Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Thanks. I will try it out.

A note about galvanized materials and Aquaponics. I have galvanized wire above my system and what little water drips off the wire into the system doesn't seem to be a big issue. However, the amount of zinc that can leach into a system that is in galvanized tanks and grow beds can become toxic to fish, especially if the pH tends to get low in said system. Many people who use galvanized tanks, have tanks that are coated or lined to keep the system water from contacting the metal.

There are people out there who have had issues with zinc in their systems but one of the cases was also getting it's water from a galvanized rain water tank that was getting it's water off a zinc-alume roof and the grow beds and one of the fish tanks was also galvanized. I believe that system got drained and the growbeds lined and the fish tank coated and when re-initialized was using mains water rather than the rain water.

Certain fish are more sensitive to zinc and copper than others.

Anyway, I've had a system running for over a year with galvanized fencing as the support for the net covers on the tanks as well as the galvanized fencing over the beds as shade support. This seems fine to me but I would not put galvanized materials where they are in constant contact with system water.

Thanks for your all inputs on galvanised materials.

I think for what I am using the galvanised mesh for, I should be fine. The mesh will only be in contact with the top of the fish tank, so it will only be in contact with water either via rain or splashes from the fish tank. Prolonged contact with fish tank water is unlikely.

Although I might need to adjust the drains from the growbed to empty in between the mesh (holes) and not over any of the mesh.

Will post photos when I get the mesh sorted.

Thanks again.

Help... my water has turned yellowish and milky. Is that normal?

will test the water when i get back tonight...

Tested the water.

pH - 7.4 to 7.8
Ammonia - 0.25?
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 0
Temp - 13degC

Not sure if the ammonia is 0.25? Looks close...

Anyway, as mentioned previously today I discovered that the FT water looks slightly yellowish and cloudy.
Added Seasol and chelated iron to the system on Sunday. Also added the galvanised mesh on Sunday.

Weather in metro Perth has been quite windy and cold. Raining a number of times through the day. FT is almost full to the top.

Goldfishes seems to be feeding... No floater yet.

Any ideas? Is yellowish cloudy water alright?

Goldies are pretty hardy ivan, the ones in my wifes bathtub system we couldn't even see for a couple of months, we fixed that by building a shade frame and also shade over bathtub, can be seen here, viewtopic.php?f=18&t=3599&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&hilit=my+missus+little+system&start=15 also my own system is now under a carport and is still clear as after 2 months, so consider some shade from direct sunlight, results look good, can't get my ammonia below .25 so not stressed

My guess it is from the rain washing off the limestone blocks beside the FT.

Brickies sand has a higher clay content also, so could be from washing off the mortar also...

Your test results look ok to me, and the fish are still feeding, and as Nock says the goldies are pretty hardy.

IMO as the water is just gravity feeding back to the FT, it will likely take longer to settle out, as there is not much of a current to help settle things down, dropping the particles out of suspension.

If water is washing off the limestone blocks, or from the cement... then you're pH will probably head/stay around 7.8-8.2..... which wont help your cycling...

i'd try and ensure that this can't happen...

Thanks guys for your comments. Well my concern is that trout is not as hardy as goldfishes. My trouts are coming tomorrow. Going to put them in with the goldfishes. The goldfishes are feeder goldfishes, so I am prepared to lose them if they become troutfood. Only problem is I don't want to lose the trout.

But the test results look okay.

Well I did not consider the limestone water washing into the tank issue, although there is still a gap between the FT and the wall, but if there is heavy rain and wind, I suppose I can visualise that it is possible for water to be washing into the tank. Will have to monitor it the next time it rains.

Well will need to consider how to stop that from happening coz I am not moving my FT now.

If it is indeed limestone water getting into the system and pushing my pH up, what do I need to do to bring it back down again??

IMO you are only going to have the issues when we have the wild weather (like we have just had), so wouldn't stress to much at this point.

Your pH doesn't look to have changed in any case, from the results posted.

The wall looks new, and my guess is the wild weather, plus the fresh loose material (due to the new wall work), meant that this might have happened. I would just give the surrounding walls a good was (and maybe a scrub with a stiff brush) to remove any remaining loose material, and then just keep an eye on the pH.

My guess it is mostly the brickies sand in any case...

Yes, the limestone wall on the left of the tank is new, but at slightly lower level than the tank, so I can only think of strong wind and possibly splashes that would blow the water and debris into the tank.

The limestone wall to the back of the tank from the photo is approximately 2 years old. I think it is well seasoned and all loose debris should be long dislodged by now.

I have some limestone sealer in the shed, should I put a coat of sealer on the new wall to aid with keeping the debris to a minimum?

Could overfeeding the goldfishes have caused cloudy water?

Certainly a possibility...

Are the flakes a yellowy colour by chance?

I certainly see it with my trout when the kids get over zealous, and clears up after missing a feed or 2.

Well ehh.. yes the flakes looks yellow/brown.

Well as a precaution, I did not feed the goldfishes today. And will probably keep the feed
to a minimum when the trouts arrive.

I hope it is really overfeeding that has caused the cloudy water since that is easily fixed by
starving the fish for a day or two.

Thanks Nocky. I will consider how I can put some shade over the tank.

also ivan if you have been over feeding the goldies make sure there is no food on the bottom of tank, uneaten food will poison your water, I lost my first lot of marron to over feeding when your pump is on if any crap in the tank sweep to the pump or better suck it out with a pond vac,