Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hi All,
I have been stalking this site for probably 2 years and want to thank everyone for sharing so much! I think 95% of what I know the other 5% is from fixing my mistakes.
I built my current system from 3 IBCs and some second hand down pipe that was previously used in an old hydroponics set up.
My fish tank is 1 IBC - 1000L
2 grow beds with expanded clay - IBC tops
1 sump 500L
1 duck weed/ Azolla grow tank 500L
100 jade perch (I've had a few deaths so perhaps 95) - too many.
2 x 220L filters (physical and bio filter)

Using constant flow (bell siphon) - I prefer using a timer which i used in a smaller system but due to pump and design limitations it needs to be constant.

While getting the system set up I successfully grew basil, lettuce, parsley, celery, coriander, spinach.
Not so successfully: carrots (lots of green but small edible root); corn - they grew moderately well but got attacked by either birds or possum; capsicum/ chilli.
More recently planted: ginger, garlic, Chinese cabbage, broccoli,

I see you're doing a duckweed tank. Where is this positioned in your system? I'm looking at adding a tank to mine, but don't know if I should keep it separate or if I should have it put inline to keep nutritious water constantly exchanging.

Thanks!

-Ryan

Initially I had it inline but I thought the continual breaking of the water slowed the growth and added more complexity to my system than needed. Also, I've had to start heating the FT (which another story) and by separating it I've reduced the water needing heating down by 500L.
Now I have it connected with an overflow than goes back into the sump and I use it to top up the system as required. To keep the nutrients up I either through in liquid seaweed fertiliser or just the morning wee.
I bought some glass shrimp today and I am putting them in the duck weed sump to see if they will breed as fish food (but mostly for interest).

I got inspired yesterday with the prospect of getting access to some trout so I have throw up another smaller system which won't be heated.
It's a separate IBC system with 500L FT and 3-400L GB directly on top.
I will be hooking this up to a 48 hole (6x2m lengths) flat bottomed NFT system that I grabbed of gumtree.
Hope to get the system cycling with a mix of water from my larger system.
Then pick up the fish in the next week or two.

I added a small display / herb system inside yesterday too! Glass FT (65L) plus GB (60L) sitting on top.
Water & gravel all from the large outside system so it shouldn't need cycling but I am waiting to get a small heater before putting in 2 jades.
Here's a pic

Transplanted a few seedlings and threw in a heap of herb seeds.

I have a 75 gal tank I'm looking at doing a similar thing with. I was thinking of picking up some LED grow lights from superbrightleds.com . Where did you get yours from, and the more important question...does it seem to be working?

Thanks for the updates!

-Ryan

Hi Ryan,
Thanks for your interest.
I bought the globe a couple of months ago with this project in mind, it is from eBay from a seller in China and from memory was $3-5 delivered. It's 3W and has blue and red very small LEDs at a ratio of 1:3.

The system has been running 2days and the seedlings do seem to be growing. The first of the seeds are starting to sprout - I threw in way too many - but perhaps it can become my propagation bed.

I have bought two 220 LED 13W grow lamps which cost A$25 each on eBay.
I was going to set them up over my outdoor system to compensate for the short winter days and that my beds are shaded due to the lower angle of the sun. They'll arrive in a couple of weeks.

I tried catching some jade perch from my outside tank but they were too quick for me - except the one that was on its death bed on the bottom of the tank. I scooped it out and transferred it inside - the emergency department treatment didn't help

Tomorrow I hope to transfer 1-2 fish inside & finish of the new IBC tank for the trout.

Thanks for the info!

I was talking to an old neighbor and fellow AP'er and he said he didn't want to waste his money on grow led's because they were like $200 for the ones that actually work. I found this one http://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo ... -bulb/623/ but I would like to get more than one bulb for $60.

Let me know how the trout work out for you. It's one of the future fish I'd like to start stocking.

-Ryan

gday
love the small system inside
let us know how that on is going
and as far as outside it speaks for itself great job
cheers b&V

@Ryan
I feel like I have only scratched the surface of what there is to know about grow lights work. That's why I've bought the cheap ones to try.
With some online research I found a few issues needing more investigation, such as:
* different wave lengths of red are more effective.
* different colours (wavelengths) promote either foliage growth or blooming (ie red v blue)

Then of course there is the quality of the diodes and how long they will last. The only thing I'm most confident about is that the ones I'm getting AREN'T the best ones but I expect they will produce growth.

I don't know much about fish health but looks like I'm about to learn.

New IBC system: (trout)
I added 10 trout last night to the new system that has had my 2 pioneer black moors in the past 4 days on continuous pumping through 500L of media.
Salted to 3ppt with 1.5kg salt to 500L system.
This morning:
2 trout looking very sick.
The first appears to have sores. One fish is quite aggressive and is chasing others and attacks this sick fish. This fish is swimming around but occasional stops and floats upside down near the surface upside down.
The second which looks certain not to recover has darkening around its abdomen. It is mostly lifeless drifting around the tank (mostly towards the bottom). I tried to scoop it out and it swam for a bit.
I have added 1.5kg more salt to bring it up to an estimated 6ppt. I don't have plants in the system so I can go harder with the salt than the larger system.
pH 6.6-6.7
Temp 11.6C
There is lots of aeration from an air-stone and the continuos water return.

Larger system: (jade perch)
Added 3kg salt to larger system to bring up from 1ppt - 3ppt as I have had 2 deaths (the system is overstocked) in the past week. The one i found before it died had a darker abdomen. The one I found this morning had been half eaten (I've been away a couple of days).
pH 6.7
Temp 18C (fluctuates b/w 17.5-18.5C)
ORP 190 - is it mV? Lots of aeration with 4 air stones + constant water return

I'll try and test ammonia/ nitrites ASAP but lost my colour chart. hmmm

Trout system:
Ammonia = 0 ppm
Nitrites = 0 ppm
Also, most of the others are starting to slow down and are swimming very slowly on the edges and near the surface. when i filled the system i used 50% tap and 50% from the perch system to try and introduce bacteria - looks like i also introduced disease
i read a few others posts describing their problems with their introduction of trout - one changed half of their water as well as salting - should i do a water change at this stage?


Perch system:
Ammonia = 1 - 2 ppm
Nitrites = 0 ppm

I have been thinking i need more filtration so i going to have to get onto adding another grow bed or two if these guys are going to grow up!

This thread helped and has other related issues:
One trout with white patched on its body
viewtopic.php?t=16520

Hopefully my fish will be in better health in the next few days.

With no plants in the system Rod... salt to at least 4ppt....

If you go higher.. provide as much aeration as you can... and watch the fish when you first belt the salt in... (better to raise it over a couple of days)

Trout are swimming quietly mostly treading water.
The sickest one still floating lifeless until I try and pull it out and it swims away.
The second one that looked sick yesterday is looking better and no longer resting by floating upside down.
I'm trying to keep a distance and thus haven't been able to do a full count but I assume they are all still in there.

Jade Perch - since the increased salting yesterday their appetite has exploded - I'll have to keep a close eye on the ammonia levels.