Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Ok, again, thanks very much for all your replies and help, but I am still loosing fish. My biggest and healthiest-looking one just kicked the bucket today. Found the poor guy taking a dirt nap behind a PVC pipe I've been using as a cave for them. I'll try the kosher salt, and a 20% water change after work today. The temp is now holding at about 28C, apparently the other thermometer I was using is defective. Down to 10 fish now, still looking healthy and fishy other than the odd paleness on some of them. In a huge hurry right now though, so I'll have to post photos and system details later today.

Well, down to 8 now. Had to come back a couple hours after my last post and had two more belly-up. Well, technically sideways but whatever. Did an emergency 20% water change right away. It seems to have solved it, as there are no more dead yet. Went to a local pet store and got an upgrade for my air system and asked the guy there what he thought as well. When I told him I had nitrates at 80-150ppm, he suggested water changes strait away. So now that I'm home I did another 20% water change, upgraded my air system, and removed the 4inch pipe I was using as a baffle for my drain pipe. It was there to reduce noise and also reduce surface motion, as I originally planned on growing duckweed as a food source for the fish. PH seems to have gone down a bit due to the water change, thankfully for the plants, and nitrates are 40-80ppm, probably close to 50. Temp is still kinda wonky, the heater is set at 32, but the thermometer a foot away reads ~28, and the other one, which I thought was defective, reads ~22. So I think insulation for the fish tank may be necessary to keep the water temp consistent. At any rate, I'll take a bunch of pictures right away and get them posted here, see what you guys think. Don't expect much though, it's a pretty jerryrigged setup.

Although this is three years later, I am curious how your aquaponics is going? A good place to get salt too is livestock feed supply.