Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Sounds like a nice greenhouse, score!

Here's an earlier discussion on the topic from people who've done way more of this than I.

viewtopic.php?f=14&t=22995

It's nice to see all the Northern Californians on here.

I am expanding my IBC system this week and realized the volume of my sump tank(200gallons) will only allow for 3 grow beds.

Hi AquaNate. Yeah, I'm the one building the Intex system. So far so good. I put 40 goldfish in early last week and have not seen any since then. Lol... But dead fish float, so I guess they are still around. Until the catfish get big enough to eat them that is! 3,800 gallons is a lot of murky water to hide in.

Do most Aquaponic systems have murky water like mine? And is it ok with the bubbles on top from the aeration?

Steve, are you checking your ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate levels? From my aquarium days, I recall the foam is from nitrogenous waste, but that may just be faulty memory.

Max, you got that right! Whereabouts are you?

@aquasenior Yeah, I've been by Salida many times. I used to work in Manteca, and many of my co-workers lived in Ripon and Modesto.



Sorry, I missed Nate's link to the IBC thread!

I'm in sunny San Jose and I'm still running without fish but really enjoying the benefits of BYAP. My backyard greenhouse can easily reach tropical temperatures (and humidity) by early morning on any sunny day, and I have begun planting my late spring/early summer crops.

Hello SickRadish, looking good in San Jose!

I remember something like protein, which fits with the above since proteins contain nitrogen in amino acids. I've seen this at a spring, where water was coming out of the side of a hill by a trout hatchery and at the time they weren't certain but this was what they thought was causing the foaming.

Steve, I definitely went through some weird colored water stages. Good thing is that algae blooms are self regulating, once they happen once they tend to police themselves. Another thing that could be happening is the fines from your LECA are circulating, depends on how well you rinsed them I guess.

SickRadish, off to a good start with nice looking greens!

Ok, another acronym that is not in the Forum Use Acronym thread. (viewtopic.php?f=14&t=1275) What is LECA?

And I've not tested anything. lol... The 40 goldfish were my testers, which might be really bad. But, they were going to be food for another fish, so best case, they live.

Lightweight Expanded Clay Aggregate.

Hey Max, have you posted pics of your system?
(AquaPornics)

It is still a work in progress but I created a Build thread.
Here is a Link:
viewtopic.php?f=18&t=24435&p=498450#p498450

Hey NorCal peeps, I'm getting close to starting my system, whoop whoop!

Can I get a 5 gal bucket of innoculated water from somebody with a fully cycled system? Preferably in/near Sacramento.