Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Finishing of the filtration, after doing the RFF last week, this weeks project is trickle filter. I got 25-35 litres of bio balls off Rob of Bits Out The Back Urban Faming fame, because he is a champ and wanted to help me out after the little bit of sabotage. I'm also keeping plastic lids bottles from milk containers, which I would have put about ten litres worth in. Reason for filtration is that I run Chop 2, and want to push stocking densities. As well as this, my main "production" area will probably end up being on a second run using the waste from the main aquaponics. After the sabotage I am attempting to safeguard as much as possible. Anyway pics (though they are a bit boring!)



Above is view of swirl and trickle/bio filter.



Above is inside with bio media and bottle caps. The weird contraption on top is how I am distributing the water reasonable evenly around for now.



This is the guard down the bottom where the water pulls from to go back to sump.




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Plumbing is a mess Ahaha. I wanted to be able to isolate each filter, but still have one of the filters online at all times, so valves a-plenty. Which is tough since valves are the most expensive part, but such is!




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Don't you find you have to make a ridiculous mess to do anything in AP? Looks tidier now but got some weird looks from customers up until that point today!

Happy now, have both tanks bottom draining (can get heaps more flow thru tanks now, turning them over about 1.7 times an hour each which I am happy with), and both RFF and Bio/Truckle filter hooked up, and able to bypass either or at anytime, as well as clean them easily.

Bring on the fish!


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It's all beautiful, but something about gently flowing water from a fountain is so soothing. I've been living in the Semi-arid southwest too long

Thanks Brian, and yeah, the sound of flowing water is soothing!


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Is the ammonia going down with the new filtration?

Tested it last night still slightly there. Whilst media was in water, it wasn't in direct flow and was in a fairly water tight bag (ie let water in but not much) so probably hasn't colonised yet. Tanks are crystal clear but. Water was always pretty clear, but lots of solids moving around. All gone now.

A little bit of uneaten food and a bit of waste can be seen in RFF this morning, it's cool when you build something and it works!


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Tested water tonight.
PH 8.0 (no change)
Ammonia 0.5
Nitrites 0
Nitrates 0 (but maybe heading toward next level on API test kit).

Have been really pushing feed so whilst I'm disappointed I'm not surprised. According to my little saved graph of ammonia toxicity levels, I'm already over so no fees for fish tonight even though they are gagging for it! Even the wild ones are starting to look for feed when I sit in front of tanks :/







First two pics are of (if Tapatalk posts them correctly anyway) are of silvers, third is of "wildies". Was very hard not to feed them, but luckily my dogs just decided to eat the fish food I had allocated if tests were right so no waste!

They love the fish food!

Like seriously!

Excuse the silliness of my post. I smashed out a function for forty tonight with two people and they loved it, which is light on numbers for a function of that size and I am celebrating with a few ciders!


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this makes me happy

So not too much going on, been busy so hard to keep moving forward atm.

Cleaned out RFF as I saw a spike in ammonia and for the first time nitrites and nitrates (more on this below). Added 1k L of fresh degassed water, and won't feed for a couple days. Water was a little dirty, but had a slight earthy smell, so wasn't too long I don't think. Been a bit over two weeks I guess. Dirty fish water went to dirt gardens, as I haven't setup Minerlisation tank yet.

Have wanted to up ante on fish, but budget for AP is way overblown, so had to come with alternatives. And I have done so!







Pics are poor quality, apologies will try again tomorrow, but they are 25-30 Tandanus Cat fish (eel tailed). All over 35cm, most would be pushing 50. I've been catching them in the wild (5 at a time due to restrictions) and adding to tank.

Hence spikes in readings.

First time I've ever had nitrate or nitrites in AP, and high is exciting on Nitrates front, not so much nitrites obviously.

Hopefully will keep catching more.

Apparently they are good eating.

They also like a pat (which is dangerous due to poisonous spike, but so much fun ahaha.

Hope everyone is well! Haven't been on forum much lately, is it weird that I'm feeling the effects of withdrawal ahaha


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how are you catching the catfish? I've seen on Fish Tank Kings they do it literally by hand. But the spikes...

Catching them with hooks that have the barb crimped, and fairly large hooks so they don't go to far down their mouth. We've had some rain recently and they seem to be congregating at the bottom of a weir, as I've fished there before with no dice .

And I'm real careful around the spikes ahaah, I've heard they are painful!


Would you like some basil and Jade Perch with that latte sir?

Build thread- viewtopic.php?f=18&t=21974&start=75

I've got the in the palm of my hand once...they are extremely painful. Not the freshwater type, but hardheads in saltwater.

Hi Ben, glad things are recovering. Your catfish are great, I have been trying to buy them down here but it has all fallen through so I will be using trout again this season.
I noticed you posted a query in another thread about 'flow through a DWC' & was wondering if you have come across any suggestions or formula? I have a new DWC & am not sure either - it holds 1300lt & is part a hybrid system with a radial filter, 4 GBs, IBC FT & sump.
Any info you (or anyone else) can share would be appreciated.

You know there is an old Native American trick to catfish stings, their belly's have a protective slime that will almost instantly stop the pain of a puncture wound from their fins. Some doctors will freak out over it and tell you its a bad idea but I swear if you're ever in that pain again give it a try and you'll never think twice again about losing all your money at the reservation casino.

Disclaimer: if you get an infection and lose a limb, your money at a Native American casino, or mistakenly fear one of the many variety of non-venomous catfish around the globe please don't blame the Native Americans, you are welcome to blame me though.