Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hello everyone, new to aquaponics/fishes! Want to get more involved, but here is my crash story, and need HELP!. So I bought the Aquafarm from https://www.backtotheroots.com/shop/aquafarm . I have had it for over a month now, with wheat grass growing (not thriving) on top. I bought a test kit that showed 0 ammonium, 0 nitrites and 0 nitrates, pH 8.0-8.2, temp 74F, Betta was happy.

Decided to get a clown pleco to put n the tank with my Veil tail betta(now dead) to increase ammonia then eventually nitrates. They seemed to ignore each other, but after 2-3 days my veil tail was dead, top fin gone. Pleco, has just been laying under the bridge I bought, barely see him move(though when the betta got near him, he chase him away)
Bought another Betta, Delta tail, I think within 1-2 days he developed fin rot. Earlier today, he stopped eating, thought he was gonna die, rubbing into the pebbles at the bottom, and laying there. Same with the pleco. Tested the water, pH 8, temp 73F, Ammonia 0.2-0.5, Nitrites 0, Nitrates 0.
Started switching out water quickly, bringing the ammonium, and removing some poop in the mean time that was floating(due to the turbulence of the water change), Ammonia dropped to 0.2, I added some pH decrease (sulfuric acid) and more gravel to farm, pH now 7.2, Nitrites 0, nitrates 0.
After the change/addition, the Betta is now energetic, along with the pleco, who occasionally chases the Betta. I have been holding off on feeding them, till the ammonia decreases.

Thoughts, ideas on what happened?

So now to make things worse, my cloud PECO has ICH! What can I do, to protect the plants and not be toxic to myself when eating plants.
Also my pH is increasing again, I keep putting pH down(sulfuric acid) it'll lower it temporarly..

Umm did it come with instructions?

Yes it came with instructions, I think my issue may be chloramines from my tap. I could be wrong, but when i added water originally i used the d-klor, when i added water i did not have any more d-klor. School of hard knocks so far=(

So far the system is still not cycling... Despite pouring tons of bacteria into the system, and adding tap water conditioner into the system. What am i doing wrong?????????

Any pictures?

I'm no expert on micro systems, but everything aquaculture and Aquaponics generally becomes easier with more volume. Not sure how much 1 beta could produce and how long it would take to cycle. Let the tap water stand for 24 hours before using to top off, feed the fish a good quality aquaculture food vs. a flake, supplement with some Rootmagic or backdrop, and monitor the ammonia and nitrates. It will cycle. Consider a larger system and don't get discouraged if this one doesn't produce a whole lot. I would think a few lettuce would be all I would try and grow. There are some folks on here that know a lot more about indoor systems then me. I only grow house plants inside.