Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Test kit is on for the budget this week! Already have supplies for cover, will build this week also. Getting some plants tomorrow...

So bought test kit today, and a couple of plants that were on special. Now have 5 fish, one "recycled" tomato plant (it was growing wild in the old vege dirt garden at a friends house), some mint which is in a dodgy constant flow pipe I have added(as I've read mint can take over GB'snso I've kept it separate), a strawberry plant also in constant flow, an eggplant, 4 zuchini's and 4 sweet mixed capsicum. I've added 10 grams of chelates iron which I will be doing weekly, and I'll be adding a capful of seaweed extract daily.

I've got a little drama as I may have been a little enthusiastic and not built a strong enough stand for the garden bed, and it's sunk a little, so bell syphon which worked perfectly first go, no isn't working. I'm currently attempting to fix it as I type. Lucky my brother is a chippy and will be helping me fix this, along with a car jack :/. Oh well live and learn!

Did water tests today, and got the following results











For some reason I missed taking a photo of ammonia. But essentially results were:
- PH 7.6
- High range PH 8.0
- Ammonia 0.25 ppm
- Nitrite 5ppm
- Nitrate 5ppm

Question, is there a different between two PH's? Or is it that the first one doesn't measure past a certain point? I'm assuming from my reading, it's good I have readings on ammonia, nitrite and nitrate, as it am in the middle of cycling. I am currently 3 days in. PH is a bit high long term, but it's coming out of tap 8+, so I am not too stressed. The fish I am getting for purposes of cycling are in an environment with 8+ as well, so that isn't too bad.

Some photos of system tonight, though it isn't as spectacular at night (at least I think it's spectacular for early days ahaha).





Next steps are fixing dropping growled issue, as well as adding a valve to the pump output so I can control this. Made a rookie error today trying that without gluing, didn't go well ahaha, way to much pressure for this.nntrying not to glue in order to allow me freedom to play with system, but will have to glue that part as I've got serous pressure coming from the pool pump. As well as this, start trying to scrounge up the plumbing for second bed, unsure whether I am going to go floating raft or another flood and drain! Trying to grow lots of kale as I have a few friends who are interested in giving me a $1 a bunch, does kale work in floating raft?

Well novel is over, I am really going to feel bad to kick my cat out of lap (he's not much of a cuddler!), but I need to try and get the bell syphon working!

Kale grows good in both floating raft (DWC) and F&D. Perhaps moderately better in F&D GB. Your system is really starting to take shape

Nitrite looks a bit high to me it should be less than 1ppm

+1

In answer to your question about the two ph tests - if you test with low range ph and it is 7.6 then it is likely that your ph is actually higher. This is the trigger to test with the high range ph kit which you have done. Same goes if you test with high range ph kit and ph is around 7.4 the you should also test with low range ph. Your ph looks like about 8.2 which is normal for a new system.


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Thanks for answers on PH and Kale, much appreciated! Should I do a water change for nitrites? Got bell syphon working, it fills in 3 min and 20 sec, and drains funnily enough in 3 min and 20 sec. Randomness that they are exactly the same I would have thought!

Readings for today, had a fish die as it got past inlet protection to pump outlet and got stuck. Other fish seem good. Plants all seem good, except for a couple which are wilting as bell siphon stopped working halfway thru. Same plant but it was closer to inlet and was getting splashed on is fine, so don't believe it's anything other then no water. Fixed bell siphon, but really need to find some time to fix dropping issue so bell siphon works all the time.


Date PH High Range PH Ammonia Nitrite Nitrate
10/06/2014 7.6 8.0 0.3 5.0 5.0
11/06/2014 7.6 8.2 1.0 5.0 5.0

Salt to 1ppt to mitigate nitrite poisening or ur fish will be in trouble, all else looks good. Don't worry about PH low range test as your running about 8-ish.

Actually at a nitrite level of 5 I'd do a 30% water change then salt to 1ppt

Will do on both!

Been busy the last couple of days, so no posting!

Have been testing the last couple of days, but not posting... not much to post on, no change!

