Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Week 7/8 report.
Reading all good (i think)
pH 7.4 (very steady now)
Ammonia Nil (been nil for a few weeks now)
Nitrite less than 0.25 (improved as down from 1 weeks 5 & 6 - better for fish!)
Nitrate 10 plus (seems to range from 10 plus - 20 plus)

Completed a 50% water change on long week-end (June 8th) and added 2.5 kg of salt.
Still awaiting any real plant growth.



Pond water does show algea still so think I will build a cover this week-end.
Peterall I hope your winter plantings are looking better than this.
Steve thanks for your comments. The nitrate readings were down from 40 something to 20 something so I assumed this was the plants helping themselves.

Looking fwd to reporting growth anytime now!!

HH, had it been raining in the above photo - or are you flooding the bed that high? If it is being flooded that high, it is too much. Plant growth slows a lot if the stems are under water.

Ditto.... only needs to flood to about 25mm from the top of the hydroton...

Thanks OBO & RofO.
We definately had the internal stand pipes too high earlier but have had three reductions since then. Lost some peas and other plantings to stems actually rotting in water i think earlier.
The above shot was just after rain.

Sweet

Week 13 report.
Sorry first report since week 7/8.
Water status remarkably stable.
pH 7.4 (never seems to change)
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 10
Water now below 9 c in mornings so watching for ammonia spike but nothing yet.
No deaths to report but have not seen fish for 4 weeks. Presume they are virtually hibernating at these temperatures so trying not to over feed.
Lack of water clarity definately a build up of algae which I assume is a result of the nitrate level (10) in the water.
Built a cover for the pond last week-end to reduce light (70%) and leave that on full-time now.


Now have steady growth in grow beds and enjoyed first meal last week-end (Caesar salad).


Hope all your Ozzie winter acquaponic adventures going well and those in the Northern Hemisphere enjoying their summer.

Amazingly neat and tidy

Nice bowl of salad there HH...The quality is excellent...not a insect bite in site....hah to the "fresh food people" supermarkets

LB

Hear hear (I will buy at a farmers stall any day before THEM!

Great looking system!

My hi tide ( flood ) line is about 50 - 65 mm below the top of the aquaclay.

whatever the level, it looks bloody good to me. Our vegies arelooking absolutely shite at the moment. Had ice on the rim of the AP tank last week, zero plant growth, so it is nice to see an Adelaide AP'er with growth

there was a time in my life I would go to town with that comment!

Cant you put a cover over the GBs Monya? (plastic, shadecloth??)

gb's are covered with a greenhouse AM, and if the earthmover ever comes back, we are gonna build a shed over the tank last week, 2 nights in a row with temps of -2.9 and -1.

and we complain about 13 and 12!!!
Okay, you and screwed
Bring on long hot summer days!!!

Yes please!