If you set this up and let it run for a month or so before adding minnows all the beneficial,bacteria will be in place and all the parameters should be at zero, if you add the minnows a pound at a time it will allow the beneficial bacteria to grow at a rate to keep up with the waste put off by the minnows. Again once the bacteria catches up with the amount of waste produced the parameters will go back to Zero.


different fish can tolerate different temperatures, colder temperatures are usually more forgiving than warmer, you've also go to remember that the warmer water gets the less oxygen it holds. When you add your fish you want to acclimate them instead of dumping them in, adding the water a cup at a time every 15 minutes will allow them to adjust to the water temp properly without shocking them.

I persoqnoly use a small siphon hose with a valve where I can regulate the flow rate.