Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

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Things are looking good there Tinkerer....

I hope those holes in your fish net are not 10mm dia

Thankfully not Rick ! They are getting a little too large for my trout to eat when i purchase them in a few months. May have to remove them so they don't eat the trout ! Probably 70mm long now and little beauties for beginners like myself.

Hi tinkerer,

not far from where I live there is a commercial barra grower who has a 70 IBC's indoor system, using solar hot water to maintain temps.

As your system is already plumbed near the roof of your shed have you thought of making your own solar water heater from black poly pipe(like a pool heater) to give yourself a possible barra growout season each year?

It's just a idea as there are lots of free plans on the net for making your own solar hot water heaters from scraps/junk.

God bless, froggo.

Fair point Froggo, i was planning at having a crack at the Barra/Trout combination although overnight temps and temp variations are fairly severe here. I have had a datalogger in the tank for two months now tracking temps 24 hrs a day and am hoping this will prove invaluable in planning for the great Barra growout.

Hi all have recently added 20 trout to the existing 18 redfin. Trout are feeding very well, Redfin are almost dormant and have been for a few months ( unless I throw some worms in ). The ammonia level has risen to 2.0-4.0 and i am a little worried although the fish seem very active and keen to eat. Nitrites 0 nitrates 0 PH 6.4. I have slowed the feeding and did a small water change. Added some salt also as one small trout was getting a white coloring on its flesh? Has cleared up however. Increased the cycling rate as well. Should I be concerned? Or just keep a check on fish helath and keep the feed down.

Stop feeding altogether.... until your ammonia comes down below one....

What's your water temperature?

11 degrees at the minute Rupe, doesn't go above 14 in the winter here.

At your pH... it doesn't really matter... but there must be a cause for ammonia to spike that high...

It may simply be that the system has effectively been dormant at low temps and the redfin not feeding....

And suddenly you've introduced a relatively significant number of trout.... and started feeding them...

As above... stop feeding them... until your ammonia comes down...

Makes sense Rupe as plant growth has been a little slow. Thanks for the advice.

Yep, once you get that ammonia converted into nitrates.... the plants should take off...