Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

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Thats a lot of trout Bundy, how big is your system again?

ssshhh!

I'll be fascinated to hear how other varieties go, the pros and cons, since I'll probably only be able to grow trout for 4 months of the years, constantly teetering on the edge of disaster if anything fails. Better oxygen tolerances sounds good.

The guy at Mountain Fresh said the brooks had really taken off this year and they are considerably larger than the rainbows I got. It will be interesting to see if I have any issues with power outages again in the future to see if any of the brooks cark it. Since they are larger and it normally the larger fish that go belly up first when the air goes out.

Read back a bit Mantis around this time last year I got 100 trout, my system has not changed at all except that I am running CF on all FT's now. The only other 2 differences is that I have around 45 MC in FT1 when last year I had 30 odd SP, these would be around the same size and since my water temps have dropped right off so has the feeding of the MC and that my trout are a larger size that the fingerlings I purchased last year.

The plan remains this year to get 25 or so out to the farm dam where my wife keeps her horse (didn't happen last year) . I also have a customer that is planning a set up and figured i'd get the extra 25 incase they want to buy them from me.
And I have no doubt about growing 50 trout out in my system, since I start harvesting them small to thin numbers and because I think they are much nicer flavour when small.

Hi guys, nothing like a weekend at home with trout in your tanks! Fed like crazy this weekend.

Few observations though, water temps this morning were 13C and low and behold the MC are still feeding. This concerns me in that with them still growing I am really pushing my system a bit.

Also had an air stone tube fall off and it was the one in the trout tank. A few of the larger Brook trout did not seem too happy. my large Trout from last year in the sump was looking fine.

Set up the back up aeration again in case of any power outages.

Also ran a full set of water tests.
PH 7
Amm .5
ites 0

So it seems my excessive feeding has pushed up the ammonia this weekend, I will hold the feed tomorrow and test again, if the amm has come back down and still 0 ites. I will go back to normal feeding again.

Also my pump is really struggling. I cleaned out the pipe work and thoroughly cleaned the pump and still not the greatest flow.
I will not be running the big sump pump that I ran 24/7 last year since on closer observations it is actually pulling 450W!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! No wonder the missus was spitting it about the power bill last trout season.

So I splashed out and purchased this http://www.rockaroundtheblock.com.au/product.asp?pID=911&cID=83
only 40W not 450W!

Will be moving some trout to the dam as soon as some of the rainbows reach 150mm will probably move some brooks out there too depends how difficult it will be to seperate them.

Still waiting for my pump to turn up. I know I have limited flow going to one of my GB's at the moment since my existing pump is stuggling. Which means I am probably down 50% of my total filtration at the moment. Hence why I can't rid this ammonia. That and I can't resist feeding the hungry little bliters.

I love trout!

Hi bundy
Ive been following ur system for a while but this is my first post.
Was looking at this pump for the ibc system i am building. Please post what you think of it once it arrives. I was a little worried that they state a 2 year Guarantee EXCLUDING moving parts_ impeller.
Still 40w for 4500lph pump. Even if it breakes you will have saved a heap on running costs.
Thanks

Edge: Nice to hear you are enjoying my thread, quickly set up the pump today, my first impressions were not good since it seemed to pump less water than my current one, however I played around with it a bit and noticed it does not like to much head, or restrictive pipe sizing. Pumps a huge ammount of water without my distribution pipework hooked up. Also noticed it is badged as 35W on the pump?!
Its about time I really sorted out some proper distribution pipe work on my GB's though its something that I have been planning to do eventually. The setup I have at the moment was just easy and cheap and has worked reletively well so far. It is under sized and too restrictive.

Yep, keep your outlet pipe from the pump to the max size it allows... and run this through to the beds.. and then step down if required...

Makes a BIG difference....

Cool thanks bundy.
How long did it take to arrive? I think im going to bite the bullet and get one.

Was super quick 3 days I think, a lot quicker than I was expecting! Will be doing the pipe distribution as the next thing on my list, hopefully this coming weekend.
I'm sure I have enough pipe and fittings in stock floating around by now not to have to purchase anything.

Still havn't done the pipe works yet, planted some chinese veg, and cabbage the other night. Trout are feeding well, system is showing traces of ammonia constantly, might be my test kit, might be time for a fresh one, or might just be the fact i'm feeding so much. Thought the new pump would help clear things up but has not changed anything.

All fish are looking healthy however. Fed the MC the other day and tested the water temps, was supprised they were so hungry and the water temps were only 11!

What size pipework do you think you will go with Bundy?