Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Not arguing that aquaculture can't be done successfully and/or profitably at all Simo.... nor that you shouldn't try it at some stage if you chose...

Merely highlighting that the legislative requirements are strict and rigid... and for very good reason... and that non-compliance, whether that be from ignorance, avoidance or mishap... has grave consequences for the producer.

Obviously, in order to persue any venture in the future, you would have to undertake a complete business plan... and such compliance issues and associated cost of infrastructure would have to be taken into account...


The issue of liability however extends beyond any full scale "commercial" venture... and extends to even those who may merely be making "some beer money"...

I appreciate the tips, with the costs of setting up and running a small scale commercial operation that you point out it may not even be that profitable unless you went large scale and then the work load will go up. No such thing as a free lunch.

A better idea might be to use the large FT volume to diversify the types of seafood grown to be fully self sufficent while not getting bored of eating one type of fish every night of the week. For example divide the one large tank and have muscles, maron and two spieces of fish along with all the vegies you could eat with enough left over for trade with neighboring primary producers.

Today

temp 15 C
pH 7.8
Amm 0.5
Others zero

Still not feeding however the water is becoming very clear.

Things are starting to ove, I finally got a nitrite reading today

Temp 15 C
pH 7.8
Amm 0.5
Nitrite 0.25
Nitrate 0

Still not feeding, have got to go away this w/end, what instructions do I give the minister for war?

beer money ? haha at your prices you would be on the top shelf stuff lol

simo i love your system and am looking at getting one just like it soon
thanks for the great pics

Give her a teaspoon and tell her one per day only.

I like the teaspoon idea.

Temp 22 C
pH 7.8
Amm 0.25 (dropping)
Nitrite 1 (increasing)
Nitrate 5 (first time reading)

Am I right to assume that everything is going well here and I am getting closer to being cycled?

All advice welcome.

Yep, patience Simo... it may not happen over night... but it will happen...

Have you added salt? I think the consensus is to salt to 1ppt during the nitrite spike and to stop feeding above 1ppm nitrite.

Agreed, however you can keep feeding as long as the salt level is maintained. Salt makes the nitrite less toxic by quite a bit.

I have not fed for quite a while now but the fish are small and there is still small amounts of visible algae on the FT wall so I figure the SP will be OK with out food for some time, do you agree?

I have salted the system to around 2 to 3ppt salt.

If any fish start going belly up you'll want to start feeding them. Fingerlings dont go a long time without food. Preferably high protein food like Trout or Barra pellets ground up.

With your last test readings... you could probably start feeding them a teaspoon every second day...

Try it and report your test results....

I work FIFO (that stands for Fit In or Go Away if you live in a mining town) so I am not at home, trouble and strife said she would test water for me today and then I will post results.

I will give her feeding instructions

My wife got these readings today

pH 8
Amm 0
Nitrites 5
Nitrates 5

System has about 2ppm salt

More seedlings have been planted today

Happy about the ammonia not so happy about the nitrites.

Will I be OK? Any advice

Yeah thats pretty good. The nitrites will drop of very quickly. If you can, run the pump a bit more to help with oxygenation.