Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hey all.

I've been interested in Aquaponics for awhile now and given it a shot before and failed pretty badly.
So I thought I'd come on here and possibly get some help with my systems.

My fail system: Flood and Drain

i tried to grow some chilis which sprouted but nothing eventuated..
i then tried to grow some basil and i'm not sure if the seeds got into the tank but all the fish started to die off..
the floor of the tank did go a dark green/yellow not sure what that had to do with, but i ended up just getting rid of this mini system.







My Current system: Floating Raft

Started this system which already had my aquarium light and Eheim biological filter then left for overseas for a month and came back to a surprise of some decent basil.
The plants are abit awkwardly shaped because the light hadn't been raised while i was away.






^some of my yellowing basil.


I have a few questions...

My basil is yellowing in some parts and definitely not as dark as soil grown basil, i read that adding some rusty metal to the water can help increase the iron in the water but havent really seen a change since i added a few rusty nails.. any suggestions with minimal costs? or is chelated iron the only way to go?

My Nitrate levels are at about 100 PPM, is that good or bad?
My PH is below 6 -> which i know is too low but I'm not sure how to bring it up and keep it up without constantly supplementing the tank.

I've been told to add some Epsom salts to increase the PH or some crushed oyster shells may help increase calcium levels and PH..

The root system of my rafts are pretty cluttered as the roots didnt end up going through the tiny holes in my 'baskets'. I remember when my plants first started sprouting some small roots got through the holes in the baskets but are no longer to be seen.. Could my naughty fishies have nibbled them off? my bigger gold fish tends to try and eat anything.

Any help would be great, pretty excited to get this system fully set up!

Thanks.

Rusty nails wont provide Iron in a soluble form for plant uptake... use chelated Iron... although Iron deficiency shouldn't really be a problem with your pH...

I suspect your problems are probably more related to the feed.. which I'm guessing is a goldfish feed....

Regular use of Seasol should help... replace what's lacking in the goldfish feed...


Not sure what levels are acceptable to goldfish... but most freshwater fish shouldn't find 100ppm a problem...

What it does suggest though... is that you wasting a valuable resource....

Add another media grow bed... and palnt more plants.. to suck them nitrates up...


Hydrated lime... brickies lime... Calcium Hydroxide... or Potassium Hydroxide... lye.... will both raise your pH.. and quite quickly... so only small amounts at any one time...

And alternate between the two in application.....

The Potassium is also beneficial for the plants...

As you don't have a grow bed... your best option for some sort of self regulating buffer....

Would either be some shell grit in a "sock"... under a water return... or perhaps some crushed coral... or a small block of limestone in the tank...

Epsom Salts... is Magnesium Sulphate... and not really a pH buffer... although the Magnesium can be beneificial to plants... and will raise your general hardness... but not your carbonate hardness.. or alkalinity...

Baking Soda... Sodium BiCarbonate could be used as a pH buffer... but I'm not sure about adding too much sodium into the system would be beneficial...

Potassium BiCarbonate... sold as EcoFungicide... could be used as a pH buffer... and has the added dual advantages of providing Potassium.. as well as buffering your pH...

And can be used as a foliar application.. to combat powdery mildew...

Crushed oyster shells... or shell grit... fine...

+1 to what RupertofOZ said

Welcome to the addiction!!

rather than using Seasol, could you recommend a more beneficial fish feed?

I am currently just feeding my goldfish Coles branded fish food..

Beneficial to goldies or plants? Lots cheaper in the long run to buy the 1kg goldie or koi flakes and keep them in the freezer.

BTW given nice conditions you are going to need bigger tank/s.

Will Seasol also help raise the PH?

and should i start asking questions in a different thread.. i'm quite the newbie.

No Seasol is a trace element supplement.... not a pH buffer....

Add some shell grit to your fish tank to buffer the pH.

ok added some crushed oyster shells in a sock and also some seasol...

...maybe a bit too much seasol my water is quite brown now.

Will that clear up?

Yep.. it'll clear... how long it will take.. depends on how much you put in...

How much did you add... to what size tank???

ummm... i probably put in about 60-80mls into a 3 foot tank (81 liters i think)..

did i just make a huge uh-oh?

Lets just say... that normally.. we'd suggest about a half-1 cupful... per 1000L max....

so half a cup... so 125mls.... per 1000L

which equals...

10.125mls per 81L

yeh i put a bit too much!

Are my fish going to die?!?!?!??!?!

Your fish will probably be OK... just make sure you keep your aeration up... and/or pump continously...