Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Sorry to read about your loss.
Any idea as to why the temp in the Barra tank dropped so far? Did you have a lid on it? Did you pump to the growbeds overnight?

No pumping overnight Farmer Luke, and tank was "loosely" covered....

Just a massive drop of over 10 degrees air temp overnight.... followed by two days and another night about the same...

Tank hasn't recovered beyond 19 degrees (daytime) since...

Daryl commented that night temps had dropped to 1 degree overnight up in Windsor... and cold weather was due for the rest of the week...

And the barra tank had dropped back to 15 degrees...

So moved the barra... at least those I could catch in the fading light... into a 1000L tank in the shed... with a 300w heater...

Just as well... as the tank had dropped to 13.5 over last night... and snow is forecast today down to 1000m throughout NSW...

Got a call from Erina George the night before... saying his tank was down about the same... and he'd lost about 6 barra... and did I know anyone that might want the barra...

Called me again today... to say he'd harvested some... and lost about another ten...

Thankfully... he's found a home for his...


Mine... well, I thought I was going to lose about three of the bigger ones after chasing them around the tank and transferring them....

They went belly up... and stayed that way for about an hour... but were all fine this morning...

Think it was just the temp shock from one tank to another...

Tonight they're swimming around happliy in 17.5 degree water... not exactly sunbathing... but at least their teeth have stopped chattering....

I'll post pics as soon as I have my computer back online...

Barra seem to be enjoying their new warmer, cuddlier environment...

Although they were a little startled when I first turned the light on and removed the cover...

Winter veges are starting to kick along...

Joels post (on another thread)... prompted me to take a couple of update photos... raining here as well...

The far bed...



First seeding of Bok & Pak Choi... and lettuce...

Mid bed... caulis, cabbage & broccoli...

End bed... more caulis etc...



And some spilt seeds... celery I think...

Despite not having any Barra, or any other fish, in the system... still managed to get some winter veges through... although I didn't take photos...

Here's a bit of an update...

As I mentioned earlier... this system is intended to become the main Silver Perch... and over-wintering... system....

So, with a few days off over Xmas... time to tidy things up...



Get some plastic down...

Some how I need to get this tank (out the front of the block) ...



Around the other side... and over/through the fence...



And down onto the prepared crusher dust base...

I jury rigged some sheets to tip the dust down to the pad...



Left them in place... and with the help of a mate and his "hi-ab".... moved the tank around the block... and lowered the tank into place...





All with minimal damage to the grow beds...

I've got enough "left over" materials from previous jobs to enclose the tank within a shade/greenhouse structure...

And will move all the Silver Perch... and new stock... into this tank...

The current Perch tank with the solar array... will become the "Barra" tank.. for the remaining Barra that have been over-wintered (abused) in a heated tank in the shed...

Hi Rupt nice tank what was it and where did you score it