Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Yeehhaa I have worked it out, look out now there will be photos galore...

Will try and not mix up that drinks before and after 12

System has been running for 3 weeks now and appears to be fine although I put 8 Barra in it on Saturday and went to check the PH before I let them go and it was 8> something..

I dropped in a bit of acid and let things settle for a few hours then released them into thier new home.

They must be settling in ok as I had about a dozen guppies in there and now I cant find 1, I think they may have ended up being Barra Lollies...

Plants are going along ok, nothing extrodinary but I think thats normal for such a new system.

My Barra started feeding this morning, awesome to watch them smashing the pellets off the surface.

Plants coming along slowly but hopefully as the Barra grow the growth should improve.


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Added some new plants yesterday, Honey Dew melon, bush cucumber (ugliest looking cucumber but tastes great) and some cherry tomatoes, will pick out the strongest of the tomatoes and remove the others so they don't strangle the whole bed.
Going to put some mesh up somehow for them to climb on, it's coming into our growing season here Easter is usually the start for us while you guys down south suffer with your winter we have to put up with clear blue skies and no humidity.

The Bok Choy is not setting the world on fire but it's definitely growing.

Still having a green tinge to the fish tank at the moment not sure what's going on there, it's reasonably clear of a morning then by the end of the day it's got a very distinct green tinge to the point where you can't see the fish. I think I might try blacking out the tank for a few days and see what that does.

Cheers


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Hello

Erich here from Adelaide. Im working in Darwin for 3 months, let me know if you are close to Darwin and need someone to cast an eye over your system

Nice work UpNorth, very tidy looking system.

I am sure the barra appreciated their "guppy lollies".

Last time I was up your end of the country we visited Lake Argyle and saw a heap of big catfish. I've always wondered how they would go in an AP system? They might out grow your tank pretty quickly I guess...

Hi Erich would be great to get some tips I would certainly appreciate it. I live at Howard Springs which is about a 25 minute drive from Darwin CBD feel free to give me a cal,l my mobile is 0417 874275

Thanks Chrismoo,
Catfish here grow to 30lb or more and easy a metre long, I think they would probably only grow as big as there surrounds if in a tank environment, but they are considered a pest here and thrown straight back when caught fishing.

Took some readings this morning, just want some feed back, the Nitrite level seems to be getting a little high or is this me just over analyzing things, if it is what should I do, stop feeding for a day or so, fish fed very strongly this morning.
Also we have been getting a fair bit of rain at the moment with our cyclone hovering around us.
Would love to hear your advice.


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Stop feeding at this point till amm. and nitrites drops to zero. Levels are becoming toxic to fish.. i would also recommend going to constant flood and topping up tank with ph neutral water. More water in system will bring nitrites back into check. But ya no more feed till zero.. could take a week so be patient and do not feed

cycling nicely up north

Many thanks for the feed back guys.

So Charlie I take it what is happening is supposed to be happening and just the normal process till it cycles fully.

Tropical Low is sure bringing us some rain....

So upnorth, how up north are you??. I am in Wickham and would love to hear/help with your progress. I have managed to kill approx 120 barra (by accident/or a learning process as my husband likes to call it) and have eaten about 5 cucumbers and a handful of cherry tomatoes in 2 years, so I am a wealth of imformation of what not to do? Believe me I am a wealth of imformation of upnorth.

Darwin... about as far "up north" as you can get...