Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Some of the plants are yellowing off a little.

Have you added any iron chelates yet?

Yes some of them are, I just thought that it was from me transplanting them. I'm not sure what or where I can get iron chelates. I guess I will have to start looking.

Most garden centers have it, Amazon sell it as well. It's somethign that needs to be added every now again when the leaves start yellowing off. Not as much in a mature system.

There are a few different types to use:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4_hCAnymFw

They go through the types, and reasons for each on there. But to be honest, I've been using the one they say is poisonous for some time, and I've never noticed anything wrong, and it works at the levels it should be locked out with. And works well.

Thanks colum, I think I found some. Will this work?



I believe this is the second stuff that he talks about in the video. So do I add it to my GB?

Should do.

I usually drop it into my sump over the pump, so by the time it's made it through the system, it's all mixed and dissolved. But I don't think it matter too much.

And 1tsp per 1000L. Then give it a week or so, if it doesn't green up, add another tsp.

Ok thanks, I will pick some up today.

Well I did a water test this morning. Ammonia and nitrites still there, not cycled yet... The water temp is 21.3° and the water has started to clear up.

So not a whole lot happened yesterday This morning I took another water test. The water temp is at 19°, it was cold last night! The water is crystal clear now.



So how long can the fish go without being fed?

They can go a lot longer than you think. As long as you are seeing lower ammonia and temperature you can probably go ahead and give them a pinch every couple days. Your cycle is doing well and you should start to see 0 ammonia and the nitrites will start to go down as the bacteria catch up. My system did something similar to your cycling process. I wouldn't worry too much. Just be patient and keep an eye on the plants. You will need to plant more soon once you get the other bed finished. you will see the nitrates go down but that is okay as long as plants are growing and your ammonia/nitrites get to 0 soon.

Your PH will also decrease gradually as the cycling finishes. You will need to be checking both the high and low ranges on the PH if you get close to 7.4.

If your PH starts going below 7.0 then you should be ready with some crushed oyster shells. See my system page to read about my PH issues.

love the greenhouse and your tank surround/grow beds too! great job.

Hey Chris, thanks! I was just reading through your thread, not finished yet, but your build looks great!

I wasn't overly worried about the fish. My plants seem to be doing well, new seedlings coming up everyday. I can't wait to get the other side finished. I'm going to have to plant seeds over there as all the started fruit and vegetables are all gone in the stores here now. Anything that is left is pretty much dead, and they are still trying to get $0.99 for them.

The fish can go a few weeks without feed. Nothing to worry about yet.

Growing from seed in media beds is fantastically easy. Just sprinkle the seeds over the top, and the pop up a few weeks later. I haven't bought seedlings for quite some time now.

I'm not really worried, just curious.

I have planted seeds already, I was buying the plants already started, because it was getting late in our growing season. I'm hoping that with the greenhouse that I can get into December without having to shut things down for the winter.

Does anyone, that lives in colder climates, know if the plants will survive in a greenhouse over the winter? If not I guess I will find out when the time comes.

Anyway, I'm still waiting for my bulkhead to cone in, so I have started trimming out the other GB.

I have a cherry tomato living on my greenhouse plant some cross over veg like beetroot ... You mean like a short crop spring or autumn veg?


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You easily have one of the more gorgeous looking systems around! Good job. I believe you are making many on this forum jealous, including myself.

Now my 2 cents on pH:

In my personal opinion you should never worry about dropping your pH in aquaponics even at an 8.2. So long as your feeding enough and you have proper areas for nitrification as well as denitrification to occur. You should be capable of fairly decent growth within your plants even at this high of a pH. Now, this growth will take time to come by. It really wont just happen over night after a system is built. Usually takes upwards of 3-6 months to really have your system fully stabilized and cranking out good loads of nitrates as well as the other micro nutrients that you want to see. After these first few months of operation, your nitrifying bacteria will have hopefully fully colonized your system. At this point they will be turning the ammonia/nitrite over to nitrate so efficiently that they will be producing enough acid within this oxidation reaction to actually make your pH drop. Depending upon how hard your top up water is your pH could actually drop over night far below 7. This large drop can occur due to the fact that these acids eat up all the carbonates within the water thus reducing the buffering capability of your water and in turn creating a less stable system. This is where you will want to start adding potassium bicarbonate and calcium carbonate. I use the carbonates to raise pH because this helps buffer your system from large pH swings. Many out there use hydroxides for this (I use to go that route myself). However, if you are raising your pH with potassium/calcium hydroxide you will find that you very well may have to be adding it daily because your system has no buffering capacity to hold the pH.

Salting for Nitrite spikes:

Your fish will be much happier yes. However, you really do not want these salts in your system. I prefer cycling with fish myself but rarely use salt to mitigate for nitrite toxicity unless 100% required. Your comets should be able to tolerate it for the most part. Other things you can do are water changes as well as just increasing aeration to there tank if a spike occurs.

Iron additions:

Your system is very new and has very little nitrate cycling through it. I believe you have a nitrogen deficiency not an iron deficiency but thats just my personal guess.

I apologize for the mini book! haha I just got excited and want to help and see your system succeed!

No I'm talking like stawberries. Our winters get down to -20 sometimes colder, so I will have to turn the water off at some point. I was just wondering if they will survive without water over the winter. I know if they are planted in dirt they do come back. I know the green house will protect them somewhat, but I'm sure it will be cold in there.