Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

The drain from the big Growbed and the strawberry towers

And here a bit of action to show there are plenty of bubbles.
If that isn't enough air what else should I do?

Hi Gran,

It is possible that, even though your system is cycled, it is still relatively new and hasn't matured yet. Your FT still looks very clean (no gunk lining it) and you said you added new GB's yesterday aswell. This could possibly combine to produce an environment that is stressful for the trout (that are very "sensitive" with their needs).

I know this doesn't help you much as there is nothing you can do except wait, but in time the system will start to look after itself (and its inhabitants).

In my first year I had a lot of fish deaths of both trout and barra and there was seeming nothing I did seemed to make any difference. But then slowly my system started to improve and I (touch wood) haven't had a death in a couple of years. The trout I brought home from Gav yesterday went into my tank and were happily swimming and feeding by yesterday afternoon.

I know none of this makes you feel any better and is frustrating because there is nothing you can do now to help, but in time your system will sort itself out.


Will

Thanks Will
Just to clarify, the barrels are on a different round. Pond to barrels and back, fishies in the pond came with the waterlilies years ago and survive unfeed since years. Now that they have a purpose again, they get a bit of goldfish feed.

The "real" system is in the greenhouse and I just checked the water levels again, ph is 6.6, Ammonia probably 2ish and Nitrite and Nitrate are on 0.
The water has been in there for about 2 months now, last top up was with pondwater.

Glad (in a way) to hear that it seems not to be entirely me so to speak .
And we just had #6 giving up, they are all in the pan cooked with a little butter and our dog loves me now more than ever trying to get the last bit out of the pot. I hope he'll survive that meal.

And now I shall wait, the rest of the bunch still don't want pellets. They are resting on the ground and having the occasional chase around.

When I see other clips the fish stay close to the air, mine seem to ignore the bubbles from the air pump.

Last week the water was greenish but then I was advised to add salt, shellgrit (in little sac in the water and burried in the gbs) and natural limestone which brought up the PH level and the green disappeared.

Update: No 7 has gone the same way as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6
Changed the flow, water is going now from FT to FT since it is again too warm.
Will go back to include growbeds after nightfall again.

Hang in there Gran. You are doing nothing wrong.

Hanging Charlie, hanging and I told the rest that they have a choice of a long good life, food and shelter provided or a very short life which or dog would prefer . Maybe nobody told them?
I talk to my plants and bees and lots of other things........................almost whenever I am angry but with the sweetest voice !

#8 was probably not listening
Down to 17.............Don't want to look tomorrow morning.............

Well something is not right or they wouldn't be dying.
If the fish are hanging up the top like that I would expect that they will follow the same way as the others. I would advise you do at least a 50% water change as there must be something in it that is killing the fish. I think if you dont its likely you will lose the lot.

Thanks Gavin, done that, just replaced 50% with seasoned rainwater.
No idea about the PH level of the rainwater though, just have to hope for the best.
Come tomorrow I can probably change some more
There is nothing in there anymore, took out the limestone too.
The IBC container had nothing dangerous in there before. I checked the name that was on the label, washed it out thoroughly, bleached it and had it resting in the sun for a week.
Did all what I was told and learned so far, the only thing is the water temperatur.
If things don't turn around then I might have to change the location of the whole thing or forget aquaponics all together and stay with hydroponics. I don't feel good loosing so many fish.
Faye warned not to put trout into water if it has more than 20 degrees.

Monday morning update after last nights (11pm) 55% water change.
This morning we have 9 left alive.........very frustrating experiment and very different to losing a plant that doesn't want to grow.

PH swings are disastrous if not managed. It is imperative that you test the water b4 you add new if from a different source

What are your Ammonia and Nitrite readings and when was the last time you added that Charlie Carp?

Gavin that was March 21st
Please find the whole history listed below.
In the moment I am not very popular at home
If I only knew WHY.
Could it the IBC, which was supposed to be safe to use from the beginning, thoroughly cleaned by me, rinsed a couple of times as well and left in the sun for a week in February.
Maybe it was the limestone (fizz tested), as natural as they might be, nobody really knows where they were or what has been done to them.
Or maybe it is just me scaring fish to death ???

If I read your log right Gran....

You added 8 ltr ice blocks.. presumably because the water was too warm....

But only had the pump running three times between 10-16:00....

Sounds like a simple case of oxygen depravation to me...