Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I got my digital one from www.ageofaquariums.com.au . They can be a little inaccurate - but once you know what the difference is you can factor it in.

swimming pool thermometers work too, the B shop sells them for less than $10

re feeding the fish again: We have 98 silver perch fingerlings. Les says to feed three times a day but how much? We have those little sinkable pellet thingos.

Are the pellets small enough for them Forest? Feed them only what they can eat during your feeding - say for no more than 5 minutes. You don't want any uneaten food.

No this is the general rule - in your case because you are cycling the system you may want to feed less - though the 2000 litre fish tank should help you in this respect. Just watch the ammonia and nitrite levels and adjust feeding accordingly. It would be preferable if you did not have to do any water change outs during cycling - so go less rather than more in terms of feed.

Incredible work, Forest!! I'll be watching this thread carefully for your progress.

thank VB and Janet.

VB, they can handle the small pellets we have. I've been giving them a teaspoon full which they eat in about 30 seconds. We did this three times yesterday. I also gave them some organic rye bread this morning, which they loved - maybe a teaspoon. So I think I'm underfeeding. I'll step it up a little bit.

I wouldn't be too concerned about underfeeding Forest - better to be safe than sorry. Watch your readings and let them guide you.

tests done this morning - pH - 7, nitrites - clear, ammonia - 0. I'm in the process of getting a nitrates test kit online.

Forest - I take my comments back about the feeding. You may want to feed them more to ensure that there is sufficient ammonia being produced to cycle the system. With the large quantity of water you have - it may take a while for there to be any build up of ammonia. Get H to pee in it .

It's going to be that balancing act of having enough for the bacteria to get going, but not so much as to harm the fish. Your testign regime will stand you in good stead on this. It will be interesting to see when you first start getting an ammonia reading.

The whole fish feeding thing will very soon become second nature Forest, better to keep it down a little (keep them hungry) to begin with, keeping in mind that fish are a little like house plants, most people kill them through kindness.. But those silver perch are pretty damn tough, and you've got a huge tank there... 2-3 times a day, while keeping in the back of the mind that you shouldn't give them tooo much at any one time, and before you know it, you really won't give it a second thought...

One thing that may help with the test tube levels is if they come with caps, use both the tube and the cap back and forth to get the level just right. If you don't have a cap then it is really easy to dump too much out and have to start over again. I no longer trust the strip tests.

Dave - ya gotta get the flick going mate. There is a slight art to it, but pretty easy and it makes the job so much easier.

Saw steve (s&a) dip his tube in the water and pull it out at the exact level yesterday whole action took 0.8s......How the hell did ya do that i asked

"ass, mate, ass.........." LOL

It would take me no more than a minute to fill and level the 6 tubes that I take when doing my full range of tests.

Can't say I've ever managed to pull out at exact right level to start with though. I go deep in the tank so tend to fill to the top to start with.

It was a one time only trick