Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

It's not the Ammonia that you salt for, it's the Nitrites. There's a chance the Nitrites could spike so it probably would be a good idea to bring it back up to 1ppt.

System is starting to look finished

Cheers

Ah ok. Yeah I was thinking I might as well bright it back up to 1ppt, I haven't checked exactly where it's at right now but I don't think it needs much more salt to get it there.

Thanks, it'll look a lot more finished when the timber capping is on, added the front piece of white trim to the base of the fish tank today, but then it started to rain so I gave up, lol.

I have to get that damn barrel out of the way now though, it's in an annoying spot!

You had better get into it soon before the rain settles in!

Hop to it!

Hey Mate
I just read you're thread and noticed you covered the vents on the back up power battery. I believe battery's leach hydrogen and can explode if they have no vents for air flow. I'm only bringing this up because i had a mate who imported some underwater scooter things and they werent vented properly. After he started one it blew up and made a bit of a mess of the poor bugger.

Should have a few clear days this week so hopefully I can get it finished!


I just sealed the vents in the lid of the battery box I put the UPS in as it's designed for car batteries and so on which off-gas and need ventilation.

The UPS uses a sealed battery which doesn't off-gas like a car battery does, but the box itself isn't actually completely closed up, the underside of the lid actually has openings for the cables to come out of, so there won't be any gas build up (although the UPS battery is tiny so it's not an issue atm anyway).

When I eventually hook up a bigger battery I'm probably going to aim to get a marine sealed AGM deep cycle so I don't have to worry about the above issue.

Thank you for your concern though, it is a valid one but hopefully it's a problem I won't encounter!

cool good stuff mate

Second system cleaned out and plumbed in, water circulating now, I'll give it a couple of days til I start with the Charlie Carp (kind of have to, forgot to buy it today, lol). First tank is getting clearer, I can actually see the bottom now.

Timber for the capping has been ordered, with any luck it'll be here tomorrow so I can make a move on getting it all finished off!

Tested again, still haven't fed the fish but the Ammonia looks even higher now, and the Nitrites have climbed to 1ppm. Nitrates look to be bordering the 5ppm mark too



Should I take the fish out and put them in the other tank until things settle a bit? They seem fine but I'd rather not let them get sick if that's what's going to happen.

I'd appreciate any feedback you guys can give.

you could swap water out between the two systems that will dilute the water in the tank with the fish and provide a source of amonia in the second system to start it cycling.

It's probably going to stress the fish no matter what you do. We don't know what your water temp is so really can't tell how toxic the ammonia is either. You've already salted for the Nitrites so that should be OK.

Temp is sitting around 12-14 degrees atm. I think I'll try what you suggested Brad, just to avoid any moving stress, and see if it helps, if not and it gets worse then I think I'll plonk them in the other tank.

Thanks for the feedback folks.

Changed a little bit of the water in the first tank today, I think it's helped a tiny bit, but I'll need to do a lot more to bring the Ammonia down.

I also tested the second tank to establish the base line readings and apparently there is Ammonia in the system already. Not quite sure where it would have come from in the couple of days the water has been in and circulating, considering I've added nothing to it and it comes from the tap with a zero Ammonia reading.



So it seems I'm starting with a base reading of a pH of 8.0, Ammonia 1.0, Nitrites 0 and Nitrates 0.

Planted some seedlings in the second system, forgot to go out and take a photo and I'm too lazy to do it right now, lol. But I've got some more Purple Sprouting Broccoli, Peas of some description, numerous silverbeet plants (the Rainbow Chard variety), Beetroot and Radishes. More to put in but I'll do that tomorrow.

The timber for the capping got delivered today so I'll get that on as soon as I get it all painted up!

The only place I can think of is if you are using city water that's been treated with Chloramine instead of Chlorine. One of the breakdown products of Chloramine is Ammonia. If this is what's going on then use 500mg Vitamin C per 50 gallons water for Chloramine treatment. This is as much as I know since I've not had this issue.

PS - Your first system acts like it's not completely cycled. If you added Chloramine treated water in large quantities at some point (without first treating it) that could explain why (maybe the bacteria took a hit).

Hope this helps

I did ponder Chloramines but Ammonia was never really an issue with the barrel system I got going before I started on the IBC's so I'm not sure. Granted they are vastly different sized systems though, but topping up the barrel has never made the Ammonia jump (from memory). I'm on town water here but it's small town water so I'm not sure if it's quite the same as city water.

First tank definitely wouldn't be cycled yet as it's just a baby. I'll leave the second tank alone for now and see what it does, but I think I need to change some more of the water out of the first tank just to help the fish from drowning in a sea of their own poop.

Thanks for the response, I might give the local water supplier a call to see if they do add Chloramines, it'll be interesting to know for sure.

do you still have the barrel system? you could get some gravel a goop out of that bed and use that to jump start these systems.