Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

How stupid was I ....Well as some of you now know I did the unthinkable, I ordered 25 rainbow trout, I asked for 25 a bit bigger than fingerling size, and 10 bigger ones ready to harvest, well when we arrived to get them they are firing these "fingerlings" into the tank but they were 6-8 inches long, so I was happy with that, I thought they would fire the grow beds up a bit as the 4 goldfish were doing a really good job but just not enough "poo" for the job. Well then they took us around to the bigger ones and they gave me 11 of them. Well I am the sort of person that works out what to do about things after the event as there is usually something you can do about it.... WRONG....You should have seen these suckers, BIG, well anyway by the time we arrived home they were gasping for air as there was not enough oxygen in the carry tank, so 10 of the big ones were harvested, they dressed out at between 3kg and 5.5kg each The one survivor looked like jaws cruising around in the IBC and the smaller ones indeed looked like fingerlings in comparison. When we pulled him out he was 70cm long. But anyway my readings have been all over the show...hmmm wonder why Now Chillidude helped me over the worst of it but do not know what to do about the fact that my readings have been the same for 3 days now, I have been not feeding or feeding very little since I got the fish...
PH 8.0, Nitrite 1.0, Ammonia 0.5 and Nitrates 10
Do I need to do a partial water change, stop feeding or both????

I would say stop feeding. Test every day to keep an eye on things.

You may also want to reduce your ph slightly (and slowly).

Damn - edit time out.

If your system is relatively new (and therefore still cycling) it may just be a matter of patience.

The addition of considerably more fish... and more particularly... more bio-mass.... is causing your system to spike...

Simply... it will take some time for the nitrifying bacteria to catch up with the increased load...

Feed lightly... if you have to... and stop if your ammonia reaches 1.... wait until it at least lowers to 0.5 before feeding again... preferably ... zero...

It may spike again... repeat.... the length of time for the ammonia to process will shorten... until the system has sufficient nitrification that you can convert the feed without a spike....

You can then, if necessary, increase the feed... observing the same test/feed responses...

Thanks Rup....12C water temp here this morning, but ammonia has dropped to .25, all else is still the same, have given approx 3 pellets each for feed and will not feed again until tomorrow unless the system shows signs of dropping further, still have 4 gold fish in the sump tank and have another tank to put them in so will remove them today, thanks to everyone that has given advice, I really have gone into this the wrong way, just could not say no to those big ones

Hi arbe, the PH thing well I just dont know how far to go with it as I have already added 7 cups vinegar to an IBC, do you thinnk I should add more, I have not added any for 2 days

Froglips, frankly at a pH of 8, ammonia 0.25, temp 12degC, there is no need to lower your pH by artificial means.

Once your system cycles up to the new load, you start feeding consistently, the pH will drop naturally. Also you did say you still have one bigger fish left right.. not sure about what size they are, but you did comment that the fingerlings are smaller in comparison. Hope you did not put the bigger one with the smaller ones in the same tank, otherwise it could really be jaws in the tank... ... If the smaller fish could fit into the bigger fish's mouth, it will eat the smaller fish...

Hi ivansng, The big fish is now in the freezer, and straight out of the water weighed in at 5.50kg, the smaller ones are approx 20-25cm and a couple in there about 30cm, so not quite small enough to fit in the big ones mouth, should never have done it but hey will all be good
[Froglips, frankly at a pH of 8, ammonia 0.25, temp 12degC, there is no need to lower your pH by artificial means.] this is a very welcome comment, I went in not quite knowing what readings needed to do what, I think I have that side of my brain educated now
I have been on here reading for ages but did not get the connection that made the cycle happen...from what I understand and please correct me if I am wrong, I need as neutral as possible PH, a low to 0 ammonia and Nitrate readings and the Nitrate can go as high as it likes

I think you mentioned Nitrates twice... for a cycled system you want to keep ammonia and nitrite at zero, and nitrate well probably not too high... maybe about 80-100ppm is probably the maximum, otherwise have more plants or add a growbed for more plants if you have run out of space...

As part of the nitrification process (conversion of ammonia to nitrite to nitrate), the water will naturally become more acidic. So gradually over the time, you will find that your system will slowly move toward 6... but artificially changing the pH now, it will mean that you will reach 6 faster, except that you do not want to drop below 6, as the bacteria may survive and stop processing ammonia, hence creating problems...

So leave it for the time being to delay the process of your low pH battle... IMO a low pH battle is usually harder than a high pH battle (ie. it is easier to lower pH than to keep pH up)...

Hey thanks a million I think you have answered the last of my queries,
BTW the first nitrates I mentioned was supposed to be nitrites, got on and had a look at your system-s and it all looks great, when is the next one....a bit addictive this stuff.
I am looking at getting a growbed to go over the top of my bathtub sumptank as an extra GB, they want over $600 locally and the price BYAP and Murray Hallum wants is about $400.00 but then to transport it to Tassy could cost heaps, so I feel I am being ripped off a bit It is already made so it is not a custom make

Just get more bathtubs or blue barrels.. they work just as well, except you might spend more on plumbings but save on transportation cost... maybe out of curiosity you should check with BYAP what they can send their goods for...

Thanks I will do that, I just want a lighter one that can be put up high on legs so I can still get to the pump etc in the sump underneath, I have removed the goldfish and put a sock over the inlet into the FT to catch the dirty water from the sump as I gave it a good clean out with the broom after I took out the goldies, will be intersting to see if that helps at all

Or get hold of Dean at http://www.growfresh-aquaponics.com.au/

He stocks the BYAP grow beds... and freight from Melbourne might be acceptable...

My ammonia has gone to 0 and the PH is dropping slowly--- nitrite still .25 and Nitrate is on 10, I think that needs to go up a bit, fish seem very happy, I am feeding them small amounts once a day. Does this sound all good to you??

Seems like it is going well.. just continue to monitor the ammonia and nitrite levels... and make sure that they don't go up...if the level increase, back off the feed for a day and resume the next day once the levels drop back down...