Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

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Yes Charlie - they sure did die and all of them and fast..

I do have mechanical filtration so no solids get into the beds..

There is about 800L of clay balls, plus a DWC that was fairly productive at the time and THAT suspect Duck Weed bed, that simply must have used LOTS of nutrients.. but if the concensus is that BG-Algae simply CAN'T have been an issue, then maybe the DW-Bed will go back in line to keep control of excess nutrients..

The confusing thing was that all the water vitals were near zero..

Anyway, my fin-ed canary is still alive, and eating, so another five have been added..

I know that most go through this frustrating process, but I am taking readings and all seems wonderful and then everything dies overnight, making you concerned for HOW you will prevent it ever happening again..

There was a slight extra amount of solids in the water at the time of the disaster, but again.. chemistry testing at zero..

Thanks .. everyone.. for your interest..
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Knowledgeable folk say then that three ppt salt, is OK and for some time B4 it decreased with natural overflows and replenishment, that is what I started with..
Others declare that even two is hazardous - but likely more for plants..

Some folk say there is NO WAY that the BG algae would be the problem.. because
A) it is not toxic, and
B) there could not be enough of it..
and the DPI warns of the toxic consequences of some algal blooms dying.

Some declare they "NEVER" interfere with pH as , as soon as you pull it down, the system sends it up and visa-versa.. and that a good and balanced system will automatically accommodate..
I have tried to follow this path, with pH traversing a range of 6 to 7.4..

Some say that a genuine AC current path through the system could be most injurious to fish, and other say they have seen it all B4 and never seen a fatality.

So the general thought falls back to "There MUST have been a Nitrogen spike" and this will result in BrownBlood disease.. much the same as anoxia..



I took this photo today of some of the frozen fish.. They were vacuum sealed and frozen and the pressure of the vacuuming forced blood from some of them.. Now, would that blood be so red IF they died of Brown-Blood disorder..?? or ANOXIA

FWIW - There are now trout fingerlings, swimming and feeding happily in the system.. I crosses my fingers and toes..
but, I will sleep better IF I know WHY the first disaster..

I know - this is pure guess work..
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brown-blood disorder is different that anoxia.

Brown blood = too high nitrite.
Anoxia = not enough oxygen

I reckon your best bet for what caused the deaths are something more along the lines of a contaminant, a nearby toxic plant, a neighbour spraying, toxic water run off into the system, etc...