Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Keen to learn, happy to troubleshoot...

After about a year of pondering, doing my due diligent research by attending seminars and soaking up valuable forum information I am finally ready to document my aquaponics journey. I stumbled upon AP when I was researching landscaping ideas and ways to incorporate a sustainable/edible garden. I have always been a keen gardener but never had the time nor the right (Renting) to develop it into any full blown obsession.

June 2010 marked our first move into home ownership, a beautiful 4 bedroom house in a bustling new suburb, big house small block sans any landscaping. We had a landscape designer draw us up a plan of exactly what we wanted, including an area set aside for a particular AP kit. Unfortunately, due to 30k+ quotes to actually complete the job (From referred companies) AP and indeed our landscaping were put on the backburner for a couple of months.

In early January 2011 I started musing over proposed labour costs (Estimated) and went about quoting myself a mates rate to do the job myself. So, I sold my small business (Coffee franchise) to take up a new role as 'Daddy day care' and practice the dark art of DIY sustainable landscaping. In between nappy changes and witnessing my daughter take her first steps, for the first time in many years I had some sort of spare 'Time up my sleeve, not to mention money for AP.

After shuffling 27 or so cubic metres of dirt by hand, building retaining wall after retaining wall, ordering plants to suit and getting my nails dirty my aquaponics kit was finally ordered and arrived midyear. The system consists of a 1 x 925l FT and 3 x 200l GB's, or as Practical Aquaponics call it a 3 bed balcony kit (Complete). Due to some mismatched colours and my pedantic eye the fibreglass beds and fish tank were painted externally and the system assembled.

AP Troubleshooting issue number one, it did not fit in its proposed location. After a couple of days I modified the falls from the auto siphons to include additional elbows and the system was fired up. AP Troubleshooting issue number two, getting my head around auto siphons. While initially working one beds auto siphon wouldn't stop flowing, no matter what I did. Turns out it wouldn't 'Burp' due to a 4mm fall (Rise in this case) inconstancy in a screwed elbow (No fault of kit manufacturer). Pulled problematic bed apart and modified a few fittings and brought it back online successfully.

Since then plants have been added in the form of tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplants, various greens, zucchinis, chilli's, pumpkin and other odds and ends. The aim of my game is to grow Trout from mid February till late December, so with a realistic goal I set about fishless cycling the system in preparation for the months ahead. With all the knowledge shared on the forums I added various additives to speed up cycling and drop PH, got impatient and now have a newfound respect for water chemistry and improved awareness of my freshwater test kit (Wait, look and listen stupid).

This thread is to serve multiple purposes, one to document my attempts at productive AP, two to provide avenues for viewer feedback and most importantly learn from my mistakes. Information on system progress will be via uploaded scanned documents and photographs. I will endeavour to keep on top of all documenting including plant/fish growth and thank you all in advance for your forum assistance in keeping my interest locked in AP, from the present to well into the future.

Reserved - Images to come

hi paffoh
this forum has a short time limit on editing , so you can't reserve posts.
i've brought this issue up with admin but got knocked back

Stop mucking around with the pH.

Re: reserving posts,

Thats ok, each forum principals to their own.

Re: pH

Currently all additives ceased, updating status after long weekend.

Updated Week 3 - 4

Still cold here, constant low pressure systems for weeks.

Big thanks for discussing my system and for the tour Rupert before you moved, you were pretty much spot on the money regarding PH/Ammonia drop. PH has dropped a lot and the ammonia is almost gone, nitrite slowly falling but nitrate still off the chart.

Glad to help Paffoh.... looks like your pH has dropped to 6.0.. or below... bring it back to between 6.4-6.6... with some "slaked lime"... also known as "hydrated lime" or "brickies lime"...

Take it easy though... it's a strong buffer... about a small handful per 1000L....

And get a load of plants in to suck those nitrates...

Was concerned about a few issues but with the warmer weather they have come right down.

System pretty much cycled, buffered PH up from 6.0 with lime, small handful took it right up to 7.6 (Along with help from the nitrate population). PH has dropped again to 6.8 but this time it dropped the nitrates right down to 20PPM. No ammonia in the system and no nitrites present so I would say I have cycled. Bang on the 6 week mark, thanks mainly to the change in water temps and general warmer days. Predicted to be 26 degrees on Sunday so if it climbs to that over a few days I'm guessing going off my kept figures water temp will be up around 20 degrees.

Exciting times, time for fish perhaps Rupert?

Drop me a line Paffoh...

Tank water was up to 20 degrees yesterday, and evaporation loss over the past few weeks was more evident than usual (this is normal yes?). I'm kind of learning the hard way with AP so original game plan of Trout is out the window for awhile, will monitor temps for the first year and make a structured forecast of when Trout might actually be achievable. No matter though, Silver Perch will be the first species, along with a couple of randoms if the room is available.

Put about 8 shrimp from local lake plus a yabby in a couple of days ago, fascinating genus. Unfortunately 6 shrimp died but the tabby and 2 remaining going strong. Test subjects they may be but really feels like an AP kitnow, even if there have been deaths.

Well I dropped Rupe a line, resulting in delivery of 30 Silver Perch between 10-20cm.

John has helped me out immensly and I appreciate his willingness to educate. As I was in his area for the weekend anyway I transported the fish via car 3 hours back to Canberra. I am happy to notify readers that all fish made the journey quite easily (Air con was blasting) and they seem very happy.

The poor Yabby got harrassed something fierce so liberated him back to his previous home. Couldnt catch the Shrimp, last seen running for their lives. They were hidding under the pump and in PVC 'Hides' but as I removed them to monitor feed and ammonia they are sitting up the top looking very nervous.

Water in fish bags was pH 6 so swung them over an hour to FT pH. Today the system was Salted to 1PPT using Sunray pool salt and fish given 10 grams of feed. Summer storm came over and with resulting baro rise they acted up a treat, bottom of tank much cleaner now. Will keep an eye on ammonia as suggested and check what feed is consumed.

The pH dropped 2 points to 7.2, small trace of ammonia, warm water, brilliant.

And here are the fish....

In the holding tank...



In the net...



And in the bag... ready to transport...