Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Again, try to cancel / postpone the order for at least 4 weeks.

First point of call if you CAN NOT delay fish is DO NOT FEED them, also see if you can have 1500L of water ready which has been de-chlorinated

We can all tell a HSM from a mile away!!

If I add my 2c..... you got to be kidding? Keep in mind a system from scratch, cold whether, no existing collonies, 300 fish. I doubt it will be cycled enough in 6 weeks. That is a LOT of ammonia to deal with. Can anyone recall the grow rate of our microscopic buddies?

I don't think it would be possible without massive losses.
Not to mention, daily water changes, testing twice a day, plenty of aerators, kilos and kilos of salt (at least 6 kg) plus another 2kg for every 1000L of water changes. If you can get and keep the pH low ie. 5 or 6 it will reduce the toxicity of the ammonia but it won't be too good for the fish long term. (However my bream have been as low as 4..

OMG!!! Have fun...

Nitrosomas aren`t too bad but nitrobactor are deadly slow at cooler temps.
If push comes to shove, half a dozen 220L blue barrels (indoors if possible) filled with gravel and some heaters then 4 weeks may be a possibility with optimum ph and temps.. if some mature substrate can be had from somewhere.

You`d still have to keep the fish alive in the meantime though.
I think you`d incurr some heavy losses too..delay delivery if you can.

in my experience the mussles need a layer of gravel to move around in, i don't thint they will be able to do much on a smooth bottom tank (well the ones i am thinking of) and be aware that part of the mussles lifecycle is a fish parasite, but with that many fish, if you don't have too many mussles, the may not cause the fish too many problems........ (unless they are stressed, sick, etc..)

You could ramp up the bacteria population faster if you use fishless cycling; I was able to get ready for 60 fish after 2 weeks. This was after putting in gunk from an established aquarium and dosing with ammonia every day for a week though.

Good luck!

Brings back memories...... doing before planning... I seem t remember killin a few fish in my day.

Take the advice....these people know what they are talking about.

Shhhhhh...I think we scared him. Maybe if we put out a peanut butter sandwich and sit verrrry still, he'll come back.

I f he doesn't , I will for a PBJ sandwich and a glass of milk.

Hiyall,
Thanks for the concerns and maybe some intepretations needed to ensure folks I have things well in control, and I would say mostly thanks to this forum.

I had a friend with a near complete PHD in Sustainability ask me similar questions before I posted my 'non-existant' system design
She had the very same concerns so I put down a tool (should have put it down before the tool expired).

The mostly sandy earth here is hard to make level with all the sandstone rocks around on this steep hill I am on. The tank has to go downhill as no way I am going to dig a hole in this without motorised tool.

I didnt set a pickup date for the aqua friends yet.

Although I think that will only be a few days after the system has tested and cycled for a day or two.

Glad we all agree to get the system cycling first.

I will get some pics soon.

I know the ebay whims would be a good sign of enthusiasm - aka bad planning given the obvious low quality mostly and not specific product lines for AP. I couldnt even buy a small fishy online ... yet so my advice is to steer away from ebay for trivolous items.

The coconut husk items yeah could be just fish poison so even if they are not rated as not being so then they will go into standing water buckets before being introduced into the system. Nice one - thanks for the thought.

For the system I have now a large cement sink about and another cement tub about half size of 250L now also but my first concerns were to get the brood fish (as its that time of year) ordered and the system setup.

I have been looking at ebay.. oh sorry I meant google about solar water pumps. I saw 8w 400L/h @ 1.2m head height and thats peak sun which I can get for around $80?? other solar systems are more for a larger system.

Anyone else had experience with putting together solar pumps and/or solar heating in their systems?

I thought 12/24V solar would do but I am not sure now.
Also want to have backup power (Not batteries though) gee.

btw: the kookaburras come in to say hi for a possible scrap of fresh - I just wondered what they will like their fish served

fresh and thankful
rgs/ Shaun

I'm sure there's been a collective sigh echo around the forum Shaun.

Regarding the coco husk products..... think Axl was getting at the 5kg coir blocks that have become popular at nurseries and Bunnings etc....

Many of those have an added fertiliser incorporated....

The Jiffy pellets are made from "peat" and have been around for years...

The Jiffy pots are a coir (coconut) pot but to my knowlege are clean and safe.....

It is also possible to get 5kg coir blocks and husks without the added fertilisers.

Solar... I looking hard at it and hope to begin something definite within a few weeks... so I'm more than interested in any ideas you might like to post up.

Good to hear you haven't dived under a pile of dead decaying fish bodies and have surfaced back on the forum.......

Look forward to some pics if you can post them up Shaun

Hi,
So 4 days is not enough time to cycle a system?
Why? I thought that this could occur quicker if the system 'thought' it was already running = a future topic.

I am guessing this has to do with getting the right eco system in place with plants. I have huge amounts of native plants around and some are greedy which are not native and will go eventually for more native species.

I want to try grow Mangosteen which is good for the eyes.

I have bad eyesight and love fresh fruit,veg and fish... here fish.. heh.

So what is the best way to cycle a system in a short amount of time and what are the suggestions to do this?

I dont want to start eating fingerlings.

Oh and I need need a grow bed.
I had to scrap plans to make it myself from fibreglass... oh the shame.

Grow bed - tin roof - rusty
no good right.... what about not rusty?


btw: aerobics topic was great... and love the organic nature of the topic and the actual scientific result we are all expecting (TBA with RSG filter system in tow).


Ta. Shaun

I wouldn't trust those little solar pumps as far as I could throw them.... but thats just my opinion. You need a good pump cause you are going to need a lot of power for that many fish. I would expect at least 5,000LPH if not more.

The trick is to create as much water movement and water agitation as possible. 400LPH will just not cut it especially @ 1.2 m. Don't forget at 1.2m you will get less than a trickle of water. You will also need a pump which can handle a LOT of solids.

Hi Shaun,
Good to hear your fish delivery is not imminent.

A completely new system can`t realistically be cycled in 4 days.
If you can obtain enough mature media and ideally water from an established system that`s the best plan, but it`ll still a while for the bacteria to colonise the extra non mature media.

Not sure how a system can "think" it`s running, if the bacteria aren`t present in sufficient numbers, they simply can`t handle the workload and will have to increase the population, which takes time.

The fastest way to cycle is use the media/water from a mature system and provide optimum conditions for the bacteria, PH and temps, don`t forget copious quantities of O2.

With pumps it`s always better to have too much flow than not enough

Shaun may be talking about fishless cycling?? or maybe not

4 days????????? not even "god" got it done that quick...as for the system thinkin its ready then maybe you have furthered the developement of nano technology and your not sharing it with us.............but that aside I reckon its called nature and you should let it take its toll