Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

CG - will await for the details to comment further, but am interested in 1 other thing:

- I take it that the plants are not in net pots or anything and a just held in place by the foam rubber. Are the roots sitting nicely in the water. Also how are you getting oxygen into the system. DWC/NFT will require good DO levels. Sorry if these are needless questions for you - for all I know you have grown using this very system hydroponically previously.

start date CG?

18 sep is the start date

for who did miss the post from page one



VB: no net pots just the foam too hold the plants.

This system works with normal hydro but at very high cycleing rates i see the need to add DO when there are more plants in the system.

The only oxygen added is when the bio filter empties into the fish tank. i think this is enough to power one little cabage.

CG, generaly speaking in the aquarium world the quickest nitrogen cycle you're going to get is 4 weeks at tropical temps.

I'd say that there aren't enough nutes in the water as yet, but you're not going to know for sure unless you test for it.

Also if you're ph has swung low then that may be inhibiting the bacteria somewhat, this is what i have seen in my aquariums, when ph goes to the mid to low 6's nitrification slows RIGHT down.

Check your PH at least. If its below 7.0 then ass some crushed sea shells to your bio filter.

from the portal page:

E) Don't forget to use rain water or de-chlorinated water and don't even worry about plants for at least 4 weeks as there will only be ammonia and nitrites in the system and the plants will run out of nutes shortly after germinating

looks like this is whats happening in your setup CG

i got lots of she shell in there 2 conk shells ( the kind you use as a horn at cricket)they weigh about 1/4 pound in all.

i will still test for the ph and ppm i have a tester that can do that.

the gravel (and 50galls) has been in use for 3 years from aquarium to aquarium and then from aqua system to aqua system only thing it was in a bucket of water for 5days "resting while" i put together this curent system so i am thinging it should be good, unless the 350gall of tap water killed the bacteria

The tap water will have killed the bacteria if the chlorine/chloramin was not netralised out.

oh ok well there we have it
I will try to plant again in 3 weeks

also, if you have a freidn with a healthy freshwater aquarium you could get some of his "muck" from his filter, and maybe a little water too, and throw it into your bio filter to speed it up a little bit.

STeve

OK so its 3 weeks and I planted some lettuces. They have been in for 4 days and haven’t changed colour or grown one bit. stupessssssss

I also did some test
Ammonia = 0,
Nitrite = 0,
KH = 143.2ppm (is this high?)
ppm = 310
and PH = 7.9 (should I take out the sea shells out of the system?)

I got some ph down for a pool would this work with out killing the fish?
allso added a 5 foot long gravel bed as the pre filter it’s so I could sow seeds directly into the system. Its working out nicely thanks for that little bit of info guys. (no seedlings yet just the filtering part)

I have been looking at this said bed during a Heavy rain and I noticed how much water it collected, I was wondering if those big ‘open top’ gravel beds ever collect too much water for the system and if so how do you guys deal with the excess water, because if the fish tank gets over flown wouldn’t the fish jump out? do you have a overflow valve on the fish tank or a green house over the grow beds?

Hi CG,
Well, with no Ammonia and no Nitrite, you likely won't have Nitrate for your lettuce to grow. Also, I would go ahead and remove the shells. I am unsure about using pool-grade pH Down with fish. Actually, I don't like to use the stuff at all in a fish tank. I just bounce the pH up and down and up and down and kill the fish like that. But that's me.

--Janet

Dude. I'm no expert, but consider these things:

1. The fact that you do not have ammonia and nitrite does not mean that you do not have nitrate. When the bacteria is working efficiently you will rarely get an ammonia or nitrite reading. (sorry to contradict you Janet)

The only way to be sure of whether you are getting nitrate will be to do a test for nitrate. I can't remember how heavilly stocked your system is or how much water you have in it all up, but I guess it is possible that the system is devoid of ammonia, nitrite and ammonia due to bugger all poo action per litre (though I think this is unlikely unless your water has been overflowing and being replaced by the rainwater).

2. Do you have algae in your tank. If you do, this would indicate that you do have nitrate, but it also may cause problems with you PH and DO levels. Do you think you are providing enough oxygen to the system?

I experienced problems with algae which caused PH problems a while back. Se my thread around about this time:My ph probs

My solution was to shade algae out and to increase oxygen provision.

Anyway - tell us more about this stuff and we might be able to help. Don't give up yet. I would definitelly invest in a nitrate test. You have no chance of getting some good toms if you have no nitrate.

Agree with vb, the only tests I do now is ph, nitrates and eye balling (watching the fish & veggies), tho I'm no expert.

Steve has recommended ways of changing ph, using citric acids (lemon juice) is a natural remedy for lowering ph, just add over a period of days to lower gradually.

Rain water - most are resorting to some sort of covering from full shade houses to a frame and roofing material only to reduce risk of flooding fish tanks.

Ammonia and nitrites are generally high on initial cycling and possibly on large changes to the setup.

I concur with VB.