Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

If you have fish... don't add Charlie Carp.... use Seasol for your plants...

Hm, I don't have fish yet, so I can use sparingly Charlie Carp (hard to get rid of the smell )
When all levels are right I guess the fish won't mind that Charlie Carp has been in their environment?

Btw I know nothing but absolutely nothing about fish, tried to use a fishing rod once and killed a few goldfish in a bowl about 25 years ago hence trying to do AP is a very brave thing for me.
Exciting times !!!

In short 20 days later:
both growbeds are up, few of the transplanted hydroponics strawberries died
5 strawberry towers (empty, just media) included in system
Added about 1/4 of a cup Charlie Carp
FT topped up with 1/3 water out of existing pond.
No fish yet
Reading after 2 days, PH 6.4, Ammonia 0, Nitrite 5, Nitrate 5

Am I on the right track? (gotta take pics later)

Hi Gran

Your readings and time frame suggest the cycle is on the down slope, meaning that the amm and nitrites have probably spiked with amm returning to zero and ites still falling. Seems to be on the right track.

Thanks Charlie for the sort of thumbs up.
Positive comments are always good to hear or better see

This hot weather is certainly slightly inconvinient for the FT if i may say so.
Water temperature in FT early morning 22.6, late afternoon nearly 26 with roughly 650 ltr water.
Having the FT in the greenhouse as well wasn't probably the best idea.
In the greenhouse with 4 open windows and a large door still up to 40 degrees, maybe taking down the shade sails last week was too early.

The cool weather will hit us soon enough. I love this time of year, the nights are cool, we have the odd rains and the plants start to sigh as the heat of summer is finally past, just the odd warm spells to ease us into autumn. Have patience my child, trout time will be here soon!

Thanks Faye, I know it will be cooler sooooooon.
It's just like Christmas time not coming along fast enough when I was a child

And when I look at other AP pics then I really don't want to show mine. So very little to show

2. batch of pics

Wow you guys have been busy. Looks stunning!

Thanks Charlie
If only the greenhouse had aircon and was a bit bigger.....bit difficult with a small block and on limited budget
Looks like I have to freeze water in buckets........................plenty of space in the freezer

you haven't got much space in the backyard but you have lots of freezer space?!?!

Yes, not enough space for the AP, our block is not big and there are different levels.
Being new to this is very exciting and I look around the backyard under a very different perspective.
No more freezer space left though, all full with frozen water !! Just in case

The good news:
I've added 2 half barrels that get their water from the pond on the lower level behind which then runs back over a waterfall so the little guppies can do their work and we have the first strawberry flowering in GB.

And then there is the bad news:
Got fish yesterday, water in tank seemed ok so 25 trout went in.
3 of them were gasping for air after a while allthough the air pump was running all the time and the other pump 3 times in the time space morning to afternoon.
This picture I took this morning

There were 25 trout yesterday morning, now there are 5 less and #6 seems to be on the way.
I've made a couple of pics and 2 little clips.
Maybe I am doing something majorly wrong and don't even know it.
The current situation could mean I've to plant 5 lemon trees?