Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Long time reader, first time poster

I installed my courtyard BYAP system last weekend. Despite washing the clay for over an hour, the water in the tank is quite silty - there's a thin red film over the pump and plumbing, and I can barely see the silver perch.

I tried using an aquarium siphon pump to 'vacuum' it up, but the particles are so fine that all it did was make the water murky again.

Is this bad for the fish? I'm guessing it can't be good for their gills. If so, how do I go about clearing the water?

Thanks in advance!
-Rich.

Welcome

Don't stress to much about it, if you stuff a sock with filter wool or the insides if a Teddy ( nylon wool) and put it over the drain outlet on your gb it will clear up quick smart:)

It's just one if the many stages if setting up a new system:) how many silver perches do you have in the system?? Pics??
Cheers
Ben

+1. Don't stress. Just do what Freoboy says.

And other thing to note is, when you cannot see the fishes, it is advisable not to feed the fishes as you will not be able to see any uneaten food at the bottom as well.

Awesome, thanks guys. I will try the sock trick. It would be nice to be able to see the fishing swimming around!

Good point Ivan. The fish haven't been eating much, but I'm hoping that's just due to the new environment.

I have 25 silver perch, purchased from Carey Nagle in Gidgegannup. I bought 3 different sized fingerlings, to hopefully spread out the harvest.

I've been taking lots of pics, so will start a thread in the Members Systems area when I get a chance. If this little system works out well I have grand plans for the rest of my backyard

If you put anything over the outlet just watch the first flood and drain cycle. I did it and came back out to water running over the edges of the grow bed. the material I used would not let the water out fast enough. Other than that it eventually did the trick.

That's a trick for young players that I managed.... Twice

Just use a plain white cotton sock and you shouldn't have any issues. When the water pours through it, it will stretch a lot,. Best not to have the sock sitting in the FT water as it will transfer the slit back in the FT.

Look forward to seeing the photo's

Hi Richard

The sock trick works, also the bioslime that will develop will capture the dust as well

One of the good things about Silver Perch is they don't all grow at the same rate. If you buy them all small some will bolt and others will grow more slowly. Self harvest spreading

Grand plans for the backyard, sounds awesome

You could also mix a couple of egg whites with a bit of water the throw that in the tank. It acts as a fining agent clumping the fine solids together so that your filter sock/wool/etc catches them

and there's also the ever popular, "just do nothing".

its strange the way large gravel can filter fine dust, but it does work itself out. or it's the bio slime mentioned.

I was worried about my system for a week or so, (I did nothing) but then overnight it was fixed and was crystal clear.

I think it was stu who told me to not even bother to wash gravel.