Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

C1, I think I might just stop getting so stressed about testing. Possibly test every two days (maybe three) and feed fishes every day. If it happens, it happens.

The main thing is to take it easy...Ivan got over a hundred trout for a brand new system, then went on holidays

I think the kids probably still have not forgiven him

I have to stop any confusion ivansng...
OBO was refering to me (also an Ivan) yes 150 and were big ones too
Left my kids to look after them and get the system cycling

C1 (Ivan),
I must admit reading OBO's post on its own, seem like he is telling me that he had 100 trout and went on holidays as well. The part that probably did not make sense was "the kids not forgiven him"? Who's him?

Now that you cleared it up. It does make more sense.

Yeah, anyway, rain coming through Perth daily for the next week or so. So I guess it will stuff up the cycling again.
Anyway, stop worrying just continue feeding if the fishes are happy.

You have rain , we have buckets

Thats it ivan don't stress, took a while for me but I got over it, I check mine weekly and if amm is up I reduce feed, other than that I am feeding 50 trout about 100gms a day or I have a half cup measure and feed them 1 1/2 of those daily, soon to be 2 or 1 full cup, when amm goes up cut that to half

Well I am not stressing but when I went out this morning, the water in the FT has turned green. Like pondwater. Smells like pondwater or at least fish water. Cannot see the fishes anymore. Unfortunately I do not see the FT water in the daylight until the weekends but I was quite sure that two nights ago, it was pretty clear.

Anyway, the test for today is
pH - 7.8
Amm - 1+
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 0
Temp 13 degC

Same results from a week ago. Funny, my system cannot seem to get over the current hurdle over to the next hurdle.

I have been feeding them about 2 tablespoons a day for the last 3 days and the results have not changed. Any ideas? Should I increase the feed? My thoughts are that I might need to get Ammonia to 2 before the system will move on in cycling.

Must admit I am not impressed with green water but others say it happens and isn't a problem Rupe and OBO said mine would go green because of lots of water and not enough GB's but still nice and clean, I can't get my Nitrites down below 1 since the cold weather came in, but amm of 1 should be ok in the cool weather and your pH is stable at 7.8,

Yeah, I am not impressed with the green water either. But tests are fine, so I guess the best thing to do is to keep moving along as usual.

Ivan, the green water is just a stage. There are "golden rules" in your information pack that will tell you what to do when the water goes green. Don't worry, it is a nature based system and will do its thing in its own time.

don't try and stop it

Hi Faye,

Thanks for your advice. I have checked the Golden Rules and it says to STOP FEEDING when water turns green. Since my test results were the same as the last week but only that this week the water is green.

I am just trying to understand/learn about what is happening right now that is different from last week. Something that obviously cannot be picked up by the test kit. And why the lack of food (by stopping feeding) will aid the natural process.

Ivan water does go green and thus creates concerns, my last system went green twice but eventually turned around, the first time I suspect a dead marron was the cause, but could be wrong just found a dead smelly marron, the second time I put it down to over feeding and uneaten food at the bottom of the tank which also caused an Ammonia and Ph spike, I doubt you have uneaten food as you have had them on a diet, but my green water didn't kill anything else, I also ran my pump 24/7 for a week and covered my tank 3/4's with a tarp on the sunny side, this may have cleaned it up, but more than likely just a natural process was the solution,

Ivan, the reason we suggest to stop feeding is;-
if the trout cant see the food they may not eat it
The risk being it could end up on the bottom and you can't see it. (Some people continue to feed, cause they think the fish will starve and uneaten food may contaminate the water quality.) I actually think that you may have a better idea than many and so you will use your commonsense.
Like everything, people will give you their opinion on how you should do it and you will make up your own mind and do it your way.
Sometimes, mistakes are made and that is also how we learn. We hope that people now make less mistakes, avoid fish kills and maintain healthy fish stocks. We do our best anyway.