Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Only going to run the panel during the day, trying to work out some kind of cover to prevent heat loss and will have to turn the pumps off at night.

Question - if I turn the pumps off, can I still keep the air stones going? Or will that contribute too much to heat loss????

Definitely keep the air stones going.

That's what I thought

Is there any test you can do to see how much salt is in your system???? I've added a bit lately but is there a "safe" level for AP???

there is a safe level of salt for AP, not that I have ever entertained the idea.

The biggest problem with too much salt is that it can stop the nitrifying bacteria in the clay and the water. Even for a short time, plus kill worms...and plants

When I have had Barra, The fish came first and the garden second, it can grow back later.

The water temp is your problem as you aware. You can salt it to no end and it will not stop the death at this stage....even if you can pull 5 or 8 degree up in the heat, the fish still won't be comfortable probably sick from stress and only just surviving.

Good luck, it is a hard day when the fish die

Yep, salting isn't going to sorry Rosey.... and while your "solar" arrangement might raise the temps during the day, as EB says... you'll lose most of any gains through the night....

Not pumping, and covering might help a little.... but if you're down to 12 degrees already... well, winter hasn't even begun...

It's either an indoor heated aquarium.... death.. or fish fingers I'm afraid...

A refractometer Rosey.

Yep, the number two purchase after a test kit IMO....

Well after the system.... the media... the pump... the battery backup air pump... plants... fish....

I had one and NEVER used it, then couldn't even give it away in here.....that was how much everyone needed one !!

that sounds expensive!!!

Temp is upto 24 degrees atm, first thing in the morning it is 22 degrees - but I still have the pump running overnight atm just to improve water quality. Planning to turn them off overnight later in the week.

If your temps are holding at 22 degrees overnight.... then there's nothing to be gained by turning off the pumps overnight...

My refractometer was about $40 from ebay.

but as Rupe says, a very important part of your kit.

Ok one more floater this afternoon. Temps still at 24. Water has cleared up - due to one poor bugger getting annihilated in my pump!!! Dead fish have had like a white raised blisters with some red on them. Googled it apparently a bacteria/maybe fungus type thing due to poor environment.

What can I say but a steep learning curve!!!

Will be setting up the solar panel on the weekend so it will be interesting to see how it performs.

Thanks for your input guys always good to get another opinion!

The damage from the cold has already be done and might not be reversible, but if temps are up and holding, and if you've got the desire to rescue the barra instead of cutting your losses now and starting again (harvesting the harvestable) then you might have an opportunity to salvage something, or, at least learn some tips and tricks for the future?

How many fish are we talking about saving and what size are they? How many did you start with?

Take a sample bottle of your AP water to your friendly local swimming pool shop and ask them to do a salinity check (for this simple test, my local guys don't even charge). If less than 3ppt, buy a bag of pool salt from them, then return home and salt the system water to 3ppt (3kg (3000g) salt per 1000L water).

Consider, salting the FT to 3ppt will treat the system as a whole, to treat affected individuals: If you've got the resources, make up a quarantine tank (an esky works well) with an aerator and salt this to about 8ppt (800g per 100L of water) and give any fish with any sign of this blistering, fungus or fin-rot a few days in the hospital brine. This smaller volume of water will be easier to heat and maintain temperature with an aquarium heater than your entire FT and the esky insulation should retain some of the warmth for longer. You'll need to change half the water with clean fresh water every day and re-salt as there will be no nitrification process to speak of in the quarantine tank. This might not be successful if the cold did too much indelible damage to the fish's immune system, but maybe it's worth giving this a shot even if it only for a short while?