Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I think the small bubbles are probably better, surface area to volume ratio or something...

........and my 2 goldfish are still alive.
My plants are probably dying but I am very cautious to put anything into the system.
Time to try another specimen?

Might as well Gran, what are you thinking of adding? More trout or some Perch perhaps?

See if you can get some larger Perch, those things are bullet proof.

Definitely not deep frier proof though...

Gazza, do you still have that "spare" perch?
We would have then only one casualty................
My goldfish seem to be quite happy now, they even come to the surface to feed but only if I don't show my face
BUT............they are hardy, arent' they?

Hi Gran, I'm wondering if you came to a conclusion about your earlier fish losses?
You mentioned that you were only running your gbs at night?
I'm an aquarist, not an APer yet, but in my experience in a fish tank with a biological filter - if water flow and oxygen are not kept up to the bacterial colony the media will become anaerobic. The water flow stopping through such a filter in an aquarium will kill off the tank very quickly.
I'm not sure, but a day without oxygen/water might be killing off your beneficial bacteria?
Anyone have any thoughts about this for AP?

Sorry Gran the perch all ended up finding new homes in our bellies
Happy to throw you a trout or two if you want to give them a try though

Bodgy- When it was still extremely warm I was given the advice to not run the pump overnight.
It was all a big misunderstanding I guess.
I think there was more than just one reason that I failed so miserably.
I hope I am more successfull in the future.
I am running the pump 24/7 now plus have the air pump running as well.

gazza -
But never mind, I wouldn't have felt comfortable to add another fish too soon.
With the trout I am not sure.............I am too afraid.
They just got familiar with the situation at your place. I feel they
should enjoy the season with you.

The beneficial bacteria numbers will reduce the longer nutrient-rich water is withheld, but so long as the media doesn't completely dry out, a decent proportion will survive. I've had a system not pump through the GB for many days in peak summer with no lasting adverse effect; not pumping for a few hours will have almost no appreciable change to the bacterial colonies.

Trying to reduce the heating/cooling affects of pumping system water through GBs by not pumping during the heat of the day or the cool of the night is a valid technique and works quite well without requiring the use of powered heaters or refrigeration.

Edit: of course, if you're relying on water movement for aeration, and if you're not going to pump water trying conserve temperatures, then you're going to need an alternate aeration system.

Bell syphons in each GB seem to have helped water condition and plant growth. Although the times between flood and drain are only about 15 minutes the system has improved.
The recommended constant flow probably hindered the build up of bacteria and, judging by the looks of the roots, drowned the plants.
The recommended pool salt content in the system definitely killed off all strawberry plants.

Since 2 weeks 19 Silver Perch are swimming around the 2 goldfish and started feeding on the crushed up trout pellets. The occasional worm is the treat that gets them loose their shyness in a second, looking like Piranhas for a moment
I bought 20 SP fingerlings at GP, got one extra and lost two 2 days after introducing them to their new home.
I've added a small heater, SP like to meet in that corner. Temperature in FT varies between 18 degrees (night) and 21 degrees on a sunny day.
Top up water comes from tap water, conditioned for a couple of days and a few drops of pool acid added to lower PH from 7.5 to 6.5 to match the water in the FT

Noticed very different growths among the SPs. I hope the big ones will not feed on the small ones. I am feeding 4 - 5 times per day very small amounts over 15 minutes.

Keeping fingers crossed that my AP will finally take off

All signs are looking good Gran! The perch do have very different growth rates, on harvest mine ranged from around 250 to 700 g. They only have little mouths so it is unlikely they will eat each other.

Thanks for that info Gazza, very much appreciated

After almost a month of feeding small amounts of the crushed small trout pellets about 4 to 5 times /day plants still have a hard time to show some grow plus I noticed a few unwanted pests starting to move in.
Garlic and chilli spray applied by the rules would not harm the Silverperch?
Dipel doesn't include mites etc, controls only worms, caterpillars and loopers?

Hiya Gran, great to hear the fish are still swimming, followed this thread closely when you learnt the hard way about how to keep trout... It was a great lesson for me also and has made me extremely careful with my system. (and a little paranoid too.)
Dipel only caterpillars and try to spray the g&c mix only on the leaves but I haven't read of fish deaths from the mix, perhaps start with a weak mix?
Been a while since a you've posted a photo too...