Disaster this week.

[Desertponder]

I lost my 3 koi Tues. I've been so stressed out due to work and so very tired. When I came home from work Monday night I noticed that the tank was really low on water so I stuck the hose in it and told my husband to help me remember it was on. Well, neither one of us remembered. I didn't remember it until I left for work Tues. morning. All 3 gone. One had jumped out of the tank, my big orange butterfly and the white one both floating. I was just sick. I'm still sick. :'( :'( No more fish for me. 

[Kittyzee]

Oh no Shanna.  That is just heartbreaking.  I'm so sorry for you and the loss of your pets.   :'(

[tweetybaby2005]

So sorry for your loss.   :'(  Our wet pet is part of our family.  May be after a while the pain will ease and you might consider getting a few more fish.   

Kuan

[Zoe]

I am so sorry for your loss. I am so worried that I  will do the same thing. I set the timer inside but sometimes I turn it off and forget why it was on.  Usually because I get busy with other things.  Time does heal and maybe you will get some more fish later. 

Cindy

[tranquility]

Soo sorry....thankfully we can hear our outside hydrant running when we go into the bathroom so even though we have forgetten it a couple of times its not long till one of us goes into the bathroom and remember we have water running....
Lawanna

[miguynmkoi]

I'm so sorry you had to experience losing your pets!  I only wish I had something to say that would make you feel better.  I can only say that for me remembering is not so easy anymore.  I carry my cell phone all the time to jot notes or set the timer etc.  Without it I know I would have let a few things go astray.

Hope your work becomes less stressing....

[Desertponder]

Thank you all. This is the second time I've done this. My husband keeps telling me I have to stay with the hose until the tank is full instead of walking off to do something else. I know he's right but I just keep doing it anyway. I always think I'll remember the hose is on but I don't. Its maddening. I just hate walking out there and not seeing the orange butterfly come up wanting food.

[Jennie in MT]

Shanna, I am so sorry!  What an absolute bummer.   

I am so lucky that our water is not chlorinated as we are on a rural water line.  However, my hubby kept leaving the hose running in the barnyard and woould pump our cistern dry.  Yikes!  I can not count the times he has done this.  I finally got a water timer and have loved it.  I can set it for 15 mins and top off my quarantine pool.  It cost less than $20 and it has been a sheer pleasure to use.  Mine is bright purple (highly visible so I can't lose it!) and is shapped sort of like a barrel.  I think it is by Orbitz.  Wondermous!!   

[Waterbug]

Sorry for your loss. I've done the same thing so many times...I don't think I've remembered once to turn it off. "Honey, are you watering the backyard? Oh *&#".

I may have a solution now...I heard a talk from a professional Koi grower the other day who said he just leaves a hose running into the waterfalls, or any place the water mixes well before getting to fish. He left the water running 24 hours a day on a slow trickle. I think that would work for me, just accept the fact that I'm going to forget, so just leave it trickle. Might take a couple of days to top off but no harm.

In water features I've used a horse tough float filler supplied with water from an automatic sprinkler valve as a fail safe. Set the valve to just open for minute or two a day was enough for the water feature.

[Julles]

I thought I had answered this before.  So sorry, Shanna.

[Desertponder]

Thank you. If I get more fish someday I will have to get a timer or something to keep this from happening again. I don't even want to go out there to the ponds, I miss the fish and still feel so bad about it. Dog rescue is keeping me sooooo busy that I don't have time to take care of the tanks anymore. I'm probably going to cut back to one next year.