Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

it's late

hehe, maybe you have been chasing the white rabbit a little to much?

Fish: Unfortunately more silver perch fingerings died over last one week, and I do not know what caused the death. By now, I may have only one or two silver perch out of the initial number of 30. It is a big pond, and not easy to see. Death is over three weeks.
No gold fish died. I will have to decide whether to replace silver perch or add some more gold fish.I will wait to see the silver perch that are still surviving will continue surviving. Then, I may add silver perch.

Vegie growth: The grow bed planted with seedlings continued growing smoothly but at a rate that is unremarkable. I tend to think it would have grown more on soil.
Comparing the growth over last two week:

from the end of the first week,

to the end of second week,

to the end of the third week.


I expect a better result from a aquaponics system.
It is possible that my system has not gone though a full cycle yet.

Sejin

Water test results:
----------PH--- Ammonia---Nitrite---Nitrate
Feb 27-- 8.2 --- 0.25 ------ 0.0 ----- 5
Feb 29-- 8.2 --- 0.25 ------ 0.0 ----- 0
Mar 01-- 8.2 --- 0.25 ------ 0.0 ----- 0
Mar 02-- 8.2 --- 0.25 ------ 0.5 ----- 0
Mar 03-- 8.0 --- 0.25 ------ 0.7 ----- 5
Mar 04-- 8.2 --- 0.25 ------ 0.0 ----- 0

No clear trend to have a conclusion.
But PH is a bit high, and I have added 2L of vinegar a couple of days ago and today.
The first time I added vienegar, PH went down a bit, but in the following day, it was the same.

As vegies grew, a new problem started: problem with vegie pests.
Among the suggestions to remedy these pest, I read that milk and sugar water can be spreayed, or something like yogurt. I sprayed a small bottle of yakurt on affected vegies. Will see what happens.

Sejin

Are you running the filter now?

Or perhaps did you run it on the 1st or 2nd of march?

It seems strange to have nitrites, then have them disappear, but still have that steady ammonia. If you are not feeding, then perhaps there is another dead gold fish in the tank.

It's difficult with your system, because the fish keep feeding even if you don't feed them because of the algae.

My system was overrun with bugs half way through the first crop, but it settled down once the predators moved in. Find an entomologist at uni and ask them for some lady bugs to speed up the process.

And I think your growth rates look great.

I still think you are expecting too much, especially for an immature system. Anyway, as long as you keep planting more seeds every week or two, you will have plenty of everything in a few weeks.

yep you still have ammonia, your system definitely has not cycled yet. as BW asked are you running your pond filter still? if your not i think you should be until the ammonia gets to zero, then maybe you can use a tap on the filter and each week turn down the amount of flow to that?

another idea... is there a way to put your pond filter on the outlet of your grow beds? so that the water goes to the growbeds first then that same water then goes through your pond filter? this way it would allow your water to cycle the grow beds but also let your pond filter take care of any excess ammonia that the beds couldnt process?

My two cents worth -

Growth is good!

Get rid of silvers and stick with goldfish. No need to get more fish. You have more than enough.

Cheers

Actually, after seeing silver pearch not dying for a week, I started feeding fish.
And, of course, pond wall does have a good supply of algae because of its large area.
I also did vaccum the pond a couple of more times. As I explained earlier, vaccuming means adding tap water since it depends on water pressure. I try to limit the length of vaccum time, ie, the amount of tap water added, each time.

There are many factors operating.

Sejin

My second grow bed where I planted seeds did not do well.

The Norther side (left side in picture) where various types of lettuce seeds were spayed shows initial quick growth in one week, but the growth in the following two weeks were not noticible. On the South side (right side in picture), where cucumber and zuckini seeds were spayed showed sprouting only near the end of second week, and there was continous sprouting and growth.

However the middle part of growbed where I put spring onion and pepper seeds, did not show any sprouting at the end of the first week, and even at the end of second and third week. Each week end in cluding this Sunday, I spayed some more seeds, but I do not see sprouting. It is possible they take more time and they begin sprouting in future.
If they do, the middle area will be crowed, but I have a feeling that this may not happen and there is a reason for this, and I have not rectified the cause. I wonder whether the maximum water level is too high for some seeds.
Should some seeds (like spring onion) not be under water even in flood cycle?

There was one more problem, this one is with lettuce seedlings that sprouted from seeds. These seedlings were very small and very delicate. Some (quite a few) dyied over last one week.
The growth of these small lettuce seedlings were very little over one week. It seemds likely more will die before becoming big enough. Wonder whether there is anything I can do to help them to survive.

Sejin

I forgot to say that I had the pond filter running from 8pm to 8am with no water going to grow beds during this period. From 8am to 8pm, I had a new cycle of pond water to grow beds: 15min on and 30 min off.

Theoretically possible, but unfortunately, it is difficult to have this arragement because of plumbing requirements. Technically possible, but a lot of work and additional cost. I have thought of this option, but did not pursue it because of the difficulties. It is still an option that is still open if I am desperate.

Sejin

Hi DunderOZ,

Goldfish will mean less of an emotional rollercoaster. More peace of mind.
I am considering this option. But I would like to explore full possibilites before I settle on my final choice. I am still tempted to try trout for March to winter. I wonder whether this is greed.

Although eating fish is not my priority, but I would like to experience and understand the full workings of aquaponics.
I am waiting to see the result of my first system before I decide on the type of expansion that is being planned in my mind.

Sejin

I wouldnt bother with the plate fish for a while. This aquaponics thing is something you will do for a long time, so there is no hurry. Let your tough gold fish cycle your system for the time being, and when you have a stable, mature system, perhaps have another go with fish for the the plate.

Just my 2 cents worth

Trout like pristine waters from snow melts from Tasmanian mountains with no ammonia

Also, different seeds take different time to germinate. Some stuff takes a couple of weeks to sprout, and a few things like alf-alfa take only 3 or 4 days, but longer is usual. Aquaponics cant make seeds sprout any faster than they can, and it cant make plants grow any faster than they can if they are given all they need to grow, no matter what the method of supply.

I think your growth looks pretty good.

Some of those lettuce will be able to be harvested very soon. Any documentation that talks about harvest in four weeks is talking about plants that have been transplanted from fairly substantial "seedlings".

Even in my system, I transplant things like lettuce twice before they get to their final grow-out position. That means that I could claim that the lettuce take only 3 weeks from "seedlings" without telling a lie. An aquaponics garden cant grow lettuce any faster than a dirt garden that offers all the nutrient, water, and oxygen to the roots that the plant needs. In short, it cant grow lettuce faster than lettuce can grow, it just tends to be easier to get the perfect environment.

I've never been able to grow a lettuce in dirt to harvest without it tasting bitter.

Aquaponics is easy.

And growth does get faster when your system is more mature.

Also, some modern salad varieties are meant to be harvested at the stage your plants are at now. Baby varieties of salad greens are little more than sprouts in some instances, so beware of anything you have read that says aquaponics will produce a lettuce in 3 weeks.

3 Weeks from what stage? My lettuce takes up to a week and a half to sprout. But if I transplant it when it makes a jiffy pot look crowded, 3 weeks is easy to make it ready for the plate.