Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Just thought I'd put an attention grabber; had some chicks hatch..under a hot light...also wanted to show you what a difference one month and learning from this forum can do to plants;

basically put my tomatoes on a timer; (ps anyone know where I can get a timer that can do 15 minute intervals?) mine can only do 1/2 hour increments but seems to work ok;

PH went down now in 7.4 range, ammonia about .5, nitrite about 2, nitrate about 50; seems to be working well on plants...does high nitrite mean I need more plants ??

Also have an 8000 gallon koi pond that I want to set up with ap; can anyone tell me what these readings mean: ph 8 , amonia, nitrite, nitrate zero???; but the water looks very dirty..see pics

Try bunnings - they sold a set of 2 for about $16 or $18. Crazy Clarks and Overflow as well as they sold the same timer. All of them worked in 15 min intervals.

Check around Lowes and Home Depot. I have occasionally seen the smaller intervals there. Otherwise, Aquatic Eco Systems has them.
http://www.aquaticeco.com/subcategories/2096/Dial-Timer/timer/0

any ammonia or nitrite showing mean that your fish load or feed load is more than your bio-filter can convert into Nitrate. Get some more buckets of whatever media other than limestone or shells, hooked up so you get more bacteria going. Since the containers trickle through, you don't get as effective use of your media so it sounds like you have found the limit of your current bio-filter.

A Nitrate reading off the chart would mean you need more plants but with the reading of 50 you could probably support more plants if you want them.

Welcome Artoliva!

Are you in the USA, Australia, Croatia, Wales, UK, Canada, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Hawaii, New Zealand, ? That would help with where to send you for stuff.

Are you using the paper strip tests, or the kind with drips and test tubes? Several of us do not trust the strip tests, they can be practically useless compared to the drip tests.

Nitrite is something you want to be zero ideally. Very small amounts are not troublesome but a value of 2 will stress the fish. Read the sticky thread about the nitrogen cycle if you haven't already.

viewtopic.php?f=11&t=131

HTH!

She is in florida I believe.....

the He is in florida west palm beach

hheheh woops Sorry

So many posts, so little time....