) with newspaper (as cushion) and then heavy plastic. (The wood rots.) Live bearers seem to grow well outdoors. One year when I let juvenile black mollies grow outdoors, the males developed those gorgeous sailfins. 

I never used an airstone or filter, but I always had plenty of potted submerged plants and floating plants and my containers were never that deep. The best way to keep the heat in is to put a transparent plastic cover over the container at night. It will trap heat during the day as well as hold it in at night. 

Attached are pictures of an in-ground pond (100 gal stock tank) that I've had for years. I used a plastic cover last winter to keep the plants and frogs from freezing during some blistery nights (15F). As you can see, everyone came through fine.


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