Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

New test results this morning looks like some action.
PH between 7.2 & 7.5 probably closer to 7.2
Amo 1.0 (down from 2.0)
Nitrites 1.0
Nitrates 5.0

I got Nitrite reading 3 days ago, Amo stayed at 2.0 until today
Today first time amo has come down and first time any nitrates.
Sytem has been running since 1st of June, 25 trout went in on the 5th.
Any comments welcome especially regarding feeding.
I havent been feeding much but want to so they can grow!

Steady as she goes Oldute.... things are starting to happen.... wont be long before you can start to up the feed... patience...

Water test this morning:
Nitrite 5.0
Nitrate 10
Amo 1.0
ph 7.4

Water temp 10 degrees but will get to 16 later as it has most days.

Should I be concerned at the nitrite & nitrate levels?

Certainly should be concerned about the nitrite level for any extended period of time...

Salt your tank to 1ppt, if you already haven't done so... for the sake of your fish stock health...

What do you call an extended period of time please?

At that level... without salt... a day.... with salt.... a week...

Thanks, I'd better get some salt then. In the meantime I'll switch the pump on continuous for more aeration.

Thought I'd post more readings so others can also see the course my new system is taking to compare with theirs.
Ph 7.2 (down a bit)
Amo 0.25 (down)
Nitrite 5 (still high, been here for 4 or 5 days)
Nitrate 80? (hard to tell but definitely up.)

I did add salt to the sytem yesterday, fish are very active, have only thown a half dozen pellets in to see how hungry they are and they ARE hungry.
Want to feed but I'm guessing I shouldnt.
Also noticed algae growing on the side of the tank, some long strands of it.

Should I do a large water change later today? Any opinions?

Thats a very worrying level of nitrite, do not feed at all until it drops back. The fish wont die from lack of food.

With salt you may not need a water change, but if you start to loose fish, I'd be changing some water. Then resalting.

Well, I've been away for 3 days so the fish havent had any food. Just did a test result and nitrites still look about 5, nitrates are 20 and amo is .25.
No dead fish and they look healthy.
I have given up on worrying about the nitrite levels as they have been high for 8 days, I'll just keep an eye on the fish nothing else I can do apart from a water change.
Does anybody know wether the trout will now have time to grow to plate size seeing as they have had verry little food for the past 6 weeks??

8 days, nitrite 5... IMO... it's time for a water change...

Fish might look OK, but exposure to high levels of nitrite will compromise their health...

Can't really understand why your nitrites are so high and are remaining so, especially as you seem to have a reasonably high level of nitrates, and little ammonia...

Going to review your thread, something just doesn't seem right to me...

What's your pH??... and how long have the nitrates been at 20??

A second test kit may be a good idea????

ph is at 7.4
Nitrates were 10 9 days ago, then 80 6 days ago, now back to 20.
Amonia is between 0 and 0.25
I'll do a 50% water change this morning after I get some more salt.

ok, 2 days since 50% water change and its looking better.
nitrites are now at 1.0
Nitrates at 5.0
Amonia at 0
PH at 7.4
Werent that low immediately after the water change, but have lowered a bit more probably due to the sunny weather we had the last 2 days.
I started bumping up the feed last night.

Just wondering if my system can be regarded as "cycled" or is it "nearly" there.

PH 7.2
Nitrate 0.5
Nitrate 0
Amonia 0.25

Been running for 46 days.