Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Ok I began cycling my new IBC system about 2.5 weeks ago with 75 shiners. Did my first tests last night and the results are:

ammonia 0.5
pH 7.8
nitrates 0
nitrites 0

Any words of advise?

Zak

what are you feeding the shiners?
looks good, if you don't have plants in, go ahead and get them started
and the best advise i can give is be patient...

Patience? whats that? Ok I will start adding plants to the system. I am feeding the fish goldfish flakes.

that will do for now, since you're just cycling with these fish..
but when you get the fish you plan on growing out, get a good aquaculture food.. remember you're feedint the fish and the plants

any recommendations? I am planning on growing catfish and using purina gamefish

that's what i would use for catfish

Might want to salt the system to at least 1ppt-3ppt to prepare the fishes for the upcoming nitrite spike.

Thanks for the tip. I have a 275 gallon tank. About how much do I need? And do I use regular table salt?

One pound of salt to 1000 pounds of water will raise your salt level one part per thousand.
One kilogram of salt in one thousand liters of water will raise your salt level one PPT.

Don't use table salt as it's expensive and can have additives to stop clumping, use pool salt it's inexpensive and available in large quantities.

You should be able to buy it from a big box store very inexpensively,

Great thanks again