Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

No real updates.

Fish are growing, though they are eating very little in this cold weather. I need to get motivated and add more beds before summer hits and the fat little silvers start eating again.

I had a pump fail, which was replaced under warranty by creative pumps. Luckily it happened while I was home and not while I was away!

Thanks for the update. Very lucky on the pump, both that you were there and that it was under warranty. Where abouts are you in Adelaide? North? South? East? West?

Laguna pump, so 3 year warranty.

South of the city, but not way down South.

Mitchell Park

Well bad news.

Air pump failed last night and with the warm over night temps and the scorching day time temps lost about 20 of my bigger silver perch.

Water temp this morning was 32C.

New air pump and removed the dead bodies. Smaller silvers seem OK, hoping they survive with a cool change due soon.

Been a brutal week of hot weather.

Oh no dead fish is bad news

Ive been battling heat too (Riverland SA)

That sucks mate, I feel for you. Just a thought could you trickle water over a shade mesh screen at night to increase the cooling of the water? Could set a timer for the coolest time before sunrise.

Yeah, something to consider. Though would be hard to stop water from splashing out of the system. Maybe more shading of the beds, some sort of evaporation bakki shower?

Hard to keep the water temp down when the overnight temp was 32 after being 40+ for 3 days. And the extended hot spell probably did the air pump no favours too.

Shame about the fish Brian, it’s gotta be the worst part of AP. I’m assuming you didn’t lose them all though?

Nah, still a few left. Lost 3 more during the day yesterday. The cool change after 44C day didn't turn up till late.

Not sure how many left, but there should still be 15-20 I reckon? Hard to do a head count unless the sun is at the right angle due to the 1/2 lid on my tank.

But most of the 1kg+ fish died.

Yeah agree, not much to do in such crappy extremes. I hope you get some reprieve from the heat, and soon.

The thought popped in to my head thinking of the old coolgardie safe, pre-refrigeration, refrigerator, if that makes sence. Something to do with air stealing heat due to thermal mass differential from water.

I need to read more to understand so I can help.

At least it wasn’t a total loss then.
Normally the air pump is the back up. Don’t you get enough aeration during your water pumping cycle?

Thought I did have enough aeration. No issues for the previous hot periods, even when the power was off for a while.
I have water constantly running back to the sump aerating the water in the sump. Guessing with the temperatures by the time it pumps into fish tank the oxygen in the water has reduced?

Thinking I might have to change the set-up a little so I have a portion of water pumping to break the surface of the tank water. Or set up maybe a pump within the tank to splash the surface? Not sure at this stage.

So I have fitted and plumbed in a spray bar over the top of the fish tank.

Hopefully that assists given there is a return of extended 40C next week.

Any pics of the spray bar Brian? I'm looking at building a trickle green wall in the new year and your idea might do just the trick.

pretty simple, 1 mt length of 25mm PVC pressure pipe, 5mm holes spaced 100mm centres along one side.

Cable tied to fish tank lid edge which puts it over the centre of the tank.

Feeding it from my second pump which normally feeds my PVC NFT part of the system, but I don't run that during summer to reduce heat soak.