Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Helped out yesterday with a stocking of some Brown Trout in a few club dams.

There were 9 left over after putting in what we wanted, so I thought I'd chuck a few in with my smaller Rainbows.

Beautiful looking fish. Lets hope they do well.







Anyone else tried Browns? They seem much hardier than the Rainbows, but are they harder to keep?

Video clip of the bigger Rainbows.

Click on the image to view video.

Smaller Rainbows and Browns. Sorry for the darkness.

Click to view.

Browns have settled right in.

Latest water readings:
Ammonia zero
Nitrite zero
Nitrate 100+
pH 6.5
Temperature 9c

Might have to add a filter and another growbed with all these fish.

Or harvest a couple of rainbows.

Looking at getting some Brown Trout fry from the hatchery to grow out for stocking a few dams. Might set up a separate system for that venture.

Do you know you can get them for $30 per hundred next week?

Thanks for that. Not that my system could handle any more fish load ATM.

Will setup a seperate system for that. Then look at getting some.

Still got 2 and a half IBCs and a few blue barrels sitting around.

Went fishing this morning. 2 scoops of the net scored me 4 Rainbow Trout.

These unlucky fish will be tonight's dinner.

I would say "lucky fish" but that does not seem appropriate.

Water temps have started to creep up a little.

Yesterday afternoon the water temp was 15c.

Fish are feeding like crazy.

Had one Brown Trout decide he wanted try his luck living on land by jumping out. I since now have installed some netting over the tank to prevent any more fish trying their escape.

Little bit of an update.

Water temp has risen over the last few weeks.

Is currently at 15c in the afternoon.

Fish are doing great. Rainbows growing well and Silvers are on the chew again. Current fish stocks are: 12 larger Rainbow Trout(around 30cm), 20 smaller Rainbows(to 20cm), 8 small Brown Trout, 3 large Silver Perch, 1 catfish, and 1 Bass.

Biggest Rainbow so far is 33cm and 500g. Looks like I wont reach 1kg by the end of the season. I was hoping for a kilo fish this year. Only have 2 months left, maybe?




Lettuce


Newly planted


Overall, things are still going great

I saw cabbage moths mating the other day.

and found a tiny caterpillar today.

it's dipel time!

I have to say what an awesome system.

I'm in the consideration phase at the moment. I would really like to have a set-up like yours and you make it look so easy.

I'm making a few considerations, I'm in QLD and would be in a full sun position. I see in one picture you had a shade cloth covering. It's that just while plants are young or just in summer?

Thanks Sam

After losing all my smaller trout both Rainbows and Browns. I did some water tests. I was shocked at some of the results.

Temperature 18c
EC 2226us
Salinity 1.15ppm
Dissolved oxygen 8.3mg/L or 88.4%

Ammonia zero
Nitrites zero
Nitrates 100

This is where i was shocked:

ph of 5.0!!!!!!

Please help, what to do? The large trout, silvers, catfish and bass seem fine, but i need to get the pH up.

If i suspend a bag of shell grit under the return line to the sump, how long til the pH comes up a bit. What other method of raising pH is recommended?

Builders lime and dolomite, bring it up slowly by add some each day. Alternate, I do two days builders lime then one day dolamite.

Thanks ccBear. How many handfuls would you recommend for my ~2000L system?