Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I have read the blogs, viewed the video's, asked the questions etc. etc. Now I can announce I've put my toe in the water and built the system.

Its based on one IBC, obtained locally, cleaned and cut as instructed in the video.

The 800ltr fish tank (FT) is ensconced inside the old chicken shed (actually it was only used for bunnies and guinea pigs when the kids were small - the rest of the time it became an out of sight out of mind dumping ground (OoSOoMDG for short!)).

The growbed (GB) is placed on a jarrah framed table hand made in and agricultural style (you can tell), with wheels for mobility. This contraption is next to the chicken shed in the SouthWest corner of the back yard.

The GB drains into the FT along slightly angled pipework. The FT has a 3500ltre 4 pole submersible pump (25watts). This pumps into a water distribution pipe set around the GB. Filling the GB until it reaches the top of the central drain, the water then drains back into the FT by gravity.

The cycle works! Initially I attempted to build an Afnan syphon which worked well in the test bed but was not consistently reliable in the GB. I converted that to a standard bell syphon. That was fine but in the end I went for a simple flooded system with a down pipe drain. I will experiment further with the syphons as I like this concept.

I next filled the GB, firstly with pea gravel, carefully washed, to about half way, and then topped off with 100ltrs of clay balls. When flooding for the first time this was a wonderful sight as all my maltesers float, nearly over the sides! They have settled a bit now and I lowered the level of water, taking the view that the vegetables I plant may not appreciate a tidal system!

After a few days i planted the the first vegies and and stood back in admiration of my handiwork! Of course I now needed to go through the mysterious process of cycling! which as far as I could tell involved leaving it all working for a few days until the chlorine (tap water) worked is way out. I did not introduce any anonymous pond water, being of a suspicious frame of mind.

After a week I was becoming bored! so I popped over to the fish farm and asked about water testing kits. Asking the young lady how often I should test (it was a multi test kit) she looked at me askance and asked if I had any fish, I replied no. "Well", she said, "we don't generally test our tanks at all". I, puzzled, asked how you know the PH and the Nitrites, and the Nitrates and the amonias are ok? She replied, knowingly, "the fish tell us!"

Now I had a minds eye picture of the tanks nominated spokesfish attending the morning water assessment meeting, clip board in fin, suitably attired. Well the principle is correct but the young lady pointed out that fish behaviour is easily perceived as long as you can see them. If they are happy (I can feel a discourse in confucian philosophy coming on) they will dart about, display skittishness at your presence above the pondiverse, and will eat when presented with pellets! If however they are unhappy with their environs they will be less motivated to move, perhaps will visit their upper atmosphere and are likely not to feed.

So, I put the test kit back on the shelf and purchased 10 silver perch. Clearly the young lady knew her business as she also sold me two kilos of Salt and 1 kilo of calcium and a quantity of fish food. In all a much better transaction (from her perspective) than one test kit!

So I now have 10 Silver Perch. On returning to the AP installation in BY, I dumped in 1 kilo of salt and 1/2 kilo of calcium. Then after about half an our I allowed the fish into their new home!

That was ten days ago. The fish are still there, at our daily environmental meetings they report happiness!

I have fully planted the GB which now contains:
Chilli, Capsicum, Lettuce, Tomato, Rhubarb, Carrots, Strawberry and Sage

The plants look OK (spoken hesitatingly), but they are not as dynamically communicative as the fish. They are not growing as rapidly as I hoped despite my daily conversational encouragement. And the leaves of some are looking a little worse for wear. My research indicates a potential iron deficiency, so I will look in to that.

As soon as I can get the sound on my videos to match the frames. I'll post them up onto Youtube for all and sundry to see!

Regards
Tony

Welome to AP Tony,

It will take a while before you get rapid growth. The system won't be cycled yet so go very carefull with your feed. Fish can go weeks without feed. Glad to hear only 10 fish, as lots of peeps have been putting more than that.

Now it has started warming up, you will have a chance of getting the system to cycle bio-organism wise. Vegies may not look healthy until then, but you are probably looking at a few months at least before it really kicks.

Thanks Dr Bee. I'm still working my way through technical difficulties with photos and film but will hopefully have something up by the weekend.

The 'young lady' i mentioned also advised me to keep the food low, at 1 pellet per fish per day, that is quite difficult to do, so I think I'll let them have a weekend off tucker and see how they go then. All in all they are looking fine.

Tony

Welcome aboard, Bunyip.

I would suggest never visiting the 'young lady' again. She obviously has no idea whats going on. Why add calcium when you dont even know your water parameters are? Thats nuts! And I dont know anyone that that could say they know exactly whats going on in their system just by watching fish behaviour.... sure, if they are swimming slowly and turning upside down there must be a problem... unfortunately this is usually too late.

You really need to get a test kit, jump on the BYAP shop and buy yourself a AP master kit, it will be your bible in the coming months. 1 pellet per day is just a random statement.

Mate, Im just glad you found us.

Hi tony,

Good to see your fish are still alive. Your system sounds pretty good. I can tell you that it is well worth getting a test kit. I didn't, and lost all my fish, even though the guy at the fish shop said that he would accept liability, I still think my system wasn't quite ready for fish at that stage. I have a test kit now and I know for certain that the water quality is correct. I think I might give putting fish back in a go tomorrow.

I will see what the minister for war and finance says.

Well things are still hanging in there!

I am now the proud owner of an API Test Kit and conducted my first tests this afternoon with the following results:

High Range PH: 8.2
Ammonia: 0.50
Nitrite: 5.0
Nitrate: 5.0 >

I'd appreciate any thoughts on whether or not I should be taking more actions? Some plants are doing OK, others are singularly distressed, particularly the sage and the lettuce!! The fish however are well behaved and comfortable, I know this from our daily environmental meetings!

This is my first attempt at these tests and differentiating the colours on the chart is certainly challenging. In the case of Nitrites I cannot discern the colour difference between 1.0. 2.0 and 5.0 - does this mean I will never be allowed to fly aeroplanes (drat - I was going to move onto that after aquaponics!). Fortunately my wife has a much better eye for colour appreciation (specially in clothes!) and stated quite clearly that my Nitrates were at the high end of the chart!

Well what does it all mean! In researching the forum I found this gem from 'Journeyman':



It appears to me that I am in the "Progress" phase - I hope this is good!

The photos give you an idea of the setup. I am still working on the video - I have a plan!!

Regards
Tony

Yep... your cycling is... progressing...

Another update!

I have removed the dead lettuces and planted some Rainbow Chard and Chinese Veggies instead (as advised by another blogger). I have also put in a teaspoon of chelated iron. So far not marked effect on the plant life, and the Tomatoes are looking dreadful, my principle hope in life is the performance of the Rhubarb which look healthy in the extreme!

The fish are doing all that I could ask of them, flitting backwards and forwards and clustering in corners with concerned eyes towards the pooliverse! And of course eating!

I have also conducted a second round of water tests with the following results:

Date/Test HPH Amonia Nitrite Nitrate
1/10/13 8.2 0.5 5 5
13/10/13 8.2 0.5 5 20

Not sure if I should be doing anything about the PH reading? Thoughts anyone! Also any constructive suggestions on improving the health of my plants in this phase of cycling would be most appreciated.

Taking a leaf out of another aquaponifer here is a nice piccy of my chemical results!