Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Nice fish Matty, go easy on the feed!

guys,
added 50 trout to a 300l GB, 700L tanks system 24 hours ago. system was cycled about a week earlier with good levels via hummonia
last weeks reading were constant thru out week via a pee in it once every 3 - 4 days (see below)

Am- .25
rites- 0
rates 40
PH - 7.0

Trout are between 4-5 inches. I've only planned to keep them in this system for no longer than 4 weeks,
Anyhow today my PH dropped down to 6.0 in 48 hours
Am - .25
rites - .25
rates - 10
PH - 6.0
Water temp 10 - 12 degrees

I guess my question is how low can the PH go till trout start to go belly up??
I've only thrown about 15 - 20, 5mm pellets in today to see if they were interested, but removed about 5, 3 hours later that were floating on the surface. I've added some crushed egg shells and I'll probably get some shell grit tonight.
Also forgot to mentioned that I salted 1ppm today. trout seem to hide in the furthermost corner of the tank, but if I sneak up on them they are swimming all around, I think thats normal for the first week?

Regards
Matt

Mine hide if I can be seen, water is crystal clear so that's easy, mine will not eat if they see me throw food in, I stand back an toss it they jump out of the water like they should this lot have been in a month now, maybe when they get bigger they won't give a toss, I got bigger trout last year and trout couldn't careless as long as they got food, but water was more cloudy then as well

Tonight I threw in about 20 pellets and were all gone about 5 mins later.
Performed a water test again tonight and every thing is the same except for the PH. It was back up at 6.8
I know that there can be PH swings if you get an algae bloom but it doesn't look like i have any issues with algae. anyone know which way the PH swings from morning to afternoon??
can you say put an extra drop of test solution to get an incorrect reading???

Regards
Matt

well an extra drop would certainly give an incorrect reading, and I have 30 trout and 20 pellets are gone before they hit the water

Absolutely Matt - in chemistry terms, the tests we do (amm, NO2, NO3, pH) are called titrations which involves taking a chemical reaction to a certain point and observing the colour - adding more takes the reaction past that desired point rendering the result fairly meaningless.

If I'm unsure, I just run them all again - it's not really a big job.

+1

both the number of drops added and the amount of water in the tube are of utmost importance in these reactions. For the amm, Ni and Na, the timing is important too.

if you are very consistent in you methodology, it doesn't matter as much how you do it, and you will at least get a relative reading compared to all the other times you have done it.

Hi Matt,

I'll start by saying I am relatively new to AP,but when it comes to testing the water I know it is very important actually a must,that you put the correct amount of water into the test tube and exactly the right amount of drops of any given chemical to your water,there is no compromise. I mess up my water testing from time to time,normally not concentrating,losing count of the amount of drops I put in,put too many drops in,use the same chemical bottle twice,e.g. amm no1 twice,when that happens I throw out the water rinse the top and tube again and redo the test until I know I am sure I've done it correctly,no questions asked.That way I know it is entirely accurate.Also I try to test at about the same time/s each day and take the fish tank temps as well,to try and keep consistancy.
If any of my readings look dodgey,I have no hesitation in doing another test straight away.My pH swings a bit too,it did in the barra system and to a lesser degree my trout system.

As for my trout they take a few minutes to get the gist that "tuckers up" then they eat.So long as when I come back in 5-10 mins,they have eaten their food I'm happy.

The Barra,well, they just go crack as soon as the food hits the water...fantastic.It's not good if I don't hear that,then I know somethings wrong.

Cheers.

Hers a link to a thread that should be included in my system thread. It was about my Ph dropping from 7 - 6 over 48 hours http://www.backyardaquaponics.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=29&t=7759,
anyhow it seems that I may of stuffed up my test

Trout are doing fine. Water tests as below
Am - 0
rites - .25
rates - 40
PH - 6.8

regards

Matt

guys,
Have a question in regards to nitrites & ammonia
some material that i've read about nitrite suggest that 1.0 is about the highest and to stop feeding and if it goes any higher to start part water changes. I remember seeing a chart on the forum somewhere in regards to how ammonia can effect the fish if the temperature increases, is this the same for nitrites??

Regards
Matt

OK guys,
gunna need some shell grit, did remember that someone mentioned you could get it from stock feed store's?
Is there any other places you can get this to help buffer my system.

of course fish and plants are doing good, still having to monitor the nitrite levels and back off on feeding for a day if it gets to high.
already have another 400l GB cycling away, but it still might be a few weeks before I can get it cycled.

I love feeding Trout. They absolutely smash the feed.

Matt

Pet shops may sell shell grit, depends on if they stock wheat and other stuff for chickens.
Dale

I know the Essendon Stock feed and Produce store next to DFO at Essendon Airport sell shell grit. We buy it there for our chooks. Haven't bought any for ages but think it's about $5/kg?

I buy it from my local stock feed in Ringwood and its $1 something a kilo.
Dale