Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Mr O I feed about 60gms a day for 30 fish at about 150-200gms, the ratio is about 1% so 10 fish at 200gms = 2kg, so 20gms a day is minimum, Pulling 10 fish out all the time will stress them out, just increase slightly every couple of weeks or so, mine are probably getting too much feed but it isn't affecting them and the have been on smaller pellets, just switching them to 5mm pellets today and will feed them about 40 gms and increase to 50 next week

Thanks Nocky. I take it you managed to get some advanced trout for your replacements then?

Pulling them out probably sounds more drastic than it is. I use a fish safe net (doesn't damage scales) into a bucket of AP water zeroed out on scales, 10 fish go in, weight difference is noted, water and fish returned to the tank. I have 120 trout, haven't lost one yet.

Good to know on the feeding ratio, that's basically what I've been following except I'm feeding at 3% until I exhaust the 3mm pellets as advised by TM.

Mine are averaging 40gm and 15cm. They were well under the listed avg weight given by TM for may trout when I got them They're tracking well though, will be plenty big enough come nov/dec.

Mr O I have no Idea on Weight of mine, they have over doubled in size or more since the end of May, I had no problems with the size TM supplied, mine probably are under 150gms if yours weigh 40gm, but would be 100gms, I think they are getting to much food but will watch more closely now they are on 5mm pellets, you should be feeding 60-100gms a day at those weights, they will grow quickly, mine finished at over 700gms last year with less feed

Thanks mate, yep 90gm/day going in atm.

Did you go from 3mm to 5mm pellets? I need to get a bag of feed soon.

Yep tried a few 5mm ones on the weekend and fish are still swimming and eating, just ran out of 3mm and have 20kg of 5mm so they will have to get use to them, also have some BSF larvae that CD dropped of so will be throwing some of those in now and then, mine have at least doubled in size in a month and can easily handle 5mm

I still have ~2kg of 3mm pellets so that will last me another 2weeks, by then the fish should average 70gm+ I think they could take the 5mm then.

I still can't believe how big your fish are, TM must have given you his special ones I think i was last delivery for the day so dunno if that means the smaller ones were left or not. TBH I'm not worried as like you said they will be plenty big enough just surprised yours are so large that's all.

Thanks for the info.

No worries might weigh one myself, could be blow arsing, but you can see them in last pic I posted and they are a reasonable size

Yeh mum made me eat them and I must admit I don't mind them, well if they are served up I eat them, well I eat them if I'm real Hungry, well the wife is worse than mum and makes me eat them really, but the ones I grew last year were pimples so figured they didn't do that well in AP

No special favours for the Narrogin boys Mr Orange. The only person on this site who got some bigger fish was Old Ute as he specifically asked for them. The reason Nockys are growing much quicker than yours is all to do with stocking density. I think he only has 40 fish in 3000L where as you have 120!! I have already sold some fish this year that were 250gms but they came from a tank with a very low stocking density.


Yes thats right, all the fish this year were smaller than what I achieved last year (which were the quoted figures) due to a much hotter summer. Getting the fish thru the summer alive was the priority rather than putting any size on to them.

Thanks TM, interesting to know about the avg size. Alot of that was said in jest, I'm more than happy with my trout, no deaths so they're obviously raised well!

Trout grow so quickly that it doesn't seem to matter how big they are when starting off as they catch up so quickly, being eager to feed n all.
We love out trout

Have a dead pump on one GB and have hooked a small temp one, Rick yours is way too big for one GB but thanks, will come out for a drive on weekend and drop off, the main drama though is the below 0 temps we have had, never had so many in June and another run for the next 5 days, the plants are getting hammered, the ones under cover are hanging in but the ones in her new GB outside are sad, the Rhubarb has died completely and the caulie's and cabbage is looking sick, planted a passion vine and raspberry a few months back and they are all but gone as well, the trout seem to love the weather and keep eating, may have to put them on a diet soon or they will sink

Won't be a problem mate - they can still breathe down there

Just have to make sure the food falls near them !

-1.1c this morning and another 4 days of it, replanting will have to happen I feel

That's cold Nocky,

Is your coldest month July?

Might have to think about a temporary shade house or two to save your plants in your new grow beds,over the next couple of months.

Cheers.