Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Now you have got me excited , the mesh doors that are on it at the moment make a flash system look pretty ordinary

Framed the end of the deck today, makes it look much better, one more grow bed brought on line but we ran out of blue metal so will have to top it up tomorrow.

The 14 koi are still happy despite being bathed in rock dust last night and the first two grow beds have happy little seeds germinating all over them as well as the seedlings of capsicum, parley, chives, orgegano and tyme that were direct planted.

Trout arrive tomorrow so I did a water test today pH 7.6 Ammonia 0 Nitrate 0 Nitrite 0. Unsure if the system has cycled or whether there is two few a koi to have set it going, humonia was added early on a few times and 20 litres of pond sludge was also added to the hydroton grow beds. Is the pH a little high or is it OK for trout?

Cheers,
Mike

Trout arrived

100 little energetic trout arrived today thanks to troutman. The water was pretty cloudy from the rock dust as we had topped up a GB this moring, running the pump all afternoon made for a much clearer but not perfect tank by the end of the day.

The kids just love them and get very excited when they come up to feed. I think I am going to spread feeding across different times of the day so that they can see them at recess lunch and after school, as well as during garden classes bit like feeding times at the zoo .

Our water is down to 16 degrees and they all seem pretty happy. Will water test again on Sunday and see if there is any movement in ammonia.

Dropped in today for a feeding and water test and all is A1

They were fed yesterday as well and are feeding like crazy.

pH 7.6 Ammonia 0.25 Nitrate 0 Nitrite 0

Looks good, but keep a close eye on the ammonia level since I suspect you will have some spikes with the increased fish load. Careful to slowly increase feed so as not to spike the ammonia too high.

Watching closely TC and hoping the spike does not come . Kids did their first water tests today, great class activity and created good discussion on what the readings actually were. Consensus was that the readings were exactly the same as yesterday.

We are feeding 50 grams a day at the moment but the feed is not all the best quality. 25 grams of high quaility high protein and 25 grams of crap koi pellets I had lying about. feeds spread over three sessions to maximise the kids participation - they love watching the trout go bezerk.

I have tracked down an old meat mincer and we are hoping that this will be suitable for resizing the 6.5mm pellets to small trout size.

It is always fun watching kids learn outside of the classroom. You are lucky... not many get to witness this. Keep up the good work!

Maintaining our feeding at 50 grams a day, parameters are starting to move.

pH 7.6 Ammonia 0.5 Nitrite 0.25 Nitrate 5

Any comments, do you think it is cycled or should I cut back the feed now things are moving upwards?

I believe that:
When the ammonia drops down again, the cycling should be about done.

Am I correct in this belief??

Tony
ps, any chance of a look tomorrow? What times would be best?

Not a problem, morning is best - should be washing gravel and filling the last two grow beds with the kids. I will pm you my number.

Last bed filled with gravel today by the year 4's, I might have a line of parents wanting to see me in the morning - white school shirt washing lateritic gravel..... nice They had fun and that's what matters.

Put two copper logs in the ground each side of the GB that has the peas in it, will do the same to three other GBs and put single strand fencing wire between them for climbers to grow on in winter and tomatoes in summer.

Half of the new FT lid (care of Rick - thanks heaps) fitted and the kids are suitably impressed as they can now get right up to the edge of the tank and lean over to watch the trout. I want one of these lids for my home tank better find me a log to mill some suitable posts out of and start sweet talking Rick.

Yep, nice lid Rick.... and a real necessity with kids around...

I would prefer if it were women that did the sweet talking

Perhaps there may be improvements made on the next one!! Good labour is hard to get these days.

That is a tidy looking power box next to the tank. Is it one you sourced or did it come via the sparky?

I bought it from a sparky supplier (L&H) was cheaper than getting the sparkies to supply it. I think it is a Gerlin, I can check if you want, not cheap around $170.

It is still empty and the system is running off an extension cord from under the door of the nearest classroom. I had to wait for the lid to mount the box as my bodged up door lids were in the way. Now I just have to talk myself into writing out an order for the ridiculous price the department contractors have quoted me to run power out to it

It is really frustrating trying to do work within the dept purchasing and contractor rules. I am use to getting the cheapest price and saving enough to make the project better, not just taking the price the designated contractor gives you and then cutting back the project so you can afford it. Some guys quoted me ...and I kid you not ....$3500 for some bobcat work that I had a mates company donate for free - it took hime three hours