Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I'm having a hard time finding pea gravel that is 1/2 in. The only sizes I find are 1/4 - 3/8 in. and 1/2 - 3/4 (mostly 3/4), what size should I go with?

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I would go with the larger size. Mine are all different sizes, from less than 1/4 ( pain in the butt) up to over a inch.

Go the larger size... definitely...

How do you run electricity to your system if it is way in the back yard?

Extension chord or more permanent with buried conduit and dedicated breaker?

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I'd like to keep as cheap as possible but I have two under four year old girls and a dog that chews on hoses and it needs to be safe.

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Buried conduit, and circuit breaker... (but I have just run extension leads before)

It's been a long time I've been to the forum, but slowly I've been working on my system.

Here is an update:



Opened trench for burying conduit.



Same



Conduit and power installed. Still need to pour a little of concrete where the conduit comes out of the ground.



Bought gravel.



Washed gravel.

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Finished washing gravel and have the custom running to start cycling




What else do I do now?
I'd like to buy some cheap fish to start cycling, but part of me (and my wife) just wants to order tilapia and sees how it goes.

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Ok si I checked the ph today and it was 8.2, I have been putting humonia but ammonia hasn't registered yet and neither has anything else.

Just checking but I shouldn't do anything until the system is cycled right? Because the notifying process is acidic, right?

I know I've read these things but it has been a while and and just want to make sure.

One more question. The water I'm using had stayed stagnant in the tank for a while and gotten algae and some mosquitos, I've replaced about half of it (that is the water I used to wash my gravel) but I'm wondering if I should dump everything out and refill with fresh water?



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Your ph is fine for fish, but I would wait till it cycles to get tilapia. It is still kind of cool at nights right now also, don't think we are past the cold just yet. You will know your system has cycled when you get a ammonia reading, then it goes back down

The water is fine, I would not replace it. Are you on a well, or city water?

City water, I've done ph test on it before but don't remember what it is, will check this morning.

I have transplanted some plants to the beds and will be feeding with maxicrop.

City water has chlorine and other things in it. I would not add it directly to my system.

Well, I've considered treating it with sodium thiosulfate to get rid of the chloramines but I haven't gotten around to ordering it yet and I don't really have any other source of water

I am on a well so I don't have those issue. Really don't know the answer to that, store rain water maybe?

Mark - if you add some Vitamin C to the city water it will speed the breakdown of the chloramine. Also, if you just run the system for about a week and a half to two weeks it will breakdown on its own. At that point, your cycling will start automatically - since the chloramine breaks down into chlorine (gas that bubbles off) and ammonia.

Also, if you haven't already, I would cover/paint your barrels and your IBC. The white plastic is not UV stabilized and will degrade after prolonged exposure to sunlight. I used a common plastic-adhesive spray paint when I did mine - Exterior ONLY. But there are many options.

System looks great! Far better than my first system. Get some plants in it! They can go in as soon as the water is running.

Adam