Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hey Fabian, yeah those readings are pretty standard for this stage of things..

The only suggestion I'd have is to maybe stick an elbow on the end of the pipes, and a little more pipe down to your beds, so the water is directed sort of straight down and not splashing quite so much.. Over time with the water splashing lots you will get a fair bit of algae growth, and you'll be splashing your veggies with fish poo..

Look tops Fabian. I cant stop my Bok Choi! From seedling to ready for harvest in less than a month! Awesome!!

thanks for the tips EB, I did create my system as cheap and fast as I could... when/if it doesnt all fall apart ill get right on to that. Everytime someone slams a door I peak out of the window to see if one of the grow beds has exploded.

and Charlie mine are almost totally shaded so im just happy they are growing at all! 4 weeks thats great

Hi Fabian, just reading your comments on the south side. 2/4 of my GB's are now in shade as they are on the north border of my block but the neighbors have a garage there - so on the South side of a building. I have found that beans and peas grow ok (although I killed my peas with salt when i had sick fish). I also have had a broccolie plant grow there which started in sunlight. Other seedlings I have put in got decemated by slugs so cant compare the growth - although i have just put n some cabbage and cauliflower to test the 'dark side' of my system. My parsley on the dark side is alive but seemd dormant....It will be good to see what success you have in your shadie spot - we should have some good infor for next year. I dont think you will have any issues in spring/summer....

Oh - and: Rainbow Chard - dormnat - just sprouted a few new shoots
garlic - ok - maybe dormant
Oregano - was dying in the shade - moved to the dirt garden

I want to try and grow chillies this summer, im not sure how that is going to go in a partially shaded area..

yeah Like you say Bonsai by next season we should have it all figured out

I like your raft setup btw.

goldfish aren't eating..even though whatever sickness they had seems pretty much cleared up.

so tested the system again ammonia and nitrite are both really high

Am <2
Ni <2

my sump was only half full so I put about 300L of fresh water in cloramines and all and I'm going to dump some worms in each bed from my worm farm. Worm castings are high in nitrogen but I don't think it should be cumulative with the Ammonia and nitrite, is this correct?

I havent fed for 3 days now to see if my readings would change..

PH 7 - like a boss
Am 1
Ni >2
Na 10

so either the system is cycling or the readings are unreliable due to my ceaseless tinkering...

can I put trout in with such high Am and Ni readings if I under stock and feed minimally until stuff settles down?

Check out the chart 2 posts down viewtopic.php?f=11&t=7806&p=236947&hilit=ammonia+toxic+chart#p236947

I think Nitrite is toxic above 5 - but I cant remember....

Nope... these readings indicate that your system hasn't cycled.... or is lacking in filtration...

another day another test

Am 1
Ni 2-5 (seriously all those purples look the same)
Na 10-20

this has been another 3 days without food for my goldfish..

readings haven't changed much although Na looked significantly more orange, I guess we will give it a few more days to see

got my test on once again 2 days since last

PH 6.4
Am .5
Ni ~2
Na 20

sorry for the repetitive posts this is the extent of my record keeping

I have been adding worm tea because my pak choi is yellow and spindly and I dont have seasol and/or chelated iron...could just be deficiency of sun

Yo

I got some Yates Chelated Iron

Is this okay to use? it has EDTA in it which Wikipedia tells me is not friendly

*edit

I just searched and people use it

any one worried about EDTA?

I have taken apart my bulkhead fitting/SLO bit and given it a re-glue before I get fish and am still running water through the beds from the sump to keep the beds wet.

In the meantime I went down the the local lake (karkarook park lake) and caught a ~25cm redfin who is now living in the sump.. after some initial swim bladder issues he seems alright.

Now you just need to find a way to feed it...