Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Well, I just got back from the hatchery with 250 little barra. I asked for 200, they gave me 250 just in case LOL No floaters yet, they are hanging around down the bottom. Water temp 24 degs. Also got 3 15kg bags of barra feed in different pellet sizes, so am pretty happy abouit that. Don't know where I am gonna house all these blighters when they grow up, have 3700 litres and if they grow to 500 grams,and 50 die then that would be 100 kg's of fish. In 3000 litres at the bottom of a flood cycle, that'sjust over 3 kg's of fish per 100 litres, which is a bit higher than I am comfy with. Oh well, will just have to buy more tanks !!!!

250 barra would be an impressive sight in the tank. Good work

Monya- That is excellent and scary at the same time, feel for ya mate.
I was thinking about the fluctuations with the addition of bio-divesity-
- the fish--!!.
Would you expect the pH DO, N, N, A. to be 'all over the place' until balance regains or are you expecting nil/minimum change?
C1

Congrats, sounds like your on the path to eating fish in a few, more tanks yes, more tanks!

It's funny cause they look so weird in there. Only 50mm each, and they hand around the bottom really close together. When I went down before, they were all up around the heaters, and when I appeared they shat themselves and headed for the covered end of the tank.

They will look good when they are bigger. They are sooo cute now, can already see their distinictive markings.

One thing I was wondering, what does fungus and ich (sp? ) look like? They look okay to me, from what I've seen of them, but I wouldn't know really

Dont think you can see ich, they more or less try to scratch themselves against things, fungus I believe you'd see as white spots or fin damage?
Not to helpfull sorry.

Thanks, GF, if I see any of those signs, I will act!

Monya, you sound like an expectant father that just got his first batch of little ones. Great news. Keep us posted on the progress.

Monya- Best not to get to attached to them.
The trout we had were consider pets, until a few
got very hot in the weber one day.
Next day kids asked where's 'Finn and Chips'.
Well you know....did you like your dinner last night?
aahh dad ur sooo meeeaaan.... finished by...I'm not eating
fish for yonks NOW!
.....so I took my fish out for dinner!! hehe

sorry for hijack [schild=4 fontcolor=000000 shadowcolor=C0C0C0 shieldshadow=1]YUMMY[/schild][schild=4 fontcolor=000000 shadowcolor=C0C0C0 shieldshadow=1]YUM[/schild]...C1

YOu'reright C1, definately won't be naming these little beggars.

Joyce, with bubs number 3 due in 9 weeks, I'm happy to look at the barra and see dinner , but yeah, I'm pretty stoked to see somefish in there. And the guys at the hatchery were fantastic too.

p.s. they're timmid those fish, every time I go near the tank, they hide in the shadows

That will all change as they get to know you and associate you with food. The Tilapia I have at first were very shy, acting like a normal fish, but know they see me coming and they swim to the top, awaiting the first mortials to come their way. Really neat, as I examine them watching for them to get bigger and thinking of great fish receipts. Sort of makes you look at life a whole new way.

I imagin they're trying to settle in.
Mon- Do you have screening in the pond to give overhead cover to them?...
Thinking, do they instinctively retreat with over head predator feelings when we come along, until they workout you feed them..
only guessing here but I am sure it would affect growth and health
if they were always skitish..
C1

yeah, they're hiding under the pump ATM, have just made a brick castle for them to hide in, will monitor their happiness as time goes on LOL

great mind eh! Joyce

congratulations "Daddy"! Have fun with them, start collecting recipes...