Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

They sure do Colin, except that they are dead....

Hi skeggley - I just cannot face eating a live healthy fish... or for that matter a dead sick fish.

Two more Silver Perch harvested today - will be cooked as Vietnamese cuisine by work colleagues.

Bought some more Silver Perch Fingerlings today...

Aaaah, nothin like a fresh batch of fishies. Have you named them Col?

Yeah Charlie... they're all named "Very Tasty".

But every now and then my wife calls one "Your'e Next"

New arrivals settling in well...

Hi Colin,

I picked up my Silver Perch & Catfish from Glenwaters Native Fish on the same day as you so I'll be keeping an eye on your growth to see how the two compare.

Are they freshwater mussels in your tank? I'm thinking of adding a couple to my tank to help keeping it clean.

Hi Colin,

I am in Heidelberg so my system would be pretty close to yours in regards to climate. How long did it take for your silver perch to grow that big? I have had mine going for about a year now and they are still really small and nowhere near big enough to eat yet. Are you able to provide any tips/advice in regards to what you feed them and how much you feed them??

My system also seems to be struggling a bit at the moment. My Ph level is constantly high and I have added a bit of chelated iron from time to time but everything except for the spinach seems to be really struggling at the moment.

I have tried beans, peas, and tomatoes a few times now and have never had any success with them - not sure if is due to the high Ph or something else - what Ph is your system running at?

Cheers,

Gags

Hi Gags - We had edible Silvers in first 12 months - BUT only 3 or 4. Silvers growth rates varied markedly. Some even now - after 4 years - are still way too small to consider a meal!!!
Did water tests tonight: pH = 6.4; Ammo = 0; Nitrite = 0; Nitrate = 5-10.
Water pH seems to have stabilised at 6.4. All well!!!
I have never seriously chased the pH levels - they went down naturally over time. The trouble now is to keep pH up above 6!!! (6 is lowest level on chart - do not know if lower than 6???)
Just feed the fish what pellets they will consume in 10 -15 minutes - remove what they do not eat. Feed 2 times a day - 3 if water temp is above 20oC. Silvers love lettuce leaves - feed them every few days - worms are a treat once or twice a week.
Regards - Colin

It was prob 18 months before I was able to eat any of my silvers, as Colin says the growth rates vary over time. Ive noticed as you pull the bigger ones out the others start catching up and grow quicker. I have really good summers in Kal for growing SP but the winters are very cold and the SP have a long dormant period. Hang in there gags, it will all start falling into place but its strange your plants are struggling.

Thanks Colin and Charlie.

I have only been feeding the fish once a day and only every the pellets - might have to try to push it out to twice a day and throw in a lettuce leaf every now and then.

My silver perch seem to be really skittish and always hang on the bottom of the tank near the back (the furthest away from the light). When we throw food in (floating pellets) they won't even eat it until it makes its way to the back half of the tank and then they slowly get into it but there is certainly not much in the way of splashing when they feed and the only way I have been able to see them is to lift up a tiny bit of the shade cloth and peek through so that I am not letting in any additional light.

There is one fish that is probably half again as big as most of the other fish which seems to line up with the experience that you have had.

My Ph has been sitting at 8.0 or 8.2 for about the past 10 months with 0 or 0.25 for Ammonia, 0 for Nitrite, and 0 or 5 for Nitrate. I am actually now considering trying some HCL with my top up water to see if I can reduce the Ph down to about 7 (very slowly) - I am hoping this might improve the nutrient uptake for the plants.

If I get a chance I will take some photos in the next few days of my plants to see if that provides any clues as to what my problems are.

Mine do the same mate, sooky SP. I throw the feed in from a distance and walk away, sometimes I might watch them take a few pellets but they are very cautious.

Throw a handful in the morning and another at dusk.

The 50 Silver Perch I added to the system about a month ago are doing well. A few days ago I noticed an unusual odour - turned out to be a dead freshwater mussel!!!
Water testing shows everything is normal???
Only 9 Mussels left.

Going overseas on holidays - fingers crossed everything will run ok while away!!!

Hi Colin,

Where did you get your fresh water mussels from?, I'm thinking of putting a couple in the fish tank and a couple in the sump to keep the water clean.

I found a couple of hatcheries interstate that will ship to the airport but one in Victoria who delivers locally to a home address.