Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Rites are not a big problem in my opinion BD at 1, the cold weather will be slowing down the bacteria, you have no Amm so things are working, maybe cut the feed a little if your concerned during the ice weather

Hi everyone,

Water tests for today,

Ambient temp 14.8 went down to about 2 this morning
Fish tank temp 8.5
Nitrites about 1+ they seem to be moving up and down ever so slightly
Nitrates god movement 30
pH slightly swinging 7.6

Fish are not eating straight away but if I go away and come back an hour later the food is gone,fish are happy.

Cheers.

Hi folks,

Water tests for today
Ambient temp 15 last night a fair bit warmer
Fish tank temp 7.8
Nitrites definitely 1 I think they are on their way down
Nitrates 30
pH 7.8
Ammonia 0

Fish will only eat if they feel like it I notice a bit of food down the bottom of the tank and actually the pump is transferring a little bit back to the grow bed,I can see a little food just past the outlet,no effect on the ammonia reading.Having said all that,fish are all happy as Larry.

Cheers.

Hi everyone,

Had a few dramas over the last 24 hours or so,
Needed to top up the barra system the day before yesterday,put the hose in & turned it on,went inside.Came out with a mate a few hours later to have a coffee under the pergolla and yep, water everywhere.Bigdaddy left the water on.I figure a few hours at 60 litres a minute equals about a gerzillion percent. Quickly took the temp and the tank was down to 15.8 C.Not good,turned off the grow bed,until this morning took temp 28.3 C,thats better.Fed the barra.Eating well.Went over to the trout tank to feed the trout,no air from the air stones took a quick vial of water,and found out the aerator was not working well at all.Scrounged up some old aquarium air pumps hooked up the air stones to them,now OK.Luckily the trout are still looking happy,I must of just caught it in time.
The good news is,I took a nitrites test just for curiosity and it showed .25.Meanwhile it was off to find another aerator.

Decided to clean the barra tank yesterday,vacuum the bottom,clean the sides.
Took a water reading a couple of hours later.Still cloudy.

Ambient temp 16.3
Fish tank temp 19.8
Ammonia 1
Nitrites .25
Nitrates 60
pH 6.8

Was a bit concerned about the high ammonia level.

Kept the grow bed on last night,to keep the bio filtration happening.Tested the ammonia this morning back down to 0 temp 19 gave the kids a light feed,just interested in a light feed only,as expected.Will ramp up the feed later on when I get a bit more heat into the tank.I must of disturbed the nasties to much?? yesterday when cleaning.All seems OK now.

Kept the grow bed on last night,to keep the bio filtration happening.Tested the ammonia this morning back down to 0 temp 19 gave the kids a light feed,just interested in a light feed only,as expected.Will ramp up the feed later on when I get a bit more heat into the tank.I must of disturbed the nasties to much?? yesterday when cleaning.All seems OK now.

Cheers.

Got over my little excitement the day before yesterday,

Water tests for the trout tank were,

Ambient temp 16.4
Fish tank temp 9.9
Ammonia 0
Nitrites can confirm definitely .25
Nitrates 20
pH 7.7

It finally looks like the nitrites are coming down rapidly fish are feeding and also happy.
I can tell the water quality is improving because I am stating to get a slight brown clear tinge in the water of the fish tank.
Water tests for today,

Ambient temp 14.8

Trout tank

Fish tank 8.9
Nitrites .5 still
Nitrates 50
pH 7.7
Ammonia 0

Trout not feeding today,low came over about lunch time. fish still happy.

Barra tank

Fish tank temp 20 C
Nitrites 0
Nitrates 20
Ammonia 0+ slight trace
pH 6.8

The whole thing has settled down now.I really think I stirred the water up too much causing that little spike.

Barra fed this morning,sort of,low coming in,and tank temp only 20 C

Cheers.

Hi folks,

Water tests for today

Lovely clear winter's day turned rubbish,this afternoon.

Ambient temp 15.3
Fish tank temp 10.1
Nitrites .25
Nitrates 20
Ammonia 0
pH 7.6

Trout eating well again and look happy

Cheers.

Looking good BD

Ammonia at 1 with pH that low should be ok, i'm sure Barra can tolerate Amm more than trout, the short time it read 1 is no problem, if you tested a little later than you did you probably wouldn't have even known it was up

Thanks Nocky,

Hi everyone,

We got belted last night,

Cold,wind,rain.

Woke up this morning to no power..great..out of bed,got dressed,found the stairwell light working,good.. but something has tripped the upper story circuit breaker and my Aquaponics is no1 suspect,checked RCD and yep it kept flicking off.Went out the back and everything was everywhere,lid and foam off barra tank,even though I weighted it down..Felt the barra tank and it was cold!Turned off the power,and went over to the trout tank.Trout were fine but no air!Turned off the power to the trout system.Turned on the RCD and everything came on. went outside,checked all the electrics were dry and turned on the barra system,nothing went off.Turned on the trout system and likewise,nothing tripped.All I can deduct is we definitely had a blackout for a while and when all the aquaponics came on at once it caused a spike and tripped the RCD.All fish are fine.
Checked the aerators in the barra tank all OK waited until pump finished flooding grow bed and turned off the grow bed 3 hrs later and the barra tank is up to temp fed fish eating well.Grow bed back on.Fed trout,no probs there.I really need to look at a suitable back up of aeration for both systems.

Still a cold wet day but not as windy as last night it seem to have settled down now,

Water tests for today,

Ambient temp 10
Fish tank temp 9.6
Ammonia a definite trace 0++
Nitrites up 0.5
Nitrates 40
pH 7.6

Fish eating well and happy. I think the system got stirred up from last nights blow so I'll be able to get more of an idea tomorrow,when I take the water tests of what's happening.

Cheers.

Hi folks,

Water tests for today,

Ambient 14,cloudy and still.
Fish tank temp 11.8 level down to about 275 litres now.
Nitrites 0.25 + definitely down
Nitrates 20
pH 7.7

Fish are feeding well about 4 times a day and happy.

I have been reluctant to top up the water in the fish tank because I still have a nitrites reading,and would like it to be 0 before I gradually top it up.But I think I will start adding 50 litres per day from tomorrow regardless,unless you guys and girls tell me not to.

Cheers.

feel free to top up your tank. its a completely different prospect to a water change. as long the the water you are using isn't full of chlorine, you'll be fine.

Thanks Orcy...Done.. hopefully tomorrow and the next day will show 0 nitries.

Cheers

Spray the water in to tank it will help evaporate the chlorine, but no problems topping up

Thanks Nocky,good tip.

Water tests for today

Ambient 13.8 still and sunny
Fish tank temp 9.8
Nitrites down 0.25
Nitrates 20
Ammonia 0
pH 7.7

Cheers.

For backup air I have one of these Bigdaddy

https://www.aquariumproducts.com.au/cat ... 12&catID=8

A bit expensive but it should give 6 hrs of air on battery

Cheers Mantis,

I like that site,

Hi folks,

Water tests for today

Ambient 14.8 med level cloud weather turning rubbish,We are about to get belted again.
Fish tank temp 11.8
Nitrites over 0 below 0.25 definitely coming down.
Nitrates 5
pH 7.7
Ammonia 0

Trout not eating this meal time,bar low is here,all happy.

I can tell I have NEARLY"cycled"-the bacteria has nearly ramped up and equalized,because the water is clear,with a tinge of brown,I don't know how to describe it any better,but I think you can just tell by the look of your water if it has cycled.My barra system was the same.Has any one else found that?

Cheers.