Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I added ~60 ml of Vinegar (Acetic Acid) to the DWC bed. It should wash through the system over the next few hours, and I will retest pH (and check for dead fish) first thing in the morning.

BTW, My DWC plant's roots have popped out of the bottom of the rockwool. That is pretty neat.

-ellie

I added 5 more fish yesterday. 2 of them were dead this afternoon. One was half eaten. The fish don't seem interested in the pellets though. I don't understand.
-ellie

(Sad.)

(Wants fish to live.)

(Not ready to quit yet, but close.)

2 more dead fish this afternoon.

Righto,

Run the pump continuously, put the garden hose on as a slow trickle of water, put hose in tank so it splashes into the water, and let it overflow slowly for 24 hours. This will clear any nasties out of the tank and bring the PH down slowly.

Best method for fixing small systems, quickly.

I am on chlorinated city water. Will this still work?

-ellie

Chlorinated water is not so good, you need a dechlorinator or to outgas the water for a few days (outgassing only work if it really is chlorine and not something newer like Chloramine.)

A very small amount of chlorine might not be immediately deadly to your fish though it will set your bio filter back much more. Some "experts" get away with not aging their water but most will not share that info with some one trying to get a new system up an running since you need all the bacteria functioning with a new system.

When you tested the pH of your source water, did you let it outgas before testing it? You might want to put some of your source water in a bucket and throw an air stone in on a bubbler for a while before running another pH test on it. You might find that your source water has a much higher pH than you thought. If that is the case, then overflowing the system with that water, won't help your pH so much. Another test you might want to do to pinpoint the reason for you pH problems might be to put some of your media into a container of the source water and let it sit for a few days and then test the pH of that water, if it's higher than the outgassed source water, then you know you media has something that is pulling your pH up.

I think I may have found the problem. My H is holding at 8, the pH swings seem to be just an algae issue. The water seems to buffer back right to the 8.0-8.4 range. High, but stable

This morning, I pulled the submersible pond pump from Lowe's out to drop it in my aged water tank for a partial water change. I noticed a strong smell, the smell of an electrical oil. I also saw the iridescent colors of a a small oily film on the water.

Can someone with a comparable submersible pump pull it out of the water and give it a sniff? I think the oil might be leaking out of mine and poisoning the fish.

It is possible, though unlikely that this icky smell could be from an anaerobic zone at the bottom of the tank. I flipped the pump sideways to pull water from the very bottom of the tank just in case this is it.

-Ellie

If it is a pump with oil in it, it could (eventually will) leak oil. Oil kills fish by suffocating them when it coats their gills.

The "slick" will also inhibit oxygen absobtion as even if the film on the surface of the water is broken/agitated... the bubbles may still be encased in an oily film... preventing oxygen diffusion IMHO.... or at the very least inhibiting it....

How detremental would the effect be ??? .... .... but worth enough to consider another pump I feel.

I setup a water "dribble" overnight to overflow the tank and clear off the oil on the surface. One of the fish I thought was dead wasn't, and looked very annoyed when I picked him up out of the water. I blame him though.. what am I supposed to think when he floats completely motionless upside down at the top of the tank?! Anyway..

pH, nitrates, nitrite all within acceptable limits, some algae, but I can see the outline of fish, so that's better. I added 457 grams of morton kosher salt, which should bring the system up to 1.5ppt. (The system has a guestimated capacity of 80 gallons/300 liters if you want to check the math.)

The corn, sunflowers, pumpkins, and cucumbers have germinated, and have healthy looking (i think) plants. The DWC plants have put on another inch of roots, but no topside growth. I think they need some shade, and might be missing some nutrient(s). Not surprising considering the fish haven't touched a pellet since I put them in there. I was using passive aeration (water splashing) for the DWC, but I moved the bubble wand up into that tank.

Tomorrow I'll check the "I'm only mostly dead" fish, offer a couple of pellets, and do nothing. It's time for patience. I am not so good at that.

-ellie

EG, I have found that even on my rebuilt, uncycled small system, a small trickle of water did no harm to the cycling, and stopped fish deaths from whatever toxins were in the system.

Get rid of any oil filled pump you have. It will bring nothing but death and destruction

Once you get the system stabilised, chuck a little bit of seaweed extract into the tank, this will clear up most deficiencies once your ph is a bit lower.

I am yet to see a zone inside any tank that has some sort of water flow, to be anerobic. Put a few drops of food dye into the stillest part of the tank, it will be all over the tank within 2 minutes

Good luck

I removed and euthanized the mostly dead fish last night. No new deaths this morning. Plants look ok. Offered a few pellets, but no takers. Tonight I am moving the heater out there, it was 58 last night.

-ellie

Adding heat,,,be VERY,carefull what you say,,,I already have a group of Western Australians AND a few moderaters hunting for me, because I initially suggested this.
Be scared,,,,be VERY scared.

I had a thought today. I wonder if freshwater prawns could be raised in the DWC beds. Hmmm.



-ellie

EG, the heater will definitely help with cycling, got any new pics ?