Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hi

I will have a small blue barrel system up this weekend or next. 200l FT 200l sump and 300l GB allowing for waste area( 4 x BB cut lengthways). My question is when is the best time in Perth to purchase Barra for the season. I will cycle my system using Humonia to get it running.

Mark

Well it really depends on when the heat (spring/summer) starts kicking in... water temperature should be at least 20degC to consider having barra without any added heating... last year, I had barra in the system in mid Nov (from memory), I still needed heating on some days...

Ta

Well i had Bream and Barra in my pond system a few years back. Not sure exactly when the Barra died. I know it was just b4 i got the heater for the water but i am sure it was around late May. The pond was around 6500litres so i guess the temp held for a while longer. Oh and half of the pond was under my patio.

Gee i was hoping a bit earlier than november. I do have 3 x small aqua heaters that might help in a pinch.

A 300w heater will struggle to hold the water in a 1000L above 18-20 during winter...

To heat 2000L to 20 degrees or above... you'd need a 1000w titanium heater...

Hi Rupe

The small barra system that i will start first will have a 200l FT with a similar sump. I have a total of 100watts to take the chill off. Currently i use 2 x 25w in 50l containers and a 50w in 70l container set at 22 degrees. They dont hit that mark but i could raise to 28 degrees and that should be ok shouldnt it?

I will only get them when system is cycled and spring has begun. Maybe i should check out Nocky's site for avge min temperatures to get a guage.

On the pond side I was only going to get a 300w. Probably best they passed away

I had a 300W Eheim Jager (apparently regarded as one of the better heaters) in a 1000L tank during November and it managed to maintain temperatures about 22degC (from memory)... but earlier than November, I doubt it will handle it... possibly like Rupe said... I think at least another 300W....

Well cycling your system will take about two months, so it would be possibly about mid October... not really far from November really...

Cool
sounds the go. By the my main FT and Sump will have grown from the ground i hope. So will be able to add on and share the good bacteria around

Just had a thought

I have a solar pool heater. Totally unused in winter. If i had a reasonably sized Sump i could use this to offset the temp in the Ft right.

Yes... I believe some people have used them before or setup something similar like black retic pipes on roof using solar energy to provide the heating...

Yeah mine is black pipe on the roof. Damn pool company charged $3,500 to put a 3hp pump and a bit of pipe. LOL definately ripped of at the time.

You'll still need to heat through the night.... without you'll lose what you gain through the day during the night...

True Rupe.

Well season wise would we say

Trout Late April till November
Barra October till May

fingerling rotated in sump tank while waiting for the big ones to get out of the FT

Yeah, you really have to just watch your water temps in the system, system location can make a big difference to water temps, if it's out of the wind and near a brick wall that heats up in the sun you'll have a lot different temperatures than in a shady corner where the wind blows past it..

Ok

Well i am having the FT protected by a brick barby so no direct sun on it until lunchtime.

Thanks for the info

Well not sure how you are planning on working it out, but I presume the fingerling in the sump will be a different fish to those in the fish tank... and since trout and barra like water temperatures on different ends... you will possibly have an interesting time trying to keep water temperatures suitable for both...