Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

This is my first AP system. I'm as new as they come (Started May 20th, today is June 2nd).

I'll try to give you some of my system info, but I'm sure I'll leave out something important.

Main problem: Fish are dying (2-6 per day)

Fish: Goldfish (feeders) very small, no more than 1.5 - 2 inches (4-5 cm); see log below for count

Systems: (2) Each system is an IBC with its own grow bed on top. Grow beds are about 8" tall. I painted the water tanks Silver to fight algae and heat, and painted the grow beds Terra Cotta for looks. The tanks are shaded from the sun by grow beds except for a small bit in the late afternoon.
Water capacity (when full): about 500L (132 gallons)
Water Temperature: 50-60 F (night); 70-80 F (day)
pH: 8.2
Ammonia: 0ppm
Nitrite: 0ppm
Nitrate: 0ppm
Water source: City Water (allowed to sit for at least 2 weeks to dechlorinate); water is very hard and alkaline (high pH); I don't know what else is in water (What should I test for?)
Fill time: about 2-3 minutes
Drain time: about 1.5 minutes
Water oxygenation: solely from draining grow beds (water drops straight into tank with about a 1 ft drop)
When I add more tap water, I'll let it sit in an open cooler for 24-48 hours (5 gallons at a time). I've only added 5 gallons to one unit though so far (another 5 gallons is dechlorinating right now).

Media: Pea Gravel (from my backyard, to save money)

Additives: Added some Microbe-Lift (8oz initially and 2oz 1 week later, will add another 2oz tomorrow). Also added some Age Old Kelp (1/2 oz to 1 oz). Measures are per system.

Fish Food: Initially, Hikari Staple mini, but didn't think fish could eat it due to their small mouths. Switched to TetraFin Goldfish Flakes. Feeding 2-3 times per day.

Comments: I called the supplier of the Goldfish and he said that my pH of 8.2 is high enough to kill them. He didn't know what their own pH was but that their source is a well on their property. I didn't ask what their water temp is. I didn't ask what they'd been feeding them.


Any suggestions from the forum are appreciated (thanks in advance).

G-Dub


To completely bore you to tears, here are my log entries:
Aquaponics Log

Tuesday, May 20, 2014: Fish Count: #1 – 36, #2 - 36
• Added 36 “feeder” goldfish to each tank.
• Added 8 oz of Microbe-Lift PL to each tank.

Sunday, June 1, 2014: Fish Count: #1 – 35, #2 - 36
• Pulled 1 dead fish from unit #1 (cause unknown – Lisa suspects murder)
• Hopefully dialed-in drain on unit #1 (downspout was too long)
• Seeded grow-beds

Thursday, May 22, 2014: Fish Count: #1 – 33, #2 - 33
• 0640, 2 fish caught by tails in unit #1 pump; 1 caught in unit #2
o Unit #1: 1 swam away when pump unplugged; 1 died
o Unit #2: 1 dead fish from pump, 1 dead from unknown cause
• 1000, Installed filters onto pumps (2 more caught in #2 pump before installation but released)
• 1800, Pulled 1 dead fish from unit 1 and 1 dead fish from unit 2
• 1830, Took first readings of chemical levels:

Chemical Balance
05/22/14 Unit #1 Unit #2
pH 7.6+ 7.6+
Ammonia 0 0
Nitrite 0 0
Nitrate 0 0

Saturday, May 24, 2014: Fish Count: #1 – 31, #2 – 33
• Unit 1, dead fish found in afternoon (1500)
• 1 fish in Unit 2 moving slowly, lethargically, may die soon
• 1900, unit 1 another dead fish

Sunday, May 25, 2014: Fish Count: #1 – 30, #2 – 30
• 2 More dead fish found, 1 in each unit.
• 2 more dead fish pulled from unit 2

Monday, May 26, 2014 (Memorial Day) Fish Count: #1 – 29, #2 – 28
• 1000, 1 dead fish in Unit 2
• Sprouts coming up in Unit 1 of Lettuce and Spinach
• Sprouts coming up in Unit 2 of Broccoli and Peas
• Installed shrouds around pumps – seem to be more effective than filters
• 1814, 1 dead fish in Unit 1
• 1900, 1 dead fish from Unit 2

Tuesday, May 27, 2014 Fish Count: #1 – 27, #2 – 26
• 0615, Units #1 & 2, Temp – 55, PH 8.2, added 2 oz of Microbe Lift
• 1545, Unit #1 & 2, 1 dead
• 1620, Unit #1 & 2, 1 dead


