Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I have had no problems with varying sizes of fish. For this reason I think the answer is to have fish maybe at 2 or 3 stages of development so that at any given time you have pretty much the same weight of fish in the system (by harvestign and replacing).

PS - the other factor to account for is the different nitrate use of plants in summer and winter. I reckon this can be coverred though as plenty of winter veggies - like brocoli - are heavy feeders. Nedd to then keep the fish producing by keeping the temp right.

Thanks VB, I will hold off a bit on the new fish, see how things change with more feed in the tank.
Jades and Silvers of all sizes live happily together. I have never observed the large Silvers I have troubling the fingerlings. That is one of the factors for the home Aquaponist that makes Jade and Silver Perch the greatist.
Muzza

Bio farmer, carnivorous fish like barra will eat their little ones

thanks for the info guys.

i like the idea of perpetual fish harvest. as fish are harvested others are put back to replace the ones removed keeping the system at optimum stocking and keeping the system balanced.

Can anyone tell me what caused the death of this Silver.
First death I have had for a very long time.
Note the redness in the tail, like it has had a bleed .......

No idea muzz - as well as the bleed does there look to be any trauma. Is it possible it got caught in a pump or something. Unless you have more deaths I wouldn't be too concerned.

Mate lying there even gasping for air would probably look like trauma, let alone being dead LOL


Pump was first thing that crossed my mind... unless there's a white pointer in the tank somewhere

i know we are talking silvers and what I am bout to say is for goldfish, but I will say it anyway as someone be able to add to it or disregard,

But one of the staff at the pet shop said that goldfish when there are high nitrate levels the fish will show stress lines in the tail in a very dark gold or red.

I know this is most likely not it but is something to consider as if it is affecting goldfish it might ba affecting the silvers and others.

Also I do know that murray has said he 0ppm of nitrates in his tank from his most recent test. so again above statement becomes less relevant.

Thanks guys, I won't worry about it too much, but I would really like to know.

Muzza

How is the coc peat lately? Is it still discolouring the water? Have you altered the filter in the sump... Really interested in you progress as I'm considering this medium as an option for my new system.

Cucumbers are suffering and from info gleaned from another thread I feel it is a lack of potassium.
I have purchased some potassium in a form that can be applied by spray to the leaves of my cucumber plants and I am now waiting to see if and how the plants respond.
It was very inexpensive, $6.90 for 500ml which is used at the rate of 10ml per 1000 ml to make up a spray to be applied to leaves.

Hi Asitis,
The cocopeat is going great, it took about 6 weeks for the discolouration to subside but apart from that I am very happy with the cocopeat.
I am getting a pallet of it delivered in the next week to 10 days so I will be getting it into a couple of new grow beds. I am going to attempt tp grow spuds and carrots in the cocopeat using only one flood and drain cycle a day. The coco peat holds the moisture really well. It will be a fun experiment.
Muzza

Sounds interesting with the spud/carrot experiments, look forward to the results. The information you gather is invaluable to us all.

How are you currently filtering the coco peat? Do you foresee any major problems with the bacteria not readily colonising coco peat?

Sorry about all the q's. Just trying to plan my current system and aviod wasting money I don't have.

Sam

Murray, it could also have been the result of no nitrates in your system, I had the same problem when my nitrates were being dragged out by the one plant