Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I too wonder how your water temps stay soo high Quachy! I'm really struggling. 10.7 today. We nearly had snow on the weekend. I didn't realise how high in altitude I am here in Lancefield. Not much lower than parts of King Lake and it snowed there on the weekend!
Oh well, hopefully I can keep my trout a little bit longer than you! just wish I had more!

in terms of my temps (which is down to 11 today), I think because of where the tanks are, they heat up, particularly in the arvo. They are fully exposed from mid morning to sunset and the black beds will also heat the water up pretty quick. That is all I can think of...

On a sad note, had 2 silver deaths today all other fish seem very happy. readings as previous day.... their gills were very bright red if that means anything.... hopefully no more!

It's not the actual Temp (within reasonable proven limits!) that bothers the fish,
it's the rate of change!!
Insulate your tank/s.
It won't keep the temp up or down, but it will slow the rate that the temp will "Change"
Same as pH, Ammonia and all the other parameters, change things slowy and the Fish (and Plants!!!) will adjust.
Cheers Ian K

Just got back from a week away with 21 yr 9 students, doing the Great Ocean Walk. Best group of kids I have taken on the walk so far, hardly any complaints and complements all round from organisers and tour guides! Anyway after a week of trail mix and basic food, I was hunkering for a real meal! Went and did a lucky dip, 469grams! Baked in the oven with AP herbs and neighbours lemons, a few nobs of butter and a good pinch of salt all over. Side dish of new potatoes from the garden and a risotto. Damn good!

more....

Interesting issue with some of my strawberries. the ones I have put in this year, crowns of various varieties from garden express. thye started really well, but are now really struggling. Pulled some up and seems like root rot.... some of them are coming back and new white healthy looking roots develpoing, anyway, too impatient, so pulled them all upand putting them in the dirt garden and have transfered dirt strawberries to the ap. good roots, good growth and good health.

interestingly, another lot of strawberries i have in the ap in another growbed are doing fine.... go figure... same variety, put in same time got from same place.... maybe the growbed needs closer looking at. They are all running on the same water, so would have thought if root rot then all affected throughout system...

ahhh we will see I guess, either way, still getting a handfull of straws each other day so long as the boys don't get them first!

Quanch i was talking to a strawberry grower at the market he gave me some plants to try and he said never put blood and bone on this verity potash and seasol only it will kill them on red gauntlet ok so different plants different requirements also if you salt it will get them
From now on strawberrys in my yard lill go in a dedicated bed

Strawbs already in a sep. bed, no salt in system at all, no additives other than seasol and that was 6mths ago.... as i said, everything else fine, other strawbs in diff beds fine, same variety and stockest, just the strawbs from this bed....strange...

Check the flood height. Strawberries don't like their crowns getting too wet (can cause crown rot) so if they were planted a little deeper in one bed or if the one bed floods a little deeper that could affect them.

thanks tc, made sure the crowns were well above flood line when I put them in.... any other ideas?

mine did the same quachy, produced heaps of fruit then gave up, so i tooke em out
is there any differenc in sun exposure, that might affect them

both full sun... as per any other strawb i have planted dirt or ap...

so far transfered strawbs doing well (from dirt to ap), no droop at all.

Transfered from ap to dirt seem ok, won't really know until end of week if they come back to full health.

Seems weird Quachy. I was going to post what TCL posted but too late. I have basically just put the roots into the gravel and let the crown sit on top, and so far they are doing ok.

currently 28deg outside. tanks at 22deg!

tomorrow forcast for 26, hopefully tanks don't heat up too much! 29 thurs and 32 friday!

If tanks hit 26 then out they come!

im the same as you - but tank is 18.5. Ive set up a mist system 2 ft above it all using my rain water tank water - is cooler under the shadecloth. I need another 3 - 4 weeks if I can for the trout to be a good size