Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Will probably restock with fresh and see if it can handle 50 - heard there is a lot of aggression between juvies so will keep babies separate till bigger. Only problem is I have to lift the entire thing out to check for dead ones
What and how often do I feen them

On the fish - I want to check with the fish farm how big they are up to now - bit iffy about 50mm ones.

I never worried about the dead ones as the others scavenged the bodies (shells and all)... but then again I did/do have a good flow of water passing through my system so there was no 'stink' buildup etc... as for feeding, I used to feed every 3 days or so - and I used a WIDE veriety of items (I was basically experimenting ) From memory I fed them: cooked Rice, Partially cooked potato, carrot and pumpkin skins, the odd rotten potato, cat food, dead fish (chopped up into smaller portions so the would not fight about the bits), fish pellets... and the odd dead redclaw (also chopped up ) and some kangkong (it had to be weighed down and although it was nibbled on, it was not a big hit)

Let me know about the fish then regarding sizes and if you are able to come on Saturday

Person I spoke to on phone on Tues said they were 50mm - but there some bigger ones in there I will wait till next weekend and fillet this weekend. Redclaw seem to be settling in well - thinking about chucking another 30 in

Found out the ones at the 'Pier' are purged ones for eating the guy from Tarzali said may not settle in that well - can go down there and get unpurged ones though.

If you contact him he will even bring down bigger ones too
Okay, its a solo trip up this weekend then... No worries, will take the kids with for a drive in the 'country'

You showed me the shell grit in your system when I poped over last time - where did you get youra as I should get some for my system soon

The fine shell grit I have in there i think i got from a general aquarium shop. EcoRose makes bigger increases if its low (couple tbls for 0.2) but still need the buffer. I think the shellgrit makes more difference over 7ph

thanks mate

well just finished filleting / eating the remaining 28 barra

so jumped in and got 70 this time (only got 53 last time at 85mm) at 55 mm. Much smaller than i would have liked so expecting losses but needed to restock
See how it goes

What sort of water temp have you guys got up your way at the moment??

they are small... only lost one thus far myself... well, as a floater anyway, have not done a head count to see if they are eating one-another that comes in a week or 2.... I put loads of bits of shade cloth into their tank to give them places to hide (also hopeing they can hide from their hungry brothers )

As for water temp, on my side of town I am averaging around 21/22C... in the barra tank I placed a heater to take it up to roughly 25... they seem happy as they are feeding 2 times a day and are hungry!

How are the red claw liking the new digs? hope all is well

fed the fish a bit later this moning around 7am air temp about 20
water temp about 24. Gets direct sunlight virtually all day at my place Use B umbrellas over growbeds (cheap and easy to take down for a cyclone)

Lost almost all my tomatos to grubs - rescued a couple green ones hoping they will ripen.

Redclaw seem to be fine as far as i know Sometimes see one on top level of mansion feeding otherwise dont see them so hoping they are happy on bottom levels (darker down there). Have to see what happens when i add 30 more (bringing me to 45 in the ibc).

added 33 more redclaw on sat - pulled out 7 floaters so far (no damage soo not fighting) must just be shock Will be a loss of a third soon. Must be doing something wrong with introduction into tank.

Already had 12-15 living happily in there.

for me I've got to get it to around 40 to make it worthwhile - else I might as well just make it another fish tank.
Any helpful ideas re how you intro crayfish/redclaw?
Thanks

lost another 9 overnight think i can see another dead on bottom. With previous 7 thats over half the 33 I put in on Sat - still shock etc

wow - big losses in a small span of time ... what sort of air do you have in there and what would your turnover of water be??? ....
Also, how do you go about introducing them - what do you do, step by step from getting them home....

lost a couple more in days following that post
now seem to be losing 1 every couple of days
these are all floaters i am pulling out
must only have 13ish of the 33 recently bought left (+previous 12 around 25 total)

got a big air stone from my 12lpm air pump (also got one coming to barra tank) this is on constantly
also have pump (at 1m height its 2400lt but i have it split with taps)going to both barra and redclaw using taps on cycle 15 on 45off. no ammonia.

bring home in an esky with lid on (so in dark), take lid off under cover so adjust to light, move next to tank put some system water with them (only so partially covers). Have to tip them all gently into system then. Whole process 10min (fugured it was best to get them in dark tank). Should i do it slower
If it was just shock shouldnt deaths have stopped No sign of injury just smelly and dead.

Havent had a death that i know of from transitioning fish. Are Redclaw this fiddly?
Thanks