Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hi, I'm an austrian looking into installing a smale scale system in my backyard.

I'd need some information about how to make the fish tank a non-prison for my fish.

What do you put into the tank to make it an enjoyable environment for the fish? Bottom gravel, rocks, plants?

I want my fish to be happy.

Chris

Welcome, Silverfish!

What sort of fish do you have? What sort of system?

Most folks want a clean system to make it self-cleaning, so keep plants, gravel, and other structure to a minimum: I guess we figure the fish can do some social interaction and wait for food and that is good enough. Having decaying fecal material in the fish tank is not really best for water quality.

On the other hand, I have a 200liter aquarium with water running through it at about 10liters/minute, so any water quality trouble is quickly sent out to the growbed for some biological remediation. I also vacuum the gravel and go to other trouble, but it is worth it for our enjoyment.

Some fish (tilapia come to mind) set up teritories and defend them aggressively and any structure makes things far worse.

All in all, I would say to have open structure that allows any solids to move toward the bottom-cleaning vacuum. So, pipes, pots, pieces of wood would be good, all raised up on legs to allow solids to move and prevent collection spots. Fish that tend to stir up any solids and move them into the current would be good, too.

Welcome Silverfish

Welcome Silverfish.... think you're the first Austrian member here....

Want to make your fish happy and a "non-prison" environment.... maybe paint a picture of the Bahamas on the inside of the tank... and stick a couple of deckchairs in there...

Hi silver fish, and welcome

I recon, my fish are happy everytime food goes into the tank.....when they first arrived, they were stressed out, to be expected.....but now they great me at the surface, and follow me around....waiting for a hand out of food

Welcome Silverfish

how small scale are you looking at ??
there are a few mirco systems on here ... have a look around and any questions you have post them and someone will help you out

Silverfish says:
I want my fish to be happy.

Hi Chris.....How would you be able to tell when the fish are happy

Silverfish

the only thing i can suggest is to try and make it like their natural environment or close to it

and maybe make it out of glass so they cannot see the bars

To make fish happy all you have to do is tell them jokes.
two fish are in a tank, one turns to the other and says .........................................................................how do you drive this thing.