Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

The test solutions aren't that old its just they are my husbands and they are from is work he doesn't remember where he put the cards or instructions on how to use the product so I think Ill take your advice and head down to the pet store and get an API freshwater master test kit...I know I probably can't wait any longer or my fish will dead so Ill do that when I have sometime today.

No I have started a thread in the members systems area yet. Ill take some pictures while Im testing the water out and then Ill add them hopefully I can do all this today

Thanks for all the advice

Ok i bought the test kit and everything and the ph was in between 7.2 and 7.6 the ammonia level was 0.25 and both the nitrates and nitrites were at 0 ppm - is this all good- does this mean that my system is working fine or should i add more fish since there are like only 5 in there. there were 6 but i found one dead today it looks as if he had a fungus infection i believe do to stress i was wondering if i could use those drips that you can put in the tank to distress fish or will this mess up the ph balance in the fish tank also the ft is a 150 gallons- how many fish should i have in there? since one of the fish die should i do a water change?

You could add another 5 fish... max...

But you'd be better off adding another grow bed if you do.... and then you can grow more plants as well...

It is still really early in your cycle. The best thing is to not try to control the process, and just let it happen. How ever small that ammount of ammonia may seem, it is enough for the nitrifying bacteria to form. You might add some salt to help control the fungus. Do not add any of the additives for aquarium fish as you really do not want to eat that stuff. But all in all, those are appropriate readings at this point in time.

so how much salt should i add? I think ill add another 5 fish to the ft and then once i get my system working fully (its running off of solar panels so once i hook up the other two solar panels it will be enough to have the pump going 24/7) and then ill add another grow bed