Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Go pond pump. Sump pumps are not made with fish safe materials, and they tend to be oil filled.

Ok, been awhile since I posted. thinks are kinda at a standstill after my fish set back. All 20 catfish have died. I am not sure of the cause as a newb it could be many. Hopefully to help new aquaponic users here are a few things I learned.
Water: Check with the water company, find out how they treat your water, chorine or chloramine. big difference on how you treat them. Chlorine: airation for 24 hours - Chloramine - absobic acid, or vitamin C tablets. I only treated for chlorine when I added the fish and found out about the other after most were dead. I don't have a Chloramine tester so I am going off of advice from more experienced aquaponic people. Salination, make sure you have a small salt level in your water, 1 - 3 ppm. there are lots of threads on this topic and it helps the fish in several ways. I have yet to restock my fish tank, shy now and don't want to kill anymore fish. but I am getting my curage up and will restock after the seaweed extract cycles and the water test fine, i am probably taking it to a fish store for testing as well, but will not use any chemicals that may harm the system, fish or plants.

thats all I got as a newb because thats about as far as I have gotten, my plants are doing ok, but really need the fish - also tinking of a green house so I can get that room back because I am not defeated, just an opportunity to lean and grow..

Hiya fogbad sorry to hear about your fish, what was your ibc used for prior to a ft? What are your water readings.
If there's one thing I've learnt about ap it's patience. Oh and patience too

Ph is 7.2
no ammonia
no nitrates
no nitrites

Had aquava syrup in it before I washed it out.

Odd readings, good idea to take it to a fish shop for testing. Would have thought there would be a nitrate reading by now.. have you had your ammonia spike? Any supplementary aeration?
How are the gold fish going?

Goldfish are in the 10 gallon tank doing well, not getting much ammonia from them either. I switched their food, fed them twice a day but plan on getting more fish in the next couple days. Still a little fish shy on the big tank. don't want to loose any of the little fish again.
Bright note, I found a shed 6 X 12 in need to some work, so greenhouse it is. the plans are running around my head. Just gotta get it home and start the remodel.

I think the problem is getting a handle on the Chloramine. I had some Vitamin C with other stuff sitting around so I crushed some of those up and tossed them in - but I don't think it got rid of the Chloramine or just a temperary fix. So I got some vitamin C crystals put about 3 1\2 grahms in the 150 gallons of water and saw some ammonia. I read when you remove the Chloramine you will be left with Ammonia. I then let it airate for a few days, then last night I put in a dozen minnows.

They are all still alive this morning

I will test the ammonia when I get home from work. So far my plants have done well water temp 68.5 I put seaweed extract in every few days and have some pepers starting out and my tomotoes are growing to the roof.

Looks like you are on your way to having it all figured out!!! As for the ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates, In the aquarium world it takes up to but not limited by four weeks for the beneficial bacterial to start. So I that would lead me to believe aquaponics would be no different.

On a side note I am curious as to what kind of lights you are using?

Just T8 and T5 I (believe)lights - I need to invest in some better lights, but these seem to be working fine. Plus a little window light.

Ah ok. Well I am glad you posted pics of your 10 gallon demo. gave me a sense of what mine should look like.

Also how did you plant your seeds on the demo 10 gallon?

I start all my seeds in dirt. when they look big enough I wash off the roots and stick them in. Some people just throw seeds into the media, but i have not had much success. when I dismantled that system I found all kinds of roots growing sideways from the seeds I tried to start by just throwing in. they grew well, but never upwards. Maybe the seed landed sideways.

I tested my larger system last night and here are the results. I was not having a lot of growth, maybe its my ligting
temp is 73 - 75 Degress
I added 10 goldfish that are doing well so I hope by now I am cycled.

OK swapped out the lights for T8 and the plants seemed to respond. This had been growing all winter the celery anyways - the others serveral weeks.