Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

i thought that i should do a water test seeing that the system has been cycling since monday.

as the stones are reused from my original system i hoped that the bacteria colony was still alive and kicking and it looks like it is!! the ammonia is remnants of fish waste and decomposing leaf matter from where i have stored the stones.

There are trace amounts of ammonia, slight nitrites and and already nitrates. so i added a good squirt of Charlie Carp to help kick it along.

Get it planted out big time as the Charlie carp will really kick things along. I ran my ibc system on it for months before I got trout last year and the plants went mad

if all goes well i'll get some scoria to finish it off tomorrow and also a heap of fish that will live in Dad's system until i need them. plus i need one more bag of scoria

WE HAVE FISH!!!

all fish will live in Dads system until i am happy with mine and then i'll relocate some to my system.

Silver Perch and Tandanus Catfish!!

Top - Silver Perch
Bottom - Tandanus Catfish


Cats




And in Dad's tank


Silvers


And in the tank

last week i managed to do some serious damage to my ankle and have been off work since. this week things have been much better but seriously bored at home so i picked up a heap of scoria this morning and with minimal movement and lots of water i got the growbeds setup... too bad i need about two buckets more to fill the third bed and another bag of hydroton for the last bed.





almost enough!!


the hydroton bed for all my root vegetables

water is dirty but already starting to clear in the constant flood system



the fish tank


and the sump

the first bed has been planted...

i know its late but i couldn't resist self propagating cucumbers and tomatoes from the compost, i also added some broccoli seeds.



compost tomatoes up the back and lettuces my wife had started got transplanted, i also added a heap of iceberg lettuce seeds to the middle.

Im excited for you! Those beds are like blank canvas's!!!

i have so much to do, so many plans, not enough time (or money...lol)

Shite...noone's told u where the money tree is yet??? Didn't u know that's why this forum is so popular....?

i need to get some money tree seeds and put them in the AP system.

Wont be long now and you will need a chainsaw to get to your grow beds

How long to you think you will move your fish?

i'll give it a couple of weeks unless i get impatient and move them sooner

at this stage i'll keep adding charlie carp every few days

here is my makeshift shade house for the next few days as the sun has a nasty kick and i want to give the seedlings every chance to take hold.



also i wrapped it all with some builders plastic to help mitigate any algae build up until i can get it all covered properly.

here is a water test from today... big difference from the last one

i've given it a fair 'splash' of charlie carp over the past few days and the new stones still need the bacteria colonies to grow.




BUT.... i have plenty of nitrates for my new seedlings and at least it is all working!!