Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

quick update, Just checked the floaters from last night, 2 more had carked it, plus I found one from last night that didn't get counted (it was lying on the ground) This brings the tally up to 36...... 36 big beautiful tasty (although not now of course) fish

on a positive note, there are still rainbow fish alive in the system (after 2 years), the tandan (Mr Whiskers) hasn't karked it, and the yellow eel-tail is still in there too

I put in 2 big handfulls yesterday (into the growbed under the water inflow). Tested this morning - pH 7.2 . Decided I may as well get it to buffer point then, so added some more. Should be 7.4 tomorrow.

okay, I'm a believer in positive thinking....

There have been no more floaters in the last two days, not even really horrible manky ones The death toll came to 51 fish, jades and silvers, mostly the bigger fish. I don't think any of the juveniles succumbed. There was also 5 mussels lost in the carnage, possibly smothered under manky fish bodies


We still have some big fish, some that were put in the purge tank early on, and some that have recovered in the monster tank.

The water has had a lot of changes over the last week. I would run the hose into the sump and overflow the system each morning. The water is very clear, doesn't smell *phew* and the fish are begging for food.

The eel-tail catfish is doing fine, pushy bugger and the juvenile jades are starving *more food please, we'll be good, more food please* We even still have some rainbow fish that were put in the tank two years ago

There is a brand new sump pump on it's way to us (thanks J & F & M) and the system should be well on the road to recovery by the weekend. New seedlings ready to go in the beds this afternoon.

Sorry to hear about your fish Jaymie, Sad.
I have just put in 100 silvers and they are real babies. 40mm but very lively and seem happy. I always tap on the side of the pool when I am going to feed them and they all come crowding around waiting for me to do the chuck. Then they go bananas.
I dont have a kit yet but the water is crystal clear and I run a spa blower into the water every weekend for an hour or so just to get some more air into the water. I dont think they really need it but at least now they are used to the noise.
I still have to plant out the grow beds but that will happen this weekend.
Do silvers eat frogs eggs? Our Green tree frogs had an orgy the other night, kept it up for hours and in the morning every tin, bucket and even the pool and spa were full of rafts of eggs. The pool eggs will die from chlorine but the spa was green anyway. those in the fish pond may have been eaten.....We have at least a dozen tree frogs on our land which create a racket every time it rains.
We didnt have any power cuts on bribie so I was O.K. I have a 2000w 4 stroke Genset from Aldis ($299.00) so I will be O.K. in the event.
Hope your fish will continue to survive from now.....cheers, Ira

Just trying to cheer you up.........

thanks Ira

By the way Jaymie, Aldies has 1000w 240v sump pumps for $126.00.
I have two.
The one I have been using so far for 8 months waiting for fish has run on and off continuously with no problems......on for 20secs, off for 1.5mins. on for 20secs. etc.

May be a worthwhile purchase for you even as a stand bye...


Cheers, Ira

we don't have Aldi's up here

Bugger!.... What about Mackay, Cairns? Try the web site and phone them. Maybe they will post something up for you.
They have good quality stuff. Not like the other "cheapys".
Cheers.

Hang on help is on its way. The pump will be there as fast as it can.

darling woman!

OOPs. Sorry Faye.... Cheers, Ira

Jamie

If I may ask a question; do you still have the grapevine in your system and if so how is it doing?
The reason I ask is that I planted one the other day, in dirt, and when I was reading up about them I came across an article which said they can use ammonia as a source of nitrogen. Aside from some of the aquatic plants and the nitrogen fixers, like clover, I was unaware that other plants could do this.

umm, I think it's doing okay, we have no idea how to prune it properly so, when it will flower, if ever, is anyone's guess. I suppose we should find out how to prune it one day

This link seems quite good, I will see how it goes after this years growth
http://www.pawpaw.kysu.edu/Viticulture/ ... aining.htm