Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Mini System and New fish up-date:

Hey Brett, been a while. Looks like your system is trotting along. First time I'm seeing your mini system, looks good! I really like how small it is. Good luck with those silver perch babies.

Oh and I really like the text you've put into the video, very *sigh*..

Thanks Abdul.

I hope you get to dry out soon!

How long before they are moving out into the big tank Decal ??

Not till they are eating a full sized 2mm feed. There are a couple that could do it but most are still too small.

I'm hoping as the weather warms up and they start to eat better it would only be a few months.

Have had an issue with a white fungus on the Sp's, I did start a thread about it but should also add it to this one to keep continuity.

Here is a video of what has happened.




Since I have made the video we have lost quiet a few more fish. Not exactly sure how many as we haven't kept count. Whats left seem OK but it's every 2nd day we have the floaters.

The white growth looks as if the fish have been beer battered, so am hoping the salt will stop any more from getting infected.

If the worst does happens and we loose all the fish I'm considering 2 options:

1: stay fish less for the summer and just keep the system ticking over by using fish food to keep the ammonia up and then add trout next winter.

2: Add in some carp or Koi as a base load fish to keep the system ticking over and again adding trout for the winter. By then the Koi will be big enough that the trout can not eat them.

I'm starting to come to the conclusion that trout are the only real edible fish option for us this far south. I know you can grow Sp's out to full size over 2 - 3 years but that's a lot of time for thing to go astray.

If we can have a base load fish for the summer then you can put trout in for the winter get a good feed, smoke some and freeze some to get through to the next season.

Any thoughts?

I've come to the same conclusion!!! Thats why I'm going to see if I can get some trout over the summer with the chilly tank
I too had the same growth on my SP, I salted to 10PPM for 1 -2 hours than reduced to 3ppm, cut the feed for a couple of days and noticed that the fungal growth disappeared. it does return on the SP that are struggling or if they have been floating for a day or so.
Hope all is well.

Regards

Matt

Thanks Matt.
Let us know how you go with your chilly tank. If we have a cool summer I think you can get trout through but all it needs is a couple of hot nights and that will be the end of them.

That’s why I'm thinking something like Koi as a base load fish for summer.

As the year gets a little less silly should try to catch-up!.

Hi Brett

I have had the same issues & reached the same conclusion as you too.
The silvers all died earlier but i have had a lot of fun with the trout & have gotten them through without any real issues (lost the odd jumper early).
A neighbour who had a pond with gold fish recently moved & gave the gold fish to me, so I now have 13 gold fish of various sizes in the sump to keep the system ticking over during the summer & still have 11 or 12 trout in the fish tank that i will try to get some more size into weather permitting.
The trout grow do quickly & as you say are the only viable option we have this far south.
Fishless summers means not having to worry about fish if you take holidays at christmas.

Todd

I'm thinking of adding in an IBC with a SLO to house the trout which leaves the sump free to hold the gold fish/Kio.
Really it's only 4 or 5 months of the hottest part of summer when we can not have trout in.
This also allows for expansion when it happens, as it always does.

Glad I'm not the only one thinking along the same lines.

Here are couple of video up-dates of the system and the fish.

It's been awhile since our last up-date.

The system has been chugging along nicely over summer, pumping heaps of food into the fish. The PH has started to come a bit now down to 7.2 the nitrates are up between 40 -80 and there is no sign of iron deficiency.

Here are a couple of videos of the latest videos of the system.

First video won't run, it says it's private. The fish looked like they are doing well

Are you still thinking about adding a few trout Decal?

SP look good mate - bloody sooks they are.

Fat fingers!!, all fixed now.
As for trout, not sure what to do about them, the small SP's are still to small to be putting trout in the trout would just eat them.

Might have to wait till the end of next summer. I am looking for some catfish to help keep the bottom of the tank clean and the nitrates up through winter.