Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I was just having a look at some other threads (Joel's) and I realise it's lucky I'm not trying to sell the AP idea to the world. My garden needs some work. The fish are feeding up a storm though.

is that a tyre in your FT?

Yes. It's holding the washing machine tub off the bottom.

Hahaha...

You haven't seen my yard ATM Dexter......

I'm finding it hard to take pics of my system because of the background..

Love the look of that new tank..

The new tank is much more tidy. I wish my GBs were on the overgrown side of poorly managed instead of the dead side. I'll keep working on it. I think my sizing might be about right (at 4000L GB to 2500L FT) to just leave it for a while and concentrate on getting a few seasons practice at getting some production. Just need to sort out the sequencer (it's not working again today) and tidy up a bit. I'd like to try some NFT when I get organised. I still have 2 GBs I haven't used yet and each year I collect another blue barrel which I thought I might try some trees in and I could use up the space inside the corner of the yard or hang some chanel or towers on the fence or......
Ooops. I was supposed to be concentrating on what I've got now, not daydreaming about expanding.

I wonder if the tire is leaching into the system?

It might be. Is there a test for rubber?

I'm running low on food. Where do Adelaide folks buy theirs? Thoughts on using 1 year old leukie mill pressed pellets? They've been stored in a sealed 20L drum.

Apparantly cadnium is the worst leachate from tyres

That's a shame. It works so well as a floating cage.

It's been a tough month. The silvers in the floating cage started to drop off one by one, four in total I think. That left four survivers of the (in order of incident) aquarium experiment, the summer 'heatwave' (one hot day) and now the mysterious floaters. So over the weekend we have visitors and I duck out to feed the fish (as you do when anyone is there to show) and there are no silvers! Pulled the cage out, weren't hiding. They did camouflage well but it's hard to hide when there is no water in your cage. A quick look underneath because it's funny and then acceptance.... they've got out. A few days later I'm at the tank and I point out a low flying (just above our heads) waterbird thingo to the cook and we realise that's where our fish went. It would have just stood on the tyre tube and munched away. I've never seen one like this around before but I guess people will travel for a meal. So that is the end of the silvers. 50 fingerlings, 12 months, next to nought growth and all gone.

1100 hours today. Just happened to look at the tank and disaster!!! Sort of. The tank is nearly to the brim so the beds are empty. No pump. Plus the trout are all on the surface gasping and lolling about very unhealthy like. After a frantic rush about wriggling power cords and what not, I run inside to the source point and found the switch off. It seems number 3 turned it off yesturday arvo. She had a story but it made as much sense as 3 year olds do. Looks like I've lost 3 only. The big Q. Can I eat them?

Why not? They have only carked it from suffocation! The same as leaving an "angled" fish in your fishing bag for a day.
You may as well enjoy the fruits of your labours, even if a little bruised

Cheers IanK

Hi Dexter
Nice to see an update on your system it's looking pretty neat especially the new FT, pity about all your fish losses but as frequently said on the forum "put it down as experience and knowledge gained"
I wouldn't hesistate in eating the fish but would confirm with the "Nose Test"
I should be back in the Riverland sometime early Sept so looking forward to catching up

They're in the fridge now. We were having home made pizza tonight so they might make an interesting topping. With the way they looked when I found them, 3 isn't too bad. I fired the pump up and stirred buggery out of the tank and changed about 40% of the water. Seems to have done the trick, 3 1/2 hours later. I think I should be right from now on.

Death
I seem to have a problem. The trout have been a lathargic lately and yesterday whilst testing out our new sump pump, one in particular you could touch as it swam around. A few hours later he didn't make it. Biggish too. Then I had my first jumper. Lucky I was there to toss him back in. This morning I was woken by some slpashing and banging and went outside, just before daylight, and found one, crusherdust encrusted trout. Because of the lids I'd say he was the only successful escapee of many attempts.
Ammonia was up when I tested last night. A case could be made for either .5 or 1 (stupid colour charts). I've got the water changing now, pumping under an orange tree and refilling from the main line (just happens to be the same rate so it can run on it's own for a while). The riverwater made it cloudy instantly so it's impossible to see what's going on now.
There are some dead yabbies in the tank and the temp has come up to nearly 20deg lately. I have 94 trout in 3000L with 4000L of gravel.
I'm not sure I have a question. I have bad water and need to change it and then start looking for what made it go bad. I have a garden club coming to look at the system in 2 weeks. The veges aren't going that well (I haven't kept up the planting) and now, if we have a hot spell or I can't get the ammonia to setting, I'll have to harvest the fish too.
Bugger