Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hi,
I have this pump. I have to use a pipe with a with of 1/2" or 12 mm. I've put a piece of shade cloth where the pump sucks the water up so the fish can't die in the pump. Because there's like a fan turning very fast in it and if there's fish in the pump, they will get cut in pieces.
But there are those things. I don't know if it's fish poop or what. But they get stocked at the entrance of the pump. Because that there's a shade cloth, they can't go in the pump.
Now, should I remove the shade cloth so those things get cut in pieces and send to the plants? Or will it kill the fishes?

Small fish will certainly get sucked into the pump without a guard, but you will have to use a strainer that allows more sludge thru.
Depending on fish size, try to find a wire mesh thats suitable.

depending on how big your fish are, there is a product called gutter guard.

At least there is where I live. It's to keep leaves out of your roof gutters. 1cm square plastic mesh for a 5 bucks or so at a hardware.

Fish try really hard to commit sushimi at every opportunity so you will definitely have to block them

I have Guppies. So like 2 or 3 cm long

Hey Koots,

A simple way to solve your problem may be to put the pump into a plastic bucket drilled full of holes. I have done this a couple of times, with the pump sealed within a bucket the fish can't get near it. Lots of holes drilled in the bucket, allows the water to flow, but there's not enough flow to hurt fish.

OK.
Thanks for the tip!