Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Interesting the ph dropping mine got down to 5.4 when i started force feeding i wonder if there is a link i have 10 kg shellgrit and 5 kg calcium carbonate buryed in the grow beds and still hovering around 6

I suspect that the amount of nitrification going on is a bit higher than one might expect with the amount of feed I'm giving them (180 grams a day is hardly a lot compared to many people's systems). I reckon the worm activity on roots etc would contribute a reasonable amount also.

Did I happen to mention that I hate Barramundi and will not grow them again . They are a very sensitive fish from my experience. Last night I needed the tape measure, so went out to the shed and turned the light on to find it. Bloody barra went mental and banged against the sides of the tank for a good 5 minutes. Had a look just now to see if it had any effect. One of the biggest fish was doing the floating on back thing - still alive. At least one more fish is not well also. These numbers are really dwindling now - I'll be glad to see the back of them. The area of the shed that has the tank has a mezanine over and the main shed lights therefore are not over the tank - but of course the light does get to that area to a lesser extent than the rest of the shed. Until a few weeks back, the tank was covered by insulation - so light would nto have had same effect. Now just plastic over the tank.

The fish will be my dinner tonight.

The population must be freaked out, because they are off their food. The first thing I noticed when I went out this arv was food in the grow-bed and immediately I knew there was trouble :-/

Touchy bloody things VB... fish them out for a Xmas BBQ... and stick some Perch in...

Like perch. They don't know how to go off there food.

I probably would Rupe, except:

1. Not all of them are as big as the one I fished out tonight, though a few are bigger I think. Tonights is 580 grams, so plate size I guess, but looks like there is plenty more growth in it (if not dead) now I'm feeding more.

2. Not sure there are any perch around at the moment.

3. I want to reposition my system before getting any new fish :-/

I'm going to cook it whole - but don't have a lot of seasoning in the garden at the moment, so may be a bit bland.

OK... stop whinging then...


Plenty if you know where to look... or who to ask.... seriously, there should be plenty available from Xmas on...



Thought you just had a week off to do that.... ...



So eat the bloody things for Xmas... move your system... get some Silvers... and grow some bloody veges....

idiot - that last one wasn't one of the reasons .

I forgot another reason - what would I do with 25kg of barra pellets

I all seriousness - I'm now pretty confident that all my perch deaths in recent times (and I mean for months) are the result of some sort of shock. I also think they may be associated to a swim bladder problem. Was tempted to use this one as an experiment and puncture its swim bladder to see if it would then right itself .

So would you Natfish course types be able to positively confirm a fish's swim bladder (I imagine you could). The swim bladders are these fellas are always chockas with air when I pull them out. Is that normal?

You mean identify the swim bladder??? Yes...

Nope... the bladder inflates/deflates to maintain stability and/or depth... if it's full of air then logically the fish can't "dive".. and can't retain stability...

So I think you're right.. that's why they're falling over on to their sides...

As to what is causing the swim bladder to inflate.... hummm ...

Didn't I say swim bladder - looks like I did. Your starting to sound like an old man - sure you aren't les .

I figured it should not be full. As you say - identifying cause is the issue. I searched a while back but couldn't find anything relevant to my case. Might just be a shock thing. Of course as we fisherman know, the whole process of puncturing a fish's swim bladder after pulling up from the depths on a reef is mainly for show and most die later anyway. Tempted to give it a go with the next one anyway

I don't know whether to be upset or happy. I just ate that Barra. I prepared it very simply by necessity - ie I had bugger all to season it with available and wanted to cook it whole. I gutted, scaled and took off its head. I put 3 slits in the flesh on each side, put it in alfoil and smeared sweet chilli sauce all over. Sealed alfoil and put in oven at about 180c for 30mins.

I prepared a basic cous cous to go with it. WHen I pulled out of the oven there were quite a few juices in the foil, which I kept on the plate and soaked up with the cous cous. The flesh came off the bone beautifully, was firm and very little was wasted.

This is only the second of my barra I've eaten. I cooked the first as skinned fillets, crumbed. Was not at all impressed.

I like the fish that I get pre filleted and frozen. I don't go much on what fresh water fish tastes like. And I was not impressed with the barra that I tried a few years ago. But it could of been because of the way it was cooked. Or the price I paid.

Sounds like you're in the wrong place Duff - did you take a wrong turn

I could be. Thought we were talking about the way barra tastes. Remember I'm not allowed to eat the pets.

Yeh - didn't mean you were in the wrong thread, was just thinking AP only has half the appeal for people who don't like the fish.