Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hi and welcome

I'm starting my AP system, this first batch will be a trial, I'm initially using one or two small PVC inflatable ring pools, with flushing from the roof water tank.

First step will be to kiddie safe, crow proof, coromant proof and cat proof the fish ponds. (This will be before getting fish)

I'm considering putting 50 jade, 50 silver perch in one pool. And maybe 50 sleepy cod, 50 red claw in the other pool.

Grow beds, still thinking about, currently leaning towards 2 beds, initially one being full time wet, then later a second one on flood drain.

I ordered the DVD a week or two ago, and am hoping its not lost in the mail. ( I get other people's mail, and I'm sure other people get my mail also)

Veggies, initially focus on wet feet veggies, ie tomatoes, and that slimely asian green thing with purple berries, hairly melon is a trooper, and snake beans. and choy.

I'm still waiting for my sparkie to turn up for a quote, so initially, no pump.

Also, 25% losses will be acceptable, I'll get a chook soon, they love dead fish. (either heard a chook sing for joy)

this won't be a totally closed or open system. I'm planning on dumping lots of water to my garden.

Hi AlexP, instead of using inflatable pools could you not source IBC's.
If you haven't seen them before they are the plastic 1000L drums in cages and can be purchased 2nd hand for around $100 to $200 bucks, I got mine for a carton of beer:), just make sure you know what was in it first.
Only other thing i will mention is putting redclaw in with the fish, I don't know if they are as aggressive as yabbies but you may find they will eat the fish.
Either way good luck

I have had lots of problems with those inflatable pools. You might go with the IBC or stock tank. That would be one less problem for you to deal with.

Good luck, we look forward to seeing pictures and watching your progress.

I think that you're idea of putting red claw with sleepy cod is a bit dangerous for one of the two. Because of the zone of the tank they live is the same so they will be concurencing for the same space.
Sleepy cod and red C will stay on the bottom and fight, but wouldn't be in the same space than the silvers or jades.

I do know that many lettuces and other salad plants are fine with wet feet especially if there is aeration of the water.

You are likely to find you need more grow bed space to cope keep your water quality good (I'm repeating what I've heard about wanting at least as much grow bed media volume as you have fish tank volume if not twice as much media as tank.) This may be especially true if some of your grow beds are continually flooded for water plants, I don't know if beds of that sort do as much for the nitrifacation process as regular gravel beds.

Good luck and keep us all posted!

Hi Alex. The sleepies will eat the redclaw. 25% fish loss will only happen if things are not right to begin with. If u get it right the first time, u don't have to fix things. Don't waste ur money on the inflatable pools, it will end in tears.
Love to hear how ur growth rates are on sleepies. Couple trial setups down here in Vic. Got the temp up to 24 consistently but they are slow going.

Was that meant to be a pun TT? if so, well done... if not, I'll just giggle quietly

I got the pools real cheap from B. I only need them to last for one cohort of fish. Then if all else is ok, I'll upgrade to a more permanent and expensive option.

I accept that there is significantly increased risk with initially reduced growbeds. But hey, the fish start out small in mass, and I'm more likely to underfeed than over feed.

The use of two pools allows me undertake some comparative analysis of what i do.

I told my boss at work yesterday that i was filling a pool to grow fish, probably not the best career move, he'll think i'm eccentric or something.

Maybe redclaw might make good sleepy cod food.

anyway, it'll be the perchs first, they're local to source

all this is after I get the pools secured first.

Well, I've secured the pools, but no door yet. there is chicken wire (ground to 1 m high), and all over bird netting. I've also made a small screen of weed mat to hide the ponds visually (don't want to encourage kids to break in).

I dumped the first pond into the second pond and the garden (as a flushing action to clean it from any factory contaminants. Started refilling the first pond and picked up 50 silver perch fingerlings. I put them into the first pond (maybe 400mm deep, and rising) and they lasted maybe 3-5 hours. It was a hot day and they all cooked in the pond. The water was quite pleasantly for my feet. Oh well, I've started with a 100% attrition rate.

I do see some pond life in the ponds, so it is likely to be the temp, the fish seemed ok for the first 1/2 hour (only one went belly up early).

I bought some aquarium thermometers today.

Yeah yesterday was hot, glad I wasn't the one who got fried.

My suppliers don't seem to do sleepy cod this year, so I'm looking at mixing jade, silver and golden perches.

Do lobster and simply boil them.

I'm getting some jade perch on tuesday, i'll soon be wanting duckweed . does anyone know of where to get duckweed at north brisbane?

AlexP, given your first 50 fingerlings only lasted 3-5 hours and temperatures are still fairly warm....

What steps have you taken to modify your system so that the 50 new fingerlings stand a better chance of survival....

I'm still unsure if you actually have any growbeds commisioned or how your system actually recirculates... if it does....

Do you have a pump yet.... and connected? What size are these "kiddies" pools??

Do you have a test kit? What are yoyr water parameters?

It's only two weeks since your last attempt, I doubt that your system has actually cycled.... or even if in fact it's started.

IMHO.... I think you should hold off on getting any fish for a while and design, build and cycle your system and growbeds with a thorough understanding of the principles involved.....

Otherwise my prediction would be 50 dead fish within a day or two if you're lucky.

I agree. Alex, being accepting of a 25% fish loss in my view means you are likely to lose 100% (as did happen). What I am getting at, is that if things are bad enough to kill 25% of your fish - what makes you think the other 75% are going to survive.

Plant nurseries - free
e-bay - not so free

Is it sure that the temps are the only thing that might have killed the fish? Suddenly moving fish from one temp to another is definitely likely to cause shock but so can extreme pH swings. What was the pH of the water the fish came in and what is the pH of your water? Also, what is the source of your water? If it is city water, it could be treated with stuff that is bad for fish unless neutralized.