Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hi all

I have been lurking, reading and learning for a few years now, decided to join about 12 months ago and have now taken the plunge and set up our first system.

After attending the BYAP workshop and reading the IBC of Aquaponics, we decided to go with an IBC system. Picked up the parts today from BYAP and have just finished, sorry no pictures yet as its dark and raining!

I will have to go back to BYAP in the next few days as I forgot to get a test kit

Hello Bartek.

Judging by the title of your thread you are already hooked and will be building another system.

Good luck with your build. Post plenty of pictures, ask plenty of questions and search/read this forum (which you probably already have).

Most importantly; have plenty of patience.

Welcome to the forum Bartek!

Thanks for the welcome, as promised some pictures - the system is not finished yet but you will get the idea

The setup



The hole for the part 2



I have now bought the test kit here are the results for the WA Jury......



So..... I think it reads ph 8.2, Ammonia 0.25 - 0.50, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 40. am I right???

if so what does that mean it relation to my cycling process

The system has been running since sunday, has 6 goldfish, a few seedlings and has had a capful of seasol.

Oh and I also added a few litres of water from my indoor fish tank that was turning green

Nice set up. Welcome to the addiction.

Very nice. If you have not cut the 2nd IBC you might be better off making it deeper. I think 1 rung is only 20cm, most people use 30cm. The more filtration the more fish

Yay for the IBC bible!
Great stuff! Nice work.

well part 2 is in and running

system 1 1000l FT, 200l GB, now has 13 SP's in and they seem happy enough but don't seem to be eating. I am using BYAP 3mm pellets that float and they don't go near them but if I drop in insects that sink they are all over them! water temp is 19, Salt 1 ppt, PH 8.2, Ammonia 0.25, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 20. They seem to 'flash' and swim around a lot if they notice me looking in, but if I sneak up on them and look in carefully they move slowly or keep still.

System 2 1000l FT, 250l GB, has 7 goldfish in they seem happy enough when I can see them, I have stopped feeding them since the water went green cloudy about 10 days ago. water temp 19, salt 0, PH 8.4, Ammonia 0.25, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 20-30.

I have a BYAP air pump (porta 8800 ACD) split between the 2 systems. Plants in both systems are surviving but don't seem to be thriving. I spray them with a diluted capful of seasol once a week.

Questions should I try to alter the PH of either system? how do I get my SP's to eat the pellets? should I add salt to system 2 or more salt to system 1? is 1kg in 1000l = 1ppt? is system 2 on track? is there anything else I should be doing with either system?

I will post a pic of the two systems soon.

Hi Bartek

Your water temps are still too cold for SP to hit the feed so be patient and feed lightly and as FT temps get around 25 deg and over you will see some action. SP are sooks in my opinion, they hide and frighten easy. Feed at a regular time of day and they will learn that shcedule and warm up to you a bit.
The problem with starting a system in the cooler months is it also takes longer to cycle so once again feed lightly and be patient. By the looks of your nitrate reading the system is still developing and the high PH may be locking out the nutrification process.

In regards to salt, yes 1kg / 1000L is 1ppt. IMO it pays to own a refractometer and they are reasonably cheap on ebay. When you salt you will notice the fish go off the feed a bit for a day or so.

When summer comes on you will see your plants flourish so hang in there.

I agree, silvers are sooks even when grown a bit. They hang in the darkest part of my tank. I think they are still there

well got home from work early today so decided to check on the SP's haven't checked since the weekend. 9 out of the 13 were belly up the 4 that are left don't look to good, looks like they have some sort of white stuff on them, tested the water. water temp is 20, Salt 1 ppt, PH 8.2, Ammonia 0.25, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 20 -30. so I have added another kilo of salt so that should make it 2 ppt, lets hope they survive!

Thats a bugger
Hope the others are ok. Its a real shite to lose fish, and I hate it
You are doing the right things but I would add more salt to double what you have to try to fix the problem

That sucks Bartek, i just my lost my batch of silvers last week too for no reason

Well thats the last of the SP's gone, now fishless cycling in that system I suppose 13 was an unlucky number.

should I change the water, before putting new fish in?

should I let it cycle further without fish?

Readings are still the same as above.