Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hi everyone I have just started on the road to aquaponics. I have been reading this forum for the last few months and have finally set up my own system. I would like some advice on cycling. I have a 2250L fish tank, 1000L sump, and three 500l grow beds. I seeded the growbeds with bacteria from Backyard aquaponics and have 75 trout in the fish tank and approximately 80 yabbies in the sump. The trout arrived last Wednesday.

Have I overstocked the system? Should I remove some of the yabbies?

The pH of the water is 8
NH3 has risen quickly and is around 1.
Temperature - around 20C

Yesterday I exchanged 20% of the water which brought the ammonia level down to 0.5. (I think a safe ammonia level at the current pH and temp is only .53) Overnight we accidently drained the fish tank and so have done an 80% water change...oops.

For the first three days after getting trout I feed them 3Tablespoons of food each day. I have dropped that back to 2Tablespoons. I haven't fed the yabbies yet (only had for three days). the trout have fed happily.

What should I do? Do I need to do daily water changes?...How much should I feed them?

My Father has a large Koi pond. Should I rinse the filter pads from that pond into the growbeds to fasten up the cycling time? Will that help even though I have added a vial of bacteria already?

Sorry there are so many questions I just don't want to kill the fish. I would appreciate any help.

Sarah

Don't feed more than one (1) tablespoon for the next two days... test in the morning.. and post results please... ammonia, pH and water temp...

Have you got plenty (lots) of aeration going in the tank??

And what sort of pumping cycle are you using 15 on/45 off... or continuous pump???

I have a timer pump in my fish tank, on 15min, off 45min, and a float switch pump in the sump tank. I have two air stones running as well.

I'll post my results in the morning. Thanks for your help.

Don't worry about the 80 yabbies. I put that many in 55000ltr tank and they still killed each other. They will thin them selves out, just keep an eye out for too many bodies left as this will affect ammonia if they are allowed to decompose. Smaller yabbies are okay for a while.

How much should I be feeding the yabbies? I have only been giving the trout a few tablespoons of food. Do you think I should feed the trout 1/2 tablespoon of food and the yabbies the same amount? I haven't actually fed them at all yet.

My water tests this morning -
temp 20
No2 - 0
NH3- 1
pH 7.8
After the disaster of draining the tank I filled it with half scheme water and half bore water. I think the bore water must have a lower pH and has brought the pH levels down.
Is there a trick to determining the color of the water tests. I find it difficult to tell beween some of the levels?

My plan today is to only feed them 1 tablespoon. Do I need to do a water change?

I use carrot for the yabbies. If they don't eat it all it floats when it starts to turn.

I put a few small pieces of carrot in. thanks for the tip. The temperature is now 21. I think the pH is closer to 8 than 7.8

do you have a high range test kits for ph?

Yes I used a high range test. the colour change seems to be inbetween 7.8 to 8. Even with the high ammonia level the fish seem to be happy swimming around. If I get levels of ammonia above 1 then I think I will need to do a water change.

Water tests today
temp - 20C
pH - 8
Nh3 over 1
NO2 - .25
This is my first nitrite reading. I have fed the fish only 1 tablespoon of food yesterday and gave the yabbies a couple of pieces of carrot. They all seem happy dispite the high ammonia reading.

If the Nitrite climbs to 1... and likely will.... then salt to 1ppt...

I salted to 1ppt before accidentally draining the tank. Is there a machine that can measure your salt levels? Where do you get them and how much do they cost?

I think I will put in 1 1/2 kg of salt in just to top it up. Thanks.

Refractometer... eBay... about $30... search youreBay account...

i.e. .... http://search.ebay.com.au/search/search ... category0=