Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Forest, apparently different "strains" algae become dominant at different water parameters (including temp) I wouldn't be to concerned about it, but don't discount it just on my behalf.

Regarding a disease cause, in my experience there is usally a period where you can SEE the fish health decline, yours was too quick for my liking.............

i'm racking my brain trying to come up with an answer!!!!!!!


Is your rain water isnt collected from the same roof that you have a wood fire flue on is it?

I've never had that type of algae in my system forest.

steve, we don't have any fireplaces here or open fires.

The algae has has started growing lately can be easily lifted off in big sheets of floating green slime.

we have three very healthy goldfish in another tank. Does anyone think we should add them to the AP water tank to see if they survive in there?

yep.

Yep, I'd add them too...

I wouldn't be too concened about the algae on the sides, that looks similar to mine.. And yes, you can pull if off in big chunks of slime, some times of year it's worse than others.. Are the white spots from them eating the algae off the side walls? My silver perch do that, there's all little peck marks where they have been eating at it.

yes joel, they seem to love it.

THIS MIGHT BE A COINCIDENCE, but, one hour or so after we removed the plants from the tank, the fish returned to their normal behaviour - swimming on the bottom of the tank and away from anyone at the side of the tank.

H is putting the goldies in the AP tank now.

Interesting......... Something in the plants or potting mix perhaps..?

I only used gravel to pot up the plants, no soil at all. The gravel was from the grow beds.

The SP have returned to their normal behaviour now. They take off to the opposite side of the tank when anyone approaches. They're getting on well with the goldies. They checked them out, swam around with them for a while then went back to their spot near the pump.

Everything seems to be ok now.

What plant species did you have in the tank with them? It might just have been giving them some shade or a dark spot where they usually sit. Fish can be strange like that.

there was a water hyacynth and some reeds, and two others that were sold as "oxygenating aquatic plants".

Alright, water hyacinth shouldn't affect the fish like that (they will cover the surface of the water and out compete everything else, but I've not heard of fish kills as a result of them )
The reeds should be fine too. Do you have some pictures of each of the plants?
What sort of pots were they in? terracotta or plastic?
Though again, if the pots were going to affect the fish you would expect it to have happened sooner.

I don't have any close up photos of the plants, jaymie. They don't look too healthy now either. I guess if I'm to be logical about it then I'd have to think there was some type of water contamination. Whether that was caused by a spray drift from another property or something accidently placed in the water by ourselves or visitors, I don't know, and probably never will. Thanks for your help.

Thanks everyone.

always here...............

Forest, just read about you problems...seems strange that it happened all of a sudden, when I was there a day or so before, the fish were very healthy and enjoying themselves.

Your tank and growbeds have been in use for over 2 months, so that should rule out any sealant issues used by the tank people - will keep this in the back of my mind when I get my tank up and running shortly tho

If you want to restock on a smaller scale, I will share a bulk order with you (might be too late in the season now tho)....keep us all informed of your intentions/progress