monster enclosure

[Juszyk]

Ok so im addicted. i want more and bigger
i have a 60 gal overstocked or just under filtered
5 fingerling bass (largemouth)
1 7in about bass (largemouth)
2 bluegill
1 channel cat (10in)
1 gar (15in)
as you can see i need a bigger tank or a pond. but i have a better idea and need imput
I have a creek running in my back yard its running clear and clean from what i can tell i going to get a sample and do a complete test. So i plan on getting fencing supplies from a hardware store and putting it up so fish can go to far up or down. I have a pretty large section of creek that gets wide.

anything is welcome just let me know what you think

 

[albirdy]

Interesting.

I feel like there are a myriad of variables that I'm sure you have/will consider, but it's the spurious ones that I worry for.

Weather - Temperature (how it may fluctuate)
Predators
Fencing maintenance
Permission to do this?

 

[chesterthehero]

using the stream is prolly not legal unless everything is native to where you live... id check with local fish and wildlife before trying that one..

 

[Juszyk]

yea i plan on using natives deff. prolly gar and cats maybe a bass
god gave man guns to kill any predator trying to eat my fish.
no really predators are around except coons and they arent to bad.
fencing maintence wouldnt be to bad i plan on using that plastic orange stuff maybe and then bigger chicken wire as a secondary

we own part of the creek and the neighbors own the rest and both dont care

 

[Juszyk]

Weather - Temperature (how it may fluctuate)
quote]

they would be natives and are use to it and also the water doesnt completely freeze in the winter know from experience

 

[swackattack]

in PA no one can actually own waterways...Its probably illegal

 

[Juszyk]

mehh yea ill check
would be pretty kickass tho

 

[spexmoneymaker]

I doubt anyone is gonna bother you. Does it get deep at any part? Even if it doesnt freeze the water may get too cold. I dont know the lowest temp they can survive but I think it could work if it gets to a decent depth.

 

[bfhslilred93]

youll have to calculate the speed the water flows to those fish cant fight the flow 24/7 and predatory birds will be an issue even in suburban areas. I have a friend who lost $200 worth of koi to one blue heron

 

[koop171]

does this water system ever go dry in the summer/ overflow during big rains?
Are you sure gars are native to your area?
No one really owns water in water ways like creeks and rivers. since it is allways moving.
You sould check with fish and game b/c you may end up building what they consider a dam. And that is pretty much illegal anywhere I know of.
the depth is a good question too. if this creek is shallow then it has a better chance of freezing over. if this happens will your fish have enough food to last the freeze?
Where does this body of water end up at. (What lake?) And are the fish native the that lake? if they are not native to that body of water then if they got free in a flood and got into that lake they may become invasive and cause lots of problems and you're to blame.



In short I think there is lots of variables here and it's just not worth the risk. Why not search CL and find a nice 180 that should house all but the gar for some time. (depending on what type of gar you have.)