Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

For what it's worth, I can't understand ppl using opaque IBC tanks, as they will break down (become brittle) with UV.
One would be better off getting black ones, as they will last a life time & helps to keep the algae down as light doesn't penetrate through them.


http://geelonghydroponicgardening.com

errrrrrrrrrahhhhhh! (if I didn't have a cage around my siphon right now, I'd be making siphon babies with it!!!!!)

After a long awaited return!
THE SIPHON IS BACK!!!!!!!!!!

I went over what is diff to mine from LKB's I over looked one thing the angle at the end of the output pipe... LKB cut a 90 degree in half I brought a 45 degree and slapped it on.

Infact after typing this post I'm starting to worry it was just a fluke... but there is a height diff. Its only cycled 3 times but I have faith.

Ammo: .5 Dad thinks its more .25
Nitrite: we both agree .5
Nitrate 7.5 he thinks its spot on 5
water temps: 23 10am, 29 3pm

going to buy a salt tester Thingy

About the White/translucent IBCs People use what they can get for cheap or free (and what hasn't had dangerous chemicals in em.) One benefit of light colored tanks, it can make viewing fish easier, I have tanks made with black pond liner and it can be really difficult to see dark fish in a dark tank.

Ammo: .25
Nitrite 1
Nitrate: 10
PH: 8
Water temp: 26 @ 2pm

Salt should be 2ppt
I'm only feeding min amount

Is a water change due now? or wait to see if Nitrobacter Knock it down by tomorrow?

My understanding is (and im new at this) that a nitrite level of 1 is not toxic if there is salt in the system and if you did a water change now you would be slowing down the cycling process. IMHO i would wait to see if the nitrite sorts itself out by tomorrow.

About what I expected John... you've salted for the nitrites... nothing else there to cause you grief... pH will adjust as the cycling continues and the algae dies away...

Major HSM!

Nar just a normal day when you try and use IBC's as a cheap way to get a 2000L FT (maybe wrong thread for this)

so FT 1 ran close to dry(probably 50L left) over night with 102 SP fingerlings the pump was still pumping when I woke up but had a bad noise...like someone gurgling mouthwash while being electrocuted.
The problem I thought was a blockage in the IBC tank connecting pipes from fish poo after two prototypes to fix the problems (one being F&F's great idea) I found the real problem MUSSELS!!!!! fixed it up so they cant get anywhere near the area again.
Turned the pump back on, it didn't make its normal crackling starting noise. For a split second I was happy...then I realised the pump is DEAD!

System overhaul time! What was planned to slowly take two or so weeks need to be done today and before any supply shops closed.
I'm so glad I brought the ebara optima pump from Rupe, however I think the LPH rating is way too high for my little system. easily fixed though, added a tap back into the new sump so most of the water goes back.
Not sure about the siphon.
I'm going away for 5 days tomorrow so I guess I'm a bit on edge, don't want anything bad to happen while I'm away.

water test before I added another 700L was all the same as yesterday
ammo .25
Ntirite 1
Ntrate might be in the middle of 5 and 10 closer to 5 Plants must have been hungry last night

I'll do a test tomorrow morning after all the new water has mixed etc

Your high pH may have been due to the decaying dead fish. That's why it is imperative to get dead ones out as quickly as they're noticed.

thorn: Yeah I'm a bit worried I haven't found any dead fish yet, I dragged the bottom of the tank A few times...all I get is the few mussel's I have.

Anyways Here's some pics of the aftermath...My Dad and his wife used to have such a nice backyard with a great lawn


I just added a overflow to the tanks ( I hope it works )


A nearly good shot, Imagine if I just waited a few mili secs more (one of the bigger fish that got thru the tap before it was kinda fixed)

Ammo: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 10
Water temp: 19

I had plumbing probs with one of my GB so thats offline until I get around to fix it, but the sole GB seems to handle the smaller fish for the time being.
The connections at the bottom of the tank seem to be a waste of money, I have also added a no holes overflow to the three tanks seems to work alot better even though the pipe is a 3rd of the size.
I brought some duckweed off ebay and got some free azolla


Here's the first clear pic of my fingerlings

keep an eye on those no holes overflows you never know when they will decide not to work

don't leave the fish in with the duckweed, cos they'll eat it all

Ammo: 0 but one tank was cut off from the cycle and was .25
Nitrite: .5 I think due to GB problems see below
Nitrate: 20

So I've moved to another house and left the system with Dad.
Today I rushed down to see the little fish.... and found all this gunk floating and lying on the bottom of the FT. The outer pipe covering the siphon has blocked up, any ideas how to make more holes without taking the whole GB apart? I'm thinking I'll heat up a soldering iron and burn my way thru

heres some pics, what is this from?

what's it like? texture wise? What else can you tell us, it's very difficult to see what it is from the photo. It could even be fish eggs :-)