Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hi All,
I finally got the components together to set up a small 'beginner' system that I based loosely on Janets indoor system. 120Lt tub for the fish with a 60lt tub for a grow bed.
Got a hole saw, hubby confiscated it when I suggested I could use it around the house, snuck it back and cut a drain hole and over flow hole, cleaned the tubs, filled the fish tank (we're on tank water so it's rain water and the ph was 6.9 - I was excited and decided that was close enough - with my co-pilot, my 15 yo daughter who is really getting into AP, we sifted gravel down in the creek bed, washed it in the cement mixer - fast, low water and worked a treat - and we were ready to go. The pump's a bit slow but I'll get a new (better!) one when I go to Coffs Harbour later this week.
We got the fish out of their tank, added their tank gravel to the grow bed for a kick start on bacteria, let them float in a bag in the fish tub and then set them free an hour or so later and they seemed quite happy.
It was all very exciting.
This morning I woke up to a grim faced co-pilot and the words 'good on you, mum, one of my fish is dead'. Words dreaded by mothers and budding aquaponicsists alike before 6am...
So tonight I'm down two fish and I have a surly 15 yo... My husband assures me she'd be surly anyway - she's 15! and now my shopping list includes a better pump, 2 replacement fish for her and un-named fish for me...
Any one have goldfish just turn up their fins?
I can't see any reason they would just die...
I'd post a pic but who needs to see the chamber of horror??

Andi
Fish murderer extraordinaire

Yahoo! Go for it! Sorry about the fish, though.
Sounds like you transitioned the temperature correctly, but what was the pH of the original tank water? A rapid transition of pH can kill a fish, too. (Yes, there's a reason I know this. ) I usually float the bag for a bit, but also start adding a little tank water into the bag during their float. That way, any differences in water chemistry can sort themselves out. It's great that you got some seasoned gravel, but go very slowly adding the fish, and feeding them. I had to do several 75% water changes to keep ahead of the nitrites.

SG- plod on you will get there!

You go Andi! It's great that you have your daughter interested in it too. My stepson likes salads surprisingly to me (he seemingly grew up on nothing but sugar) and it is nice to hook them onto something positive, or at least hear a little bit about the nature and ecology aspect...

Happy trails Andi, here's hoping you get happy fish and good pumps!

hehehehe!

Hide it from him now so he can't take it away again!

Thanks everyone for the words of encouragement

Janet, I did do a bit of water mix... I don't have a proper test kit yet, just a ph one atm, so that's on my list of stuff to get when I go to the 'big smoke', and an air pump as I wasn't sure if this wasn't a problem too... I need a tougher sort of gold fish obviously, lol

Dave, it's pretty cool to have my daughter interested in the AP, she's more interested in the way it works than what it will grow, but she's a bit of a salad fiend too, so I'm sure she'll appreciate that aspect when we get to it

LOL, Jaymie, I repossed the hole saw and have it in a safe place

Thanks again,
Andi

hehehhehehe

THATS THE WAY!