Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

The plant is probably being chewed on by one or several caterpillars. Look above where the poo was. The beggars are usually green and blend in perfectly. They are often on the underside of the leaf or along the main stem of the leaf. Once you find one it gets easier to spot the others. Sometimes you'll find other caterpillars like cutworms that will hide in the media at the base of the plant as well.

Cheers Scotty will do. Did have a quick look but didn't seem to come a cross any. Didn't know if any tricks on trying to remove them. Will have a look through the clay balls see if any hiding in there.


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Just read through your thread. Good looking systems you have going.
About yiur fish kills, your ammonia levels weren't at toxic levels so I would say PH swings may have been what killed them off. Anything over a 1 point swing up or down in a 24 hour period can cause deaths.

Cheers mate have moved house since the first pics were taken. havnt had any problems with fish in the balcony setup, apart form the one of the fish turning white in colour. Not to sure on that one and why? I am in the process of setting up an auto filler on the IBC setup so i am not adding to much bore water at a time to keep the levels right. I hope this in turn will settle down the PH levels changing to much if this is playing a factor in killing fish in the tank.

Thanks for your thoughts and ideas and will sure watch the PH levels as i add water in. As i hate seeing the fish die. unless it serves a pupose of feeding me.

hi Sheepy lookin good how did you make tha beer traps? I wonder if your fish will get drunk from those snails?

yer that was my master work. might have to get it out again as i found some slugs again. but im sure the trout will enjoy them beer and all. Beer flavored trout. could be onto something here.

Did you ever figure out what was eating your plant? Looked at the picture again and it could also be Birds. Finches around here do something similar. Not sure about the black specks, usually that's caterpillars.

pulled off a few catapillers and a lot of white moths hanging around being the cause of the problem. As the weather gets cooler the bugga off and things have really been taking off. Except for my passion fruit vine. was abit down about that as i love passionfruit and heard they draw heaps of nutriants so was hoping it would do well as my Nirtate levels are high and cant fit any more plants in to draw them down

Thanks for the update Sheepy

Some ones been sticking there head into the tank and disturbing things. This is the cause I'm fairly sure of the dog or car playing around as they both drink out of it Grrrr


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Dam that's no good sheepy looking nice size to how is your system going and your plants?
Have you got a cover over the tank?

Hiya sheepy, have you salted your ft's? I think there is more to it than cats n dogs.

No haven't been down that path. Didn't even think of that. I have removed all fish from this tank and placed them into the IBC system and all doing well apart from the 2 I lost. Will check the water levels when home. Plan to put the silver Perch back in there as they seem to like sitting deeper and never had a problem with the dog or cat


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