Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I have and IBC Tote CHOP2 system. My fish tank is 250 gallons and my sump tank is a little over 100 gallons. I have 2 grow beds with non rolling rocks as growing media. I started to cycle the system on Apr 1 and it finished on May 23rd, that is when I added my 50 Tilapia. The readings at that point were:
pH: 6.4
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 20
Ammonia: 1
Water Temp 73

Everything was going great until 2 weeks ago. That is when the first fish died. I did not think anything of that but a couple days later a second fish died. So I took another set of readings:
pH: 6.4
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0
Ammonia: 0.25
Water Temp 80
I did rise the water temp slowly. This week I have had 1 fish die on Sunday, 1 on Tuesday and 2 today (Wednesday).

I have a HUGE tomato plant that is consuming a great deal of water. I fill 4- 5 gallon buckets and store them for 24 hours then add the water I need to the sump tank usually between 10 and 20 gallons per day. I have been doing that since June 1st.

Nothing looks weird with the dead fish except they tend to be on the smaller side. Not sure what to do now...

How big are the grow beds Blargo?

Can you post some pics?

I have pics in the members system section that I posted yesterday.
http://www.backyardaquaponics.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=17269&p=401871#p401871

I have 2 grow beds that are the bottoms of a IBC tote and about 1 foot deep. Using bell siphon.

I also noticed that the fish are swimming close to the surface, have not seen any gulping.

I added a air stone in the sump tank yesterday in case it was lack of Oxygen.

Have you salted your water yet?

No I have not. What is the purpose of salting?

Here is today's death.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

What are you feeding them?

1/12 of a cup of AquaNourish Stage 1 - Fingerling food twice a day. http://www.theaquaponicstore.com/AquaNourish-Stage-1-Fingerling-s/191.htm