Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hello ,my trout died after topping up my system from my rain water tanks they seemed to be gasping for air and were very lethargic after i added the water they died over a period of 24 hours can any one tell me why this may have happened.
Any help would be great Thanks Cam.

Perhaps a toxin that came off the roof?

They are known for suffering from ph shock.

Was it a significant amount of water that you added?
Does sound like it could be contaminatipn.
I have added bore water at times and found that fish suffered but rectified the situation by pumping full time. Bore water can be very low in dissolved oxygen but have not had problems when I have added rain water.

I would say PH shock. It's happened to me before using tap water. My tap water PH is generally around 8 and I had not realised my system PH had gone below 6. I added around 25% to the total water volume in a short period of time and they came to the top gasping for air then died. I watched them die and I knew why so I ate them anyway.

Yep that what I think has happened to mine. Had a massive water change due to the large amount of rain we have had and checked the water to find out it has gone to 6pH. Have lost two out of ten and a couple are still on their sides in a salted nursery with lots of 02. They were so happy and eating well untill the rain! Anyway, water change and topped up with tap water has increased pH. Adding small amounts of Potassium every couple of days until neutral. Shell grit in system to buffer

So trout like more akaline?
I thought the ammonia became more toxic as the PH got higher.

In a cycled system there is often 0 ammonia.
Those good bacteria convert it

Mine have gone off the food due to the amount of rain too...

it's not that they like it to be more alkaline. it is that they don't respond well to rapid changes in pH.

But this chart also explains that higher PH is not good if you have ammonia in your system
http://www.backyardaquaponics.com/infor ... nd-charts/

mine stopped eating after the recent downpour and when i topped it up with tap water.

they are ok now

Yep mine went off the food for a day after 30mm of rain here but tonight I had to step back from the tank so as not to get wet

Yes, however you should only have ammonia in the system during cycling.
After that your growbed media should convert it before it appears on a test kit.

If you are getting ammonia in a cycled system you are either over stocked or your system has crashed.

I was referencing this werdna. Does PH change the Oxygen>?