Wednesday, May 28, 2014 Fish Count: #1 – 26, #2 – 23
• 2 dead from unit #2
• 1 dead in unit #2
• 1 dead in unit #1

Thursday, May 29, 2014 Fish Count: #1 – 26, #2 – 21
• 2 dead from unit #2

Friday, May 30, 2014 Fish Count: #1 – 24, #2 – 21
• 1 dead in unit #1
• 1 dead in unit #1

Saturday, May 31, 2014 Fish Count: #1 – 23, #2 – 18
• 1 dead in unit #1
• 1 dead in unit #2
• 2 dead in unit #2
Sunday, June 1, 2014 Fish Count: #1 – 21, #2 – 18
• 2 dead in unit #1

Monday, June 2, 2014 Fish Count: #1 – 21, #2 – 18
• No changes yet (1831)

My pic didn't upload first time, sorry.

If you have not salted I think I would start there. Use pool salt with no additives. I would recommend 2-3 ppt.

Thanks for the input.

What would the salt do? (I told you, I'm new.)

GW

In the dry NM air there is often a large diurnal temperature range, and that is reflected in your large water temperature swings, and your system is very exposed to the elements there. For many edible fish the temperature range you are seeing could be a significant problem, although goldfish are quite hardy... but perhaps it is a bit much even for them. Perhaps look at some insulation to keep a bit of warmth in at night and/or sun shading to reduce daily maxima.

Interesting thought. The place where I got them had them in a watering trough, about 2' deep x 8' long x 2' wide with no shade at all. I would think that their water temp would fluctuate even more than mine. With that said, I do have some insulation standing by for future use.

I wanted rainbow trout, but it gets too warm in summer. I also wanted tilapia, but they need special permitting in NM. I don't really want catfish, but may have to have them if I go with edible fish. Any other thoughts on switching to edibles at a later date?

Do you have any thoughts on adding salt?

Thanks for your help.

GW

Trout would be fine over winter if you could stop the water from getting too cold- get fingerlings at least 80mm (~3") long in November for harvest in early-mid May (depends on your climate), they should be a nice plate size. If you can lose some heat to the surroundings overnight, you should be able to keep trout until the days are getting up around 85-90F, if you can insulate against too much heat gain in the daytime. Uncovering everything when the air is cooler than the system water can help get rid of heat.


Salt is beneficial in protecting against Nitrites and for general fish health by promoting their slime coat, but only in low concentrations. Higher concentrations are used for treatment of disease such as Ich, but you need to be careful not to put too much in- they don't all have the same tolerance to salinity.

Thank you, sir. Your input is much appreciated.

Sorry to hear about the loss in the fish.

Just some basic questions. You painted the IBC's silver. Only on the outside?

And what did they originally hold?

Yep, just the outside - taking care to manage the overspray.

I don't know what exactly was in them originally. I was told "something nontoxic". I cleaned them as good as I could and don't think that their previous contents are an issue. I actually built the units in 2013. They were been washed quite a few times.

My worst suspicion is that there may be something in the water that I haven't been able to test for. Others include:
- the high pH (8.2), although some say that it's within goldfish's tolerance
- something on the pea gravel that didn't get washed out (but I have no idea what it would be)
- simple shock to them, due to water differences between my system and the seller's
- an infection (but they didn't look bad at all - just not alive)
- pebbles popping them on the head from the drain pipe (but not probable, although a few get through)
- my daughter thinks one in each tank is a serial killer, or perhaps some conspiracy

This is why I started with "feeders", at about $4 per dozen; and why I bought 6 dozen in all (3 doz per system).

Some of them are doing really great (well... all currently living, actually), swimming strongly and eating well. In fact, the only indication that something's wrong is the occasional fish floating on the surface (with just a few showing signs of lethargy immediately prior to their demise).

Thank you for your concern.

GW

Sorry for the slow response... Geezz, you guys are fast...

Yeah, as Gunagulla said the salt just helps them overall be more resilient. Looks like you have a few challenges with PH and some temp swings so salt should help the them deal with the changing environment better. Nice thing is its cheap and as long as you use the right amount you can't go wrong.

Maybe I am just not seeing it but do you have a current ammonia, nitrite level?

You cant still have 0 Ammonia, you have not cycled yet, retest.
use this as a guide to see if the ammonia is a problem.

I've never seen any ammonia in my system in the whole time I've had it running. Haven't seen any Nitrates or Nitrites either (and yes, I'm doing the tests correctly).

The plants can take up a small amounts of ammonia.

you may be too lightly stocked to tell/get any readings CB?
my first go with trout didnt seem to show anything up either, but i didnt escape the process.