Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Cover, aerate and pump...

And get some shellgrit in before the pH moves much more...

Shellgrit went in when I saw the pH drop to colour shade between 7.2 and 7.6...
Now it appears it has gone back up to 7.6 .

I have covered, aerated and pumped for a week now... maybe I should cover it with
tarp like my other system...

Black things out in those tanks till the algae is pretty much gone. Then the dead algae gives off some chemical that tends to inhibit future algae growth and you might be able to allow a little light to hit the water at that point. Getting rid of the algae will help stabilize pH.

This frog visited my sump tank today...

Anyone know what the name of this frog is?? Friendly, Poisonous, etc??

I have scooped it out from my tank already as a precaution but would like to know more about it, and if it is doing good work, then I will leave it alone next time...

Some shade and perhaps wrapping something around the planters to stop the direct sun from hitting the plastic and heating it up, same goes for the fish tank. Do you have plenty of extra aeration going in the fish tank? Remember that the warmer the water, the less dissolved oxygen it holds so shutting off the system most of the day to keep the water cool may be leaving the fish without enough oxygen unless you have a good aerator going full time.

I don't know of any fish that is likely to be hardier than the koi/goldfish for hot and cold temps as well as less than optimum conditions. My channel catfish have been fine with water as warm as 34 C but at that temp they would need loads of extra aeration. Tilapia might do fine with even warmer water but would be killed by winter temps in such a system. Kinda beside the point since I don't think either of those fish are appropriate in your location.

Are all water tests in good range?

Is that system running by timer for flood and drain? Perhaps instead of leaving it off through the day, you might let it run constantly through the hot daytime (as in keep the planters flooded) and the returning water will help aerate the fish tank and through this method keep the temperature down while still aerated rather than adding extra aeration.

I have a 8L/min air pump going in the fish tank constantly... Amm 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 20. Temp 34degC this afternoon. Did not get pH...
Fish tanks are fully covered with wooden planks lined with 90% shade cloth and also covered with tarps over the planks and shade cloth... so direct sunlight to the tank is limited...

System is a flood and drain based on timer... So running a system constantly flooded will not increase the temperature of the water in the tank even if the gravel is exposed to the sun??

As indicated my goldfishes and koi have been dying possibly due to high water temperatures..
Thread below provides some details...
http://www.backyardaquaponics.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=6789

Today I made a further discovery, I found that the kois have loss some of their scales... Noticed it first on the
struggling koi and was puzzled at why its body was smooth and without scales... and the back part of its tail seems stucked or rigid... it appears it only has control of its body to mid-body... the back part is like a stick... weird.. the rest are fine...

I did a google and found that it could be Myxosporidiosis based on the scale losing. Appears to be a parasite... Did not notice this on the previous dead fishes so this must be an opportunistic parasite attacking temperature stressed fishes...

According to some website, water changes is the only way of getting rid of these parasites... I did about
50% water change today and salted to 3ppt... Pump is running constantly now...

Also added some yabbies in the sump before I found out about this... hopefully the parasites do not attack yabbies.

Well anyway it is all just a possible hunch, but I suppose I have done all I could for now... maybe do another water change this Thursday/Friday...

Any other ideas what it might be?? I will try to get a photo tomorrow if possible...

Just updating with photos...

All the goldfishes and kois in this system has died, not sure what is happening yet... Whether it is toxins getting into the system or the temperature flunctuations with an exposed black above ground fish tank... plus my reverse cycle airconditioning unit is just near by... so raising the heat more than ambient... Not sure of the issue...

Currently having yabbies in there... they seem to be still alive... Will wait for cooler weather to put 1-2 trout in there to see if they survive... if they die, then I would be leaning towards some toxins in the water...

Since mid May 2010, I had placed 2 trouts into this system. Til today, they are still alive, feeding and growing. So I don't think it is toxins in the water but probably temperature flunctuations or too high water temperature from an above ground black fish tank during the summer months.

Might try putting 1-2 barramundi in the tank in summer to see if they survive the coming summer.

Good stuff

hi Ivan,

noticed that fence and thought of this product (yes it is my site)

I'd really like to see one or two of these in action, I'm yet to get my hands on one (I'm still working on the site!).

Hi gemmell,

Nice idea, but $70 for a 38L growbed seems expensive. (no offence meant, just my opinion)...

Yeh, I think so too! They're originally made as horse feeders - but I thought they'd make awesome fence mount growbeds. Wasn't real happy when I found out the wholesale price but it might suit someone still!

Yeah... you can get 3 blue barrels for that price... that's about 600L of growbed...