Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hello from southern California USA ! I have had 2 Koi ponds for several years and my wife and I have decided to take it a step further and start growing vegetables. I was wondering what tests I should take, Ph, Nitrites etc. before I begin, and what readings I would be looking for ? Any response would be appreciated. Thanks in advance !

Jason, welcome! Yes on all, as a baseline. You probably are a little low on Nitrates, depending on what type of filtration you're using. I think UV are not a great idea...if you have them. Pictures when you get a chance. We love pictures!lol

Thanks for the response ! No UV lights, just bio filters.

Ill try to get some pictures posted tomorrow of my current pond/filter setup to post as a "before", as well as some test results.

The in ground pond is approximately 3200 gallons, and the above ground is 1400.

Both are filtered currently together and the above ground pulls from the in ground, and circulates back to it.

I'm planning on taking one of the barrel filters off line and using its supply to fill my grow beds.

This will probably reveal how much I have been neglecting my ponds, but Ill post test results anyway lol. I know i need to flush my bio filters so that will change things allot.

Nitrite = 0.0
Phosphate = 2.0
Ph = 9.0 (!)
Ammonia = 0.25

Welcome Jason! With a ph of 9, you probably have an anaerobic zone somewhere. Carefully clean it up. As for taking one of the barrels offline, why? Leave it inline and use that to feed your growbeds.

Ronmaggi, thanks for the comments.

Currently I have an above ground pond pump pulling from the in ground pond, and discharging into the 5 bio filters, and they work great. ( If i clean them every year )

I want to add the grow beds without adding another pump, and the beds will be too far away to gravity to them from the barrels. My plan was to take one offline so I could use the feed line going to it from the pump for my grow beds. I could however leave all barrels on line and just add another Tee in the header. Why fix it if its not broken right ?

As long as they are lower, distance should not have that large of an effect.

Bio filters are cleaned ! I remember now why I procrastinate .....

If I filled my grow beds with the water after it leaves the filters, do you think there will still be enough nutrients to feed the plants ?

The nutrients are dispersed throughout the system, filters clean out larger debris, but the nutrients stay. Your plants should have no problems.