Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

my pH is around 6, ammonia .25, nitrites 0, nitrates 160???

what do I do about that? about 6-8 dead fish this week.

plenty of aeration in tank, I am having problems with my bell siphon. It used to work perfectly for the first 2 months (started the system in April) and in the past month and a half it doesn't drain all the time. I cleaned the lines and that worked temporarily and shortened the standpipe...also seemed to work but only temporarily. widened the mouth of standpipe.

not sure what to do now. why did it work so well for 2 months?

frustrated
Dave

how many fish? how many gallons of ft, and gb?
nitrates aren't as bad for fish as ammonia and nitrites. did you cycle with fish? they could have been stressed from the ammonia and nitrite spikes.. they don't die immediately from high levels, they become more susceptible to sickness, and usually kick the bucket days after the spikes...
your plants should be doing well? do you have room for more?

I just calculated roughly 185 gallons and started with about 30 goldfish now about 15 2-3" goldfish and a few 3" Koi

the plants are looking good finally

yes, I cycled the water with the fish but I also used some water from my pond initially too

If gb is growbed then yes I have pea gravel and lava rock that is flood and drain. I'm having difficulty with my bell siphon too. Have done many modifications.

what do you mean by "do you have room for more"? plants, yes some but pretty well planted

ideas?

Something has changed... you just need to figure out what.

Are you regularly rotating the outer gravel guard on the siphon?... and are you cleaning the pump regularly, including the impellor and impellor cavity?... If it has a sponge filter a): is it blocking?... b): Is it really required?

As Keith suggested, you have high Nitrates because you don't have enough plants.

Perhaps the media guard got clogged up, and now the water can't enter the siphon fast enough. Lack of flow in the media guard is probably the biggest source of siphon issues. Your nitrates are fine. Great in fact. Is there any metal in your system?