Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hi all, long time no post for me. In the fros of designing my big system, but am a bit limited with availability of power outlets. More info to come in the coming weeks. For now, I am really happy with the trout I picked up earlier this year and think they will definately be the staple during winter with silvers for summer. I am currently feeding them the silver perch organic feed from qld but find that there is heaps of suspended material in the water with this feed. Is this normal? I also find that there is a lot more crap at the bottom of the tank as well and well I stir this up, it smells of rotting material! I don't think I over feed as I give them a teaspoon at a time wait till they finish then another teaspoon full. All up about 4 teaspoons of feed twice a day. I have 17 trout at about 200mm long (avg).

The silvers have started feeding a little the other week. Had a warm spell and the water was at 14 deg. I only give them 1/2 teaspoon twice a day. They don't always feed (too cold). I can't wait till the weather heats up a little to get these guys firing again. Trout for dinner while the silvers grow out!

Anyway, any advice info more than welcome!

Quachy

PS - new system going to be a chift pist. Looking at 4000-5000lts. 2x 2500lt ish tanks built out of treated pine sleepers, lined with carpet and pondliner and bolted together (I have seen this somewhere on this forum but can't find the post!). Not sure about growbeds yet. Thinking of fibreglass bathtubs. Saw heaps at a second hand building supply joint out near steve's place ages ago. I'm sure they will still be there or their equivalent.

I've found a similar thing with regard to the organic Silver Perch feed...it is dustier than other feeds...

This is probably due to the fact that a lot of the feed is now at least a year old... and beginning to breakdown...

Remember, one of the things that makes the feed "organic"... is that it doesn't consist of the preservatives and additives and probably some of the binders that other commercial feeds have....

So in reality it isn't going to maintain it's quality for as long... storing it in a dry, cool place will help.... and in the case of the organic feed, there may be some advantage in keeping it in the fridge...

The other thing is that trout are quite messy little poopers... and fine poop at that...

The fact that you've got "sediment" buildup on the bottom of your tank seems to indicate that you are overfeeding... or that you're under-filtered...

Or it could indicate that there is a problem with getting the solids to move out of the fish tank and to the grow beds. Adjusting flow patterns or pump placement can sometimes help. As can using air stones to help mix the water and get the sediments up off the places on the bottom where they collect.

Stinky solids build up on the bottom of fish tanks can be very bad for fish when they get stirred up but leaving them there to just keep building up is really a disaster waiting to happen.