Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Bacteria colonies tend to survive well enough in a media bed system even if going hungry for a bit. When you re-stock, provided you are re-stocking at a reasonable level to let the fish grow out without running out of filtration for them, when they are small you will have a good enough start on the bio-filter that starting to feed them up slowly after introduction should be fine. The solids slowly decomposing in the media beds will likely provide enough food for the bacteria to work on in the mean time.

I didn't, do you think I should have?

I had to use a torch to see into the dark depths of the jungle this arvo (sun still well up, but it is so dark in there!) in my search for ripe tomatoes. I did tie up a few branches today before I took this pic, but it made no real difference. There are many dozens of tomatoes in there, and I did spot a few cobs of corn with the torch, but I cant get to them, so they might have to keep until I can extract them for seed.
Despite the netting (removed for the pic), a few of the tomatoes had tomato grubs in them, but the chooks enjoyed the bits I cut off. I gave it another good soaking with Dipel spray today, as the application a couple of days ago was probably washed off in the 3mm of rain yesterday.
I even found a nice apple cucumber in there, which was yummy, the leaves have a bit of mildew, but is growing quite well under one end of the toms.



The tomatoes inside the GH were not so rampant due to less sun, but I was able to tie them up nicely a couple of days ago after I strung up some overhead steel cables. I then just reused some old baling twine to tie them up.

Holy hell that's a lot of tomato bush! I'm concerned because I planted my toms right throughout my GB it a hurry to get all my seedlings in. Think I'm gunna need to contain them.

Well, my system is now fish free, the remaining 16 trout were taken out today, and are now in the esky in the back of the car on the way to the inlaws. Hopefully the gathered throng will enjoy trout for lunch tomorrow
73 + the other 4 deaths previously mentioned means that 3 are not accounted for. I can only assume that they were taken by birds early on.
When I get a chance I'll post something about their weight distribution.

That is a 91.25% success rate measured in terms of fish harvested out of your start total. Are you pleased with that? So much can go wrong with the raising of fish that I reckon that is a very good result: I would be happy with it.

Just for your info, I had 11 out 100 unaccounted for last year but birds didn't have access. I think they sometimes just die and disintegrate.

I scooped up one half on a biggish fish, I guess they get eaten.

Yes PLJ, I am very pleased with the result I was advised against stocking with trout by the AP shop I bought my first water pump from, as it was too difficult. I suspect he just wanted to sell me some SP!

Ok, 73 trout, total weight 31.5kg, mean weight 432g, max 686g, min 153g, SD 102g

Trout on the BBQ

I'd advise against cooking trout on the BBQ - too difficult. What's that? What do you mean you have already done it ... ?


They look bloody delicious, Gunagulla!

They sure were PLJ

I started with 50kg of pellets, and now have remaining:

7mm .. 1.7kg
5mm .. 10.9kg
3mm .. 3.1kg
........--------
. . . . 15.7kg, so 34.3kg used, and I reckon there was close to 1kg of pellets uneaten at various times over the 6 months, particularly early on, that were scooped out, so I'm certain they ate less than 34kg of food. I only fed them about 20g of maggots total, which is insignificant.
The fingerlings weight early on... well that I don't know, but I can't imagine they weighed more than a few grams each, so very conservatively there was 31kg of weight gain from 34kg of food, which is over 91% efficient. I realise a lot of the weight gain is water, but still, I think it's a good result!

Well then there are the few that probably got eaten by the others.
Good Job though, so many think "oh I'll pull them out NEXT weekend" and then get hit by a 100% fish kill disaster so it is good to hear you has such a great success!!!

Thanks TCL, yes they had to come out when they did, FT water was 24C just after midday yesterday, it only got down to 22C this morning and today is likely to be around 38C max, so the water will be even hotter this arvo.

I'd still like to discover what the safe temperature range is for the Murray Cod due in a week or 2, I don't have anything definite other than "they should be fine around here"

Report on the taste of the trout which didn't have the spinal blood removed before freezing.

Excellent!

My parents are visiting for a few days, so last night I took the first bag of 3 trout I froze (on 12/12) from the freezer and left them in the fridge overnight. Just before lunch I removed the blood then and cooked them on the BBQ. No one could detect any taste difference from those which had the blood removed and were eaten fresh, so it seems that if there is going to be any deterioration, it probably wont be an issue if I use them within a few weeks.

It's not even xmas and 1/3 of the trout have already been eaten!