Date PH HR PH Ammonia Nitrite Nitrate
10/06/2014 7.6 8.0 0.3 5.0 5.0
11/06/2014 7.6 8.2 1.0 5.0 5.0
12/06/2014 7.6 8.2 1.0 5.0 5.0
13/06/2014 7.6 8.2 1.0 5.0 5.0
14/06/2014 7.6 8.2 1.0 5.0 5.0
15/06/2014 7.6 8.2 1.0 5.0 5.0
16/06/2014 7.6 8.2 1.0 5.0 5.0

I have planted some new plants, mainly cause friends and family keep giving me plants. So some aren't necessarily what I planned ahaha. Mainly because I think they are going to grow out and be too big. But more grow beds are on there way, so can always replant out. Plants are as follows, broccoli, french beans, chilli plants, capsicum, eggplant, strawberry, and the tomato plants from before, which are growing well from the cuttings from the old garden at this house. Have built new stand, and have two full pretty much brand new IBC's ready to go, so just need a little bit of cash for more plumbing. I have been doing 20-30% water changes every second day, adding a capful Seasol everyday, and I put in a banana skin underneath the media. Plan is to do another growbed this week possibly, and put either a F&D or raft. Probably flood and drain, mainly in order to give more filtration, as I wanted to do raft, but might do that for the third one. Some pics as are below.


Tank using an old worm bed as a makeshift filter, I am using green house shade material for big stuff, then the worm farm itself, then a heap of scourer pads. I am using my theories from fishtanks, so don't really need it right now, but am looking ahead.


Whole setup, you can see next stand on right for next grow bed.


Growbed pick.


Sprouts coming up from seeds I threw in, of two types of Kale, and Spinach.

5 fish I put in the second time and one of original fish all alive and going well. It's amazing how much warmer water is in fish tank/sump compared to the water I have ready to go for water changes, pump and grow bed media really warm things up. Anyway any suggestions will be taken on board, and aquaponics is kickers ahaha!

Coming along nicely, but I can never understand why people dont fill the growbeds to the top with media. Gives you so much more filtration capacity

I will probably have a look at that in the future, though I seem to remember reading that it should be slightly below. I got my gravel for free, which it took ages to clean, as it was gravel from 2mm to 30mm, and lots of dirt, so even more cleaning and sizing then normal, so yeah will look at it next time. Though I still lose a bit when mucking around over the edge, so unsure how high I will go.Thanks for advice!

Haven't posted in a bit, but have been busy at it. Photos below













First photo is where I have put in a separate tank for fish, with a SLO pipe going to sump. Got lucky as a new housemate was into aquaponics so got to use his tank which he had a viewing glass for which is very cool (well will be once I get fish!).

Second photo is of 2nd growbed, which is a work in progress. Getting rocks without paying for them is a tough job as I have mentioned, and I may or may not be procrastinating a haha.

Third photo is of growth, its amazing you don't see it when you are looking at it everyday, but difference from last photo is noticeable! It's been cold here, getting below zero a few times, and we are getting frost most days, so any growth is a fair effort I am guessing.

Fourth photo is of pipes running from FT and 2 x GB's to sump.

Fifth photo is sump tank, and the "filter" I have setup using an old worm farm, which is a perfect match I thought! Got to love re-purposing! I currently am just using green house cloth, to filter out big things, and green scourers, and I will add bio balls once budget permits.

Last photo is of the whole thing, plus my tank of spare de-chlorinated water.

Readings today were 8.0 PH, 0.25 Ammonia, 2.0 Nitrites and 5.0 Nitrates, so everything seems to be heading in right direction which is good. Cycling in winter is tough when you want fish ahaha!

Jobs for this week is rocks for 2nd GB, as well as setting up 2 or 3 more GB's, which I believe I have everything for as the aforementioned flatmate has donated all his gear to me, which is exciting as the bill for plants and setup is currently under $200, which I am happy with. In other exciting news, I found a spot for IBC's today for cheap ($50 mark) which have just had ammonia, so if I want/need to expand I can for cheap!