Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I am going to start pictures tomorrow of my pretty blue barrels and their contents. The plants are doing better than the system I think. I am still waiting for it to cycle. It is starting in it's 4th week. I have done a 2/3 rds water change to bring the ammonia and nitrites down. Ammonia is down to .25 but the nitrites are still hanging in between 2.0 and 5.0. I am using the API test kit.
I have an aquarium air pump w/2 stones, a small garden pond pumping water back into the FT, and the water from the GB's putting air to the FT. I have about 10-12 goldies.

The system is in a dual layered inflated 12x20 green house in the high desert in SW Utah. Summer high temps can hit the tripple digits, and the winter lows can dip to 0 and below. On a well for water that is 55 F right out of well. Water temps in the FT have varied from 56 to 85. I have an aquarium heater but having problems keeping it where it needs to be. Doesn't want to adhere to the plastic barrel. Still working on that tho. Also have water bottles in freezer in case need them to keep water in prefered range.

In the GB's I have, a tomato, 2 jalapenos, 5 or 6 various herbs, 5 very small seedling tomatos, 3 strawberry seeds that just got leaves yesterday, and 5 either cauliflower or brocolli and a couple other plants. The plants are getting a pale look to them but the jalapeno plants have buds and 2 jalapeno's growing. They have been in there since day one along with the one tomato plant. The plants don't seem to be growing though. Will get pics tomorrow and try to get them posted.

Cindy

ok, I think I have the photo upload figured out, will check and see what appears. Gulp



Well that's not exactly the size I wanted, but will figure it out eventually. But its a start.

The full stream is from a second pump that is just recirculating FT water. Black hose in back is the pump that sends water up to float tank. The 2 little clear lines are from the aquarium air pump. Then the water that runs back from the GB also splashes a little. I didn't want the little buggers to die from oxygen deprivation. I also have a little battery operated bubblier off to the side that used 2 d cell batteries that is emergency use only.

Just your typical pretty blue system

PH 8.2 ammonia .25 nitrites between 2.0 and 5.0 closer to the 2.0 nitrates between 40 and 80. Guess the white background wasn't the best for colors.


As soon as I get this system functioning, I'd like to look into solar, for heating more than anything, and would like to keep it going all winter. Would trade out my goldies for trout. (Tilapia are illegal in Utah)

I have more pictures from around the "house" I will get posted later.

Very neatly done Cindy.

Nice little setup Cindy - congrats.

Looking at your test results you're not yet fully cycled, so go very easy on the feeding. Those damn nitrites can drag on for many weeks (and it feels like forever).

Cool, always good to see more of the little barrel systems.. Leatherman handy there I see too I see...

Looking great, Cindy! You'll probably want to paint your little plastic bottle black, so it doesn't get gunked up with algae. I had more than a few dump tank failures due to that.

Also, it's not a bad idea to put overflow drains on the growbeds, perhaps just above your balancing pipe.

Nicely done Cindy!!
Personally, I think blue barrels are a thing of beauty .

Travis

Ah ha when i saw the name travis and talking about blue barrels i thought i bet i know that travis

Is that a brass fitting?

Looks like it...if possible replace it with a plastic one Cindy

Yup, it's brass (at least if she followed the manual).

Yup it's brass 8( will see about getting it switched out.

I also think system is starting to cycle,..........,,,finally. It's not just there yet but getting there. Nitrates yesterday were .25 and so was the ammonia. Will check again today and see if it went to 0 yet. I had been loosing about a fish a day, or so. I think what occurred is the fish finally balanced out the system. I am down to 10 goldies from the 2 doz. they told me at petco the size of tank could support. After I did the 2/3 water change, the ammonia never did get over .25 but rites never changed.

I was feeding about once every 3 days. They are eating the algae on the side of tanks also.

Now my only concern is the plants in the growbed are getting new leaves and buds, but they aren't growing up. The jalapeno plants look to be about the same size (height) as when they went in to bed 5 weeks ago. They are also very dense. Similar to the way a patio tomato plant grows, very tight growth. They are sturdy tho, just not gaining height.

Will get some new pics today.

ok, here are the test results from today;



Shot from the front. Little garden with tomatoes in it in forfront


Water temp a little high today but fish seem happy.

tried to edit pic size and evidently there is a very short time limit to edit, sorry. 8(