Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

BYAP sell a fresh water test kit.

You should be testing at least Ammonia and Nitrite with pH and Nitrate other good things to test.

Ideally Ammonia and Nitrite should be 0 (although 0.25 is ok).

Welcome, and nice neat looking system

ok thank i tested nitrite and nitrate they were 0 and PH was 7
will be heading to BYAP for a test kit on days off
Thanks Mantis

another pic of my new system, the water feels icy cold and i have picked up some renaissance spinach
and planted them but warm day today knocked a few of them but i am sure they will kick off soon

Ok i have raised my water level in my grow beds by 35mm and is now sitting about 45 mm under the surface of the expanded clay i have, i was a bit concerned for a bit as i have used the ultra light expanded clay that floats but so far it all looks good, as with the last few days being surprisingly hot for this time of year the seedings i have planted are not doing so well. On my days off which start tomorrow i will get a water thermometer and my own water test kit from Back Yard Aquaponics.
I was glad for the information i recieved on the trout i ordered and that was to hold off for a couple of weeks in case of a hot burst and sure enough we got one and i would have expected i would have had a lot if not all fish fatality, it sure helps to listern to the advise from the Gals/Guys in the know. I have planted some renasuance red spinach and put up a small frame to support them but not sure what else will be good to plant yet for this time of year, so any idea`s would be apreciated thanks.

Frank, get your silverbeet, beetroot, leeks and still good for lettuce at this time. Peas are ready to be planted also.

ok here is a progress report lol the water has gone green but the plants are doing great should get the fish in the next week or too and i am sure everything will have settled down a bit by then.
The plants have doubled in size since the pic was taken and thats in 4 days.

Green water is usually the result of too much sunlight getting to your fish tank. If possible put a cover over it (shade cloth is fine) and wait a couple of weeks.

If possible I would hold off getting fish till it has cleared.

Ok thanks for the heads up i have covered it, i know it was due to seeding it from my pond filter it looks to be starting to clear so hope it wont be to long.

Good to hear it is clearing up. It happens to most, if not all if us.

ok system not going so well not sure why my tank is still green after being away for 3 weeks did a partial water change put some fish in and they all died water is still green but not as bad will get more plants tomorrow and see what happens then and maron eating each other have 4 out of 7 left and have put heaps more in the sump tank for them to hide in but not sure what else to do i have tested the water and that looks fine thinking the fish died due to green water and not enough D O other than that i am at a loss

Howdy Frank, how is the system going now?

Hi Skeggley,

Its going good now i lost my trout when i put them in and a few marron i did a full water change and covered my tank so the water is clean its been like that for now 5 weeks the marron i have left are going ok but its just 2 males now i have some koi in the system to keep it going and as i found out i had to raise the water level in my grow beds. the water level made a huge difference as i used the cheaper pebbles that float i was advised to have the level lower but have played with it a bit and now got it right the only thing now is my strawberries are starting to fruit but the fruit is small but all is going good cant wait for the warmer weather for the plants to take off again

Yeah there's definitely a lot of tweaking in ap, it never seems to end for me... Sorry to hear about the fish, I started my system around the same time as you and have been lucky not to have lost a fish but have seen a few experienced fellas loose their fish this year too so prep for the barras
Looking forward to not watering the dirt veggie patch when it warms up either.
How long did it take for the algae to go?

Hi Frank

I'm also in 6111 area - great place to be!

I currently have silverbeet, garlic, peas, cauliflower, iceberg & cos salad, beet and cabbage growing like mad.

Even have a few surviving tomatoes!


The first months of aquaponics is often a disappointment. Keep going and it will reward


Gabe