Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I will focus on the salt at this stage.

A couple of Kookaburras have finally found my tank. I'll be sorting them out.

On of the fish this morning is swimming around listlessly with a tail that looks like cottonwool.

Get it out straight away before it infects the others! IMHO.

Yep... I'd be removing and culling any that looked that bad IMHO.... the rest in a salt bath for an hour... then into an isolation tank for 2 weeks (salted).....

And probably dump the main tank and let it dry/disinfect in the sun for a couple of days...

ewww - mine were not like that

Trev see Pm.
Basically I'd be doing what Rup said but I would be salting with 15ppt. At that size they can handle full sea water and by dosing at a higher level you'll knock out the fungus quicker.

Should have been more specific about the "salt" bath..... agreed Troutman 15ppt.... think you could get away with 6ppt in the isolation tank... even dropping it to 3ppt after a week, with a 50% water change....

Or Troutman, do reckon just keep them for a couple of weeks at 15ppt ... "fullstop"

OK
I have amped up the salt to 3ppm and will now change it up to 6ppm then look at isolation etc.

Rup, with trout you may as well leave them in water at 15ppt as they can handle the extra salinity no problems. Many bacterial and fungal diseases need a salinty of of at least 15ppt to knock em out. The high salinity short term bath treatments are generally used where the fish canot handle long term exposure to salt at that level, ie Silver Perch.

Thanks Trouty... noted.... thought that might be the case

At this stage, yesterday, I ran out of salt so the level was only able to be elevated to 5ppm.
This morning the fish are looking quite active and responding well to feeding.
There has been a defenite improvement in their mood as a whole.

Late yesterday I picked up some extra salt from Bunnings at $6 a 25kg bag and have this morning elevated the ppm to 6ppm.

I'll be able to pick up some more salt on Tuesday and start increasing the salt level with 15ppm in mind. Presumably maintaining that level for a two weeks.

I wonder what salt level my floating plants will be able to tollerate?

I think I will buy shares in salt mines.

6ppt are about max for most plants Trevor..... think you'd be best to isolate your growbeds and hand water them if necessary....

As I said before... I think you need to remove your good fish.... dump your tank... and let it sterilise/disinfect by UV exposure... sunlight.... for a couple of days...

If you really want/have to keep the fish/water in the existing tank and salt to 15ppt... then I don't think you have any option but to isolate the growbeds.... or wear the losses of the plants....

My plants are floating beds within the tank.
I don't have grow beds at this stage.
The floating plants are enough along with a bio filter to keep the nitrates at zero.
So I guess I will take out the floating plants and isolate them in 200l drums with air bubblers till I have cleared up the tank.

The fish are now no longer dieing and are eating again with the salt level at 6ppm.
All the sick looking fish have been ejected and consumed by crows.

I'll boost the level of salt to 15ppm soon.

Just a note of caution.

My level of 6ppm of salt has compromised a couple of plants within the tank while others continue to look in good shape at this time.

My vietnamese mint didn't like that level and neither did it's close cousin which grows in the Blackwood River near Augusta.