Advise regarding using river water as tank water? Australia based River

[Kerrie]

Hi everyone,
I am thinking of buying an acreage property that has full access to the Burnett river near Gin Gin, Queensland. I was thinking of using the river water, looks good (waiting on environ. report), pH and gH are good.
My thoughts are to pump to the holding tanks in the shed then use the water directly for continual water changes using an overflow type set up, with the waste being channeled along a concrete open culvert back into a nearby dam which will be used as toilet water and watering the grass, and maybe stock occasionally in the home paddock.

Firstly Does anyone currently use a simple system like this for raising fish?
Can anyone give me any advise on treating the water before it goes into the tanks, especially concerning parasites.
Does this look like it will be effective and cost efficient way to raise discus and L numbers?
What would be the best way to heat the water up to temp? Inside tank heating or having the tanks in a heated room?
Any other ways to do this differently, more effectively?
Thanks in advance,
Kerrie

[timmy82]

Kerrie I wouldn't use the river water without the use of ozone treatment and filtration. There are laws you will have watch out for too in pumping out of a river. As for heating I would run a heap of black polly pipe on the roof and have a thermostat controled circulation pump. I am in Townsville and getting closer to finishing the construction on my fish room it is insulated and I will run a reverse cycle split to climate cobtrol the room.

[John_Nicholson]

The trouble that I see is you have no clue what kind of illness you might introduce to your system. You would probably need to look into something to sterilize the water coming in. Maybe use ozone or UV. I would consult some sort of water purification expert before starting this task.

Good luck.

-john

[nc0gnet0]

It could be done, sterilzation would be an issue, but could be overcome. After all is said and done, well water might be a better option, but I am not familuar with the economics of water as it applies to Australia. The legality of what you propose would be what I first checked into before I went any farther with it.

[pastry]

Not trying to be a smart@$$ but how funny would it be if cops came to arrest you, then you ask what for, and they try to tell you while choking down chuckles, "For taking water from the river"

That aside, if you have some full-up and going permanent contraption going from the water to the house then I'm sure that wouldn't look good to authorities. Otherwise, if no ones looking and it's not permanent... might be a fun experiement. Might also be a costly experiment if you don't have many discus to use for said experiment...

Now, one last thing... I have to confess that I got my substrate from a nearby beach (well maybe I did... maybe I didn't ). I later found out that it was illegal to steal sand from the beach! I could only imagine my wife & I telling our friends how we got arrested stealing sand from the beach (well, we'd probably get a citation but arrested would make for a better story)

[Skip]

There are some Asian breeders that take water from streams for tanks.. and the dump the water back into the streams.. Good Golly!. Can you imagine ..
Not only what you bring in.. but what you could send back out..

[Second Hand Pat]

Here in Florida I am on a lake and we are allowed to pump from the lake for irrigation use. So there could be "allowed" uses for river water for farm related purposes. Something to perhaps check into if this is the route you choose to take, but all honestly, the tap is just so much easier to use.

[nc0gnet0]

Diversion of river waters is generally not looked upon favorably for commercial and or personal use. I am sure some exceptions do apply based on where you live and what type of permit you will need, but the fines can be quite substantial. Especially when the diversion is for use on a non-native fish operation. Granted there is little chance of your discus escaping and populating the river, but agencies tend to error on the side of caution in these regards do to the numerous tragedys and ecological disasters of the past. I am almost certain that legal use of the river water would require permits as well as inspections. Using lake water to irragate your lawn is one thing, but river water to supply a fish farm ( I only say that as most likely that is how "they" will look at it) quite another.

It is this very thing that led to the flying asain carp fiasco we are now experiancing in the states.

[pastry]

Diversion of river waters is generally not looked upon favorably for commercial and or personal use. I am sure some exceptions do apply based on where you live and what type of permit you will need, but the fines can be quite substantial. Especially when the diversion is for use on a non-native fish operation. Granted there is little chance of your discus escaping and populating the river, but agencies tend to error on the side of caution in these regards do to the numerous tragedys and ecological disasters of the past. I am almost certain that legal use of the river water would require permits as well as inspections. Using lake water to irragate your lawn is one thing, but river water to supply a fish farm ( I only say that as most likely that is how "they" will look at it) quite another.

It is this very thing that led to the flying asain carp fiasco we are now experiancing in the states.

While agree with the importance of ensuring native species are protected from any instances of non-native species (i.e.-asian carp & even the snakeheads up & down the U.S. East Coast), I think that's a little extreme in this case. The carp were kept outside and flooding screwed that whole thing up. The OP is just talking about using river water. I know you state where it sounds extreme to think that way but then at the end when you bring up the asian carp example then you kind of (hate to say) contradict yourself (first saying it's extreme to think that way but then in the end using an extreme example to say that's how the very thing led to...).

[nc0gnet0]

I know you state where it sounds extreme to think that way but then at the end when you bring up the asian carp example then you kind of (hate to say) contradict yourself (first saying it's extreme to think that way but then in the end using an extreme example to say that's how the very thing led to...).

I have done no such thing, I was not saying the two were comparable, but rather how the governing agency might view it, not myself. Ie. diversion of water for non-native fish.

My thoughts are to pump to the holding tanks in the shed then use the water directly for continual water changes using an overflow type set up, with the waste being channeled along a concrete open culvert back into a nearby dam which will be used as toilet water and watering the grass, and maybe stock occasionally in the home paddock.

Maybe I am reading this wrong but to me it appears a pathway exists in which a non native fish could hypothetically escape into the river. Be it a discus, or whatever fish the OP is stocking in the home paddock? Occasionally, dams do break and or overflow.

[pastry]

"Granted there is little chance of your discus escaping and populating the river, but agencies tend to error on the side of caution...", yep, I agree with you there, but then you ended it with, "It is this very thing that led to the flying asain carp fiasco we are now experiancing in the states". It was this last part that I thought was extreme for comparisons. Anyhow, definitely don't want to debate the heck out of it but just letting you know where I was confused.

As for the second part of your last post, I definitely understand you on the second part (where you quote about the channeled water, etc.). Read that too fast earlier and agree for sure.

Overall, I think it'd be an interesting experiment to see someone use some river water just to see what happens but yeah, I wouldn't do any sort of permanent concoction or mix back in anything from the tanks to the native waters.

[John_Nicholson]

I would not worry about discus taking over the river but I would worry about them giving some sort of a non-native pathogen to the native fish.

-john

[troysdiiscus]

What?? Flying Domestic Discus??? haha guess that is what would happen if they got out.....lol.... interesting.....

[pastry]

Well I'm not trying to poke fun or frustrate nc0gnet, and definitely think similarly, but I guess what John said is closer to what I was thinking. at the same time, even non agressive species (like discus) can screw up a foreign (to discus) ecosystem.

[nc0gnet0]

I would not worry about discus taking over the river but I would worry about them giving some sort of a non-native pathogen to the native fish.

-john

Nor would I, just not so sure local officials would feel the same. If pumping water from the river to holding tanks is allowed best bet would be to run through a sediment filter then chlorinate the holding tanks, let sit for 24 hours, dechlorinate and use.