Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I expect temps can explain most things in this case. I've been able to see a marked difference in bacteria ability to convert ammonia and nitrite since I started fishless cycling with batch dosing. When weather was cool it usually took about a day longer to get through the ammonia and the Nitrite was even slower to go away. When things warm up again, boom happens much quicker.

I suppose this is all ok since fish should generally eat less and be fed less at lower temps.

I mis-spoke when I asked about the Nitrate spike. I actually meant to ask about a Nitrite spike.

I also have found water temp to be critical. Which is why I finally bit the bullet and started using heaters to maintain the temperature.

what was all that white stuff everywhere in the first pic u posted??

anyway nice setup, i like the growbeds and stands

Very nice setup. I have considered wood heat as option in my greenhouse but am very concerned about ashes burning through the plastic. How did you address this?

Thanks folks
Duckpond: that white stuff is snow and lots of it. We have had the snowiest year since 1900. I figure we are well over 100 inches, probably closer to 140 inches here in the mountains of New Hampshire. There is between 3 and 4 feet on the ground right now, we have all had enough.

jdphish: the wood heat has worked well this winter. I was warned by many that the embers would melt the plastic. If it did happen they make clear poly tape that will patch the plastic very well, it doesn't look pretty but the plastic only lasts 2 - 3 seasons anyhow. I set the greenhouse up so the prevailing winds take most of the smoke and stray embers away from the top of the gh. I will end up putting another 4 foot section of metalbestos to get the chimmeny up higher to get a little better draft. I thought I might have had more problems with embers but no issues yet. The chimmney cap came with a spark arrestor on it that just got plugged up with creosote, so I ripped it off after filling the gh with smoke for the second time. Drier wood would have helped but we burn what we have on hand. The labor is substantial, I figure I burned 3 - 4 cords in the gh this year. We had a few weeks of zero to below zero temps this winter but on the whole it has been milder than other winters we have had. I will end up insulating the ends of the gh with rigid insulation next year as they are a big heat loss point. We burn +/- 6 cords in the house per year, we are running low on wood getting into spring.

very nice dayflower, salads in no time.
Too hot to sleep over here, 4.21am and still 26C.

Love it, your going to be neck deep in salads great work!

I'll take a stab at your question. I put in 10 kilos of fish for 2,000 liters of grow beds to start circulating. The number of fish really doesn't mean anything - what is important is the amount of poo.

Normally my system should handle 30 kilos of fish - so it was one third and I did change the water a couple of times (not deliberately, leaks!)

Be aware though, I live in the tropics and it was tilapia - so you might want to listen to others as well for something closer to you.

Id like to come over and check out your setup sometime, if that would be ok ! Ive been doing hydroponics, but would like to make the switch. Im in Limington, ME, so not very far.