Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Been a while since posting.... Have had a few distractions thrown at us along the way but are moving close to getting the IBC system up & running... Hopefully the Goldies will be in by Sunday...



Need to start looking for some "Real" fish now & are still interested in getting some Jade Perch...
Feel free to pick the design to pieces but be gentle with me, I'm still but a Newbie...
Have a great one...

Good stuff Bob Hope you can get some of those frogs grown eh
I wouldnt worry about a couple of yabbies dieing as they just do that. I lose one every now and then and they look fine, but just dead. I had one big bugger that I caught in the river, and I reckon he died of old age, cause he was a whopper.

Haven't posted for a while as the system has just been ticking over slowly with just goldies.. Thursday last week we picked up 25 (We think we counted 30) Jade perch from ANFE ...




Growth in the grow bed has been ok with all levels being trace or next to 0... Starting to keep an eye on them more closely now there are more fish in the system..
Now that the tadpoles have all left I am looking at decking out the new GB's as well as replacing the existing double nuts on the FT with the 1-1/8” Qwik-Lok fittings.. Still tossing up between clay balls & some other medium for the GB's..

Just a quick question that I think I know the answer to already... Is it ok to drill holes in the FT while it is stocked or will that stress the fish out too much with the vibrations ?? Would like to install an overflow back to the sump tank after 2 HSM's in the past week due to algae clogging the pipe work inlets.. Have a bit of an Algae problem that hopefully the perch will take care of for us...

Have a great one...

Rob,

Have you considered changing the size of the SLO, even to 40-50mm to prevent blockages. My 90mm SLO does a fantastic job of lifting solids. I recently had to drill a 40mm overflow into my IBC with no adverse effects. I have 4 month old goldfish (5) and 50 SP fingerlings...

Thanks James..
Just put a 40mm SLO in today that will take care of any future HSM's I hope...
Also made up a makeshift weed mat cover for the top to help take care of the algae problem...

The IBC system now has all beds up & running & the permanent pipework in place.. Just waiting for the Jades appetite to pick up & we should get some tucker from the system..




Also transplanted most of the smaller green onions out into a soil bed leaving the strawberries, Chinese red shallots, bulls horn capsicum & the large pruned green onions..


The A, Ni & Na levels are still all trace...
I kept getting a pH reading of 8 with the fresh water test kit (off the chart on the low range test & about 8 with the high range) so bit the bullet & sprung $40+ for 5M of Duotest testing tape & was pleasantly surprised to find the pH was only 6.5... I got friends to do the test & they got the same readings so no idea was going on there.. If anyone knows what I may have done wrong I would love to know..
Now to plan the next extension... Thinking strawberry tubes as they have sort of taken over from the first 5 or so that got planted in the 1st bed there... Would like to use the AP for greens mainly...

Rob with your bulk head fittings did you use a sealant or just relie on the rubber casket? Cheers

Just the rubber washers that came with them... I did remove the paint around the holes as they leaked when some of the paint got bunched up under there on the first tightening..

Got a few update clips on the AP..
Added on a small water chestnut bed to the system using bits from the old barrelponic one..
Grateful for all the little bits that we have scrounged so only needed to buy the Aqua clay..


They are coming along rather well with some new growth so am most pleased..

Added 8 more goldies to the sump tank trying to boost the ammonia load.. Plants are growing well but not looking as healthy as they could.. A Tuber suggested adding some iron & that appears to have helped a bit..


Still only getting trace ammonia, nitrites & nitrates so can't wait for the jades to put on some size now they are feeding better so we can get some better plant growth...

We also did up a clip wnen we pulled the chives from the bed on the amount of worms in there...


I know it's probably nothing new to most of you AP'ers but it surprised me with how many there are after only a small handful were added less than 6 8 months ago..

Have a great one..

Rob, My AP mentor! I think I've picked your brain as much as i possibly can over the past week.
Thank you for all of the advice you have given me.
I will also be borrowing(stealing) the end cap over the shroud idea.

No problem Mr Swittman..

Keeps the shroud locked down nice & firm.. The girls were just reefing the cap off in the barrelponic shrouds lifting the whole unit.. Not fun to put back in place..

Still some grey bits left if your after more..
Take it easy..

Good work Bob, looking fantastic

Thanks Mantis...
Looking at your system as well as a few others helped me work it all out...
Really like your YT clips.. Must try & sort out a camera to shoot some vision of ours..

Just one thing. If that is a metal tap in the first vid, try to replace it with a pvc tap or something else. Probably wont hurt in the short term but its good to not have any metal that might leech zinc in the system. The water can get quite on the acid side in time

Thanks.... They are Brass gate valves so will sus that out.. I do have a few pvc & plastic taps laying around..