Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

There's a chance your water from the hose is too cold and the sudden temperature change isn't too good for your fish.

I would leave your top up water sit in a plastic container for a day or 2 before and if possible add an air-stone to get rid of any fluoride in the water.

Chasew hi might I ask if u got aeration with your fish tanks....?

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yes I have one air stone in each barrel. The air stone has a 2cm diameter and is about 5-6cm long.

It is good that your nitrites are down. It could have just been prolonged death from nitrite poisoning. That is certainly more harmful than chlorine, chloramines, or fluoride. Due to past performance, however, you might setup a topup water treatment barrel. Something you can precondition the water to the temp and ph you need. Of course, the chlorine, or chloramines would evaporate from said barrel too.

Just an update on the system as it has been a while since i last logged on.

The system has slowed down a lot in terms of growth, plants seem to be growing at a snails pace lately. I have a fairly sizable leak where the water drains from the bathtub and i am topping up with tap water maybe once or twice a week. This could be why the plants are growing so slowly as the nutruits is constantly being lost. I have tried to patch up the leak but without taking all the media out of the bathtub i just have to put up with it for now.

I still have 5 goldfish from my original 12 and have not had a death for at least 4 weeks which is good.

I dont test the water as often as i use to, last time i checked it tho i had amm@0 nitri@0 and nitra@5 PH was at 7.4 but then that wasnt suprising seeing as the tap water im filling up with is 7.4.

I will also be moving house at the end of June so this system will be dismantled and i will set up a bigger one at the new house using two IBCs. I will ditch the bathtub as i think this leak will be hard to fix and is proving more difficult than i would have thought. Plus the bigger system will be more stable when it comes to temperature swings, here in Perth, during the summer.

I have provided some pics to let everyone know what the system looks like atm.

Try toilet ring wax on the leak.