Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hi all
Its 6:am Easter Sunday and I have started the firewood oven to cook a half butt of beef that I had frozen since xmas'
so I decided to start my system tread whilst I wait for things to get going.
I have been lurking about here for a while asking a couple of questions here and there
I finally got started
I have a 2000l ft and at the moment 500L GB
Here is a link to some of my adventures
http://picasaweb.google.com.au/GabrielS ... Adventure#
There is some more pictures to add but I havent had any time will add them later
I have the system fully planted and aded some seasol and 20L of water from a friend that has a small system going
I would like to put some trout in it about 30 yearling I think plus some gold fish to eat the mossy larve
I haven't taken any readings as yet as Im waiting for my test kit to arrive from Dean at growfresh
so Im waiting before introducing the fish.
Ok Guys I have to attend to the cooking so Happy Easter every one and Ill keep you posted on my efforts

Regard Gabriel

I'd put the phto's up for you (bored on holiday lol) but I cant link to your photos

Whats the big vented shed next door? Seems extremely out of place in suburbia?

Hey Gabriel, welcome to the addiction... Looking good... It's good to be handy with tools, since you can do a lot of work yourself...

Anyways, just a note, for 500L of growbed filtration, I think your starting number of 30 fishes plus the odd goldfish is too many. IMO, 15 or at max 20 fishes is what you want to start with. But I am sure a more experienced member will drop by and confirm the stocking numbers..

Even 20 is starting to push it. Just go easy for the first season

Hi OBO
I think its theyre old varanda they enclosed it

thanks for the info on the ammount of fish Ill start with that meny then
Sorry to hear taht you get bored on Holidays
I cant wait for mine in september of to WA Broome for a bit of Fishing
Back to my cooking now
Regards Gabriel

Oh, not bored as such, just doing nothing for a change

Looking good Gabriel. That is patio tube you have made your GB stands out of by the looks. I used the same but only used 25 x 25 as the under bed rails, and they are plenty strong enough.

Long shorts may be OK, but when shorts were shorts, that welding pose of yours can be lethal. A fig only has to take a peak and they can get severely burnt in a very short time.

Thanks Rick
Yes a bit over the top for the stand its duragal 75 x 50 x 2.5
And for the shorts thy did the job no burns at all and its been 25 years sinse I use the stick welder last
Ill put some more pics soon

Happy Easter Gabriel

yea on the fish, rule of thumb would be 3 kg of fish per 100 liters of grow bed. So for a new system, you get small fish so your filtration can grow into them so to speak. And then you pretend each fish counts as 1 kg (even if you plan to harvest smaller than that) So 3 fish per 100 liters of grow bed and since you have 500 liters of grow bed that means 15 fish.

As you add more grow beds, you can add more fish but remember that you need to grow your bio-filters before they can handle lots of fish.

Now you could always do some fishless cycling to get the bio filter going before adding fish and make the whole process a bit less stressful. Perhaps by the time it's cycled the water will be cooler for the trout too.

Hi all again
Thanks for your coments and sugestions
I have started cycling the system I planted it and run it for a couple of weeks
with seasolnow I have aded 20 rainbow fingerlings from Ballarat trout farm great size about 160mm not timid at all they are really hungry im just feeding them very little.
I would like some advice with my cycling here are some of my test
Tank 2000L 1 500L BAYP growbed 15m on 30m off water cycle 100lpm air pump at the moment with 2 large air stones
from about the
4/04 till 15/04 Ph 7.6 ammonia .25 nitrite 0 Nitrate 0 Salt 0
17/04 ph 7.6 ammonia .50 nitrite 0 nitrate 0 salt0
18/04 ph 7.6 ammonia 1 nitrite .25 nitrate .5 salt 0
19/04 ph 7.6 ammonia 1 nitrite .50 nitrate 10 salt 0
20/04 ph 7.6 ammonia 1 nitrite 1 nitrate 10 salt 1ppm
21/04 ph 7.6 ammonia .50 nitrite 1 nitrate 10 salt 1ppm
22/04 ph 7.6 ammonia .50 nitrite 1 nitrate 20 salt 1ppm

temperature has ranged from 19 to 21
Im feeding very little
My question is Are things on the right track I havent lost any fish

Thanks Guys

That all sounds good to me. Remember to take lots of photos and don't forget to share. You will be amazed at the growth when you look back 1 month from now.

Thanks Faye
I will be taking lots of pics as things develop
Thanks Gabriel

Great test results!

As soon as that nitrite drops down some more, start giving more food, monitor ammonia though. A new system is slow to convert ammonia, however my old system converts ammonia very quickly now.

Hi Outbackozzi
I tested again today and the only change was nitrite went up to 2 the rest remained the same should I stop feeding

Thanks gabriel

Yes... and salt to 1ppt immediately... that's 1kg of salt per 1000L...