Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Now I'm thinking of using pond liner rather than painting the grow beds with gripset51

the problem being its going to be hard to get paint down into the sump as its another tank like this one (tho not quite so cut in half)

Date----------04/05/10------5/05/10-------06/05/10
Temp------------15----------------12-------------14
pH----------------6----------------6.8------------6.9
ammonia----------0------------------0------------0.25
Nitrites-----------0.5----------------1---------------1
Nitrates----------160--------------160-------------160


I haven't put anything more in, but ammonia still seems to be sweating out.

The urea formaldehyde is a very slow release fertilizer, much slower than urea, so it may take weeks to decompose into ammonia. Apparently it does not decompose into formaldehyde at all (but DON"T trust me on this since I don't know).

I would prefer something with plain urea instead.

cool thanks

actually if my recent tests are anything to go on, humonia is as slow as i would need anyway.

Its been days now an I'm still seeing nitrites and even new ammonia.

I just don't want my media to die if i have to go away, but these latest tests show consistent supply over days (as per your warning to not dose to heavily)

I'm still worried about this chart.

I don't understand where the nitrites are coming from.

I even bought a new test kit.

My fear is that it is something from the baby spinach (nuggets of nitrites?) seedlings I put in weeks ago (I rinsed them to within inches of their lives) or that toxic foolishness I did with the funny gravel.

Does this look normal given the zero or near zero ammonia?
There are no fish in here. Bird shit? Frogs visiting in the night. U-fo space aliens crapping on my lettuce? (I don't have an exwife*)




*one of the free rainwater tanks I got from a friend had some exwife (claimed) poommonia in it from eight years ago

Ammonia and Nitrites are coming from your introduced Hummonia.
Nitrates will appear as the system cycles.
Be patient!!!!
It takes 6 to 8 weeks for a system to cycle naturally!!
Cheers IanK

This is the graph from the only the last 2 weeks .There is another month of history. But I cant work out why I'm seeing very convincing zero's in the ammonia and then some pops up . It was processing 1ppm ammonia in 24 hours before, and after 2 days of zero ammonia my nitrites would be zero (tho I guess that doesn't mean there wasn't ammonia, just that it was being dealt with)

Such small Am spikes could come from anywhere. Perhaps a small anaerobic pocket in your GB media, a build up (and break down) of some bio-film in your Pump or pipework, an accumulation of Solids (from dust, grime or other solids) on the bottom of your FT that turns anaerobic. Dead insects decaying, fish food left over, Bird shit!!
I wouldn't be too concerned about it. Nitrite levels don't hurt Fish until they reach 600 or so, from what I've gleaned from the forums.
Just wait until your Nitrates appear to let you know that the bacteria has established etc etc.

Cheers IanK

That should be nitrates ... not "nitrites"...

Your nitrite "blips"... are as Ian suggests... the delayed response to hummonia dosing... as the ammonia is converted... prior to conversion to nitrates...

You may not see the intermediate "nitrite" spike in a cycled system... as conversion of any ammonia .. to nitrties and then nitrates (ultimately) can occur rapidly...

Sorry . . . you are dead right! My bad!

IanK

I just thought I had already cycled

this is the first month




the pump was running for 4 days before I got a test kit, so this chart starts at day 4

Given I had already processed nitrites to zero in the past, I figured I should see zero nitrites now because of the lack of ammonia.

A while ago I felt ready for some fish, but now I'm doubtful.

Are you running your system as continuous flow... or through a continuous flow bio-filter/trickle tower??

flood and drain (20 mins up 20 mins down) in 2 half blue barrels 100l per half with scoria (and some shell grit) and some plants - no fish- and one of the finest pumps money can buy (yes those two opposing loops of wire really _are_ the newly fashioned front bearing )

but all manner of other experimental crap going on elsewhere

Whoa. Is the new avatar experimental too?
It's... grouchily delicious.