Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

yeah, but he is the KING at scroungeing and grtting stuff for free

Hi,

EB.....my claim around stocking rates is premised on the fact that I run 44 fish (most of which are around plate size) in a 600 litre tank. From what I've read, most people on the forum seem to be running lower fish weights per per litre of water.

In past posts, I've stated that one of my goals is to get a sense of what's really possible in terms of stocking rates.

In recent days, I've added more water (in the form of a 250 litre fingerling tank and a 200 litre top-up tank) and more fish (66 Jade Perch fingerlings).

Rupert......we haven't increased the growing area since we added the new fingerlings. You're right, their arrival, couple with the continued growth of the larger fish, prompted the decision to get the pressure filter.

I'm generally overdue for some enhancements to my growing systems particularly since some mites or aphids have devastated several trays of bok choi and silver beet and I've buggered up the satellite pots by pouring sediment into them. Another larger gravel grow bed would certainly be useful.

At the moment, we manage ammonia and nitrite levels by cutting back on the feeding immediately that they are on the rise. We haven't experienced any problems with nitrates yet.

There have been no apparent problems with the trickling bio-filters. Every week or two, I simply tip them onto an angle and drain any sediment in them into a bucket.

We haven't disturbed the shells at all since we packed them into the drums. Several weeks ago, I put about 500 worms into each one and I haven't seen anything of them since. I assume that they're still in there somewhere.

Rupert......some people interpret (incorrectly as it happens) my passionate debate around ideas as defensiveness......and some others have discovered that I tend not to suffer fools lightly.

As I said in an earlier post, I have no problems with questions or constructive challenges so ask or debate to your heart's content. I find that I invariably learn something from such exchanges......even if it's not necessarily about aquaponics.

I'm entirely comfortable with my track record on this forum and I'm confident that I've contributed and learned in equal measure.

Gary

Gary are you using worms underwater in a filter? I do not know if worms can live long term underwater. I would have guessed they would not. I thought they lived in flood and drain by the time that the beds are drained. I have a lot to learn about worms. I intend to have plastic worm bins, so they will not be underwater, but I am curious about their ability to be underwater long term. Any difference based on worm types? Do you or anyone make worm casting tea for feeding plants? Or compost tea? Or any home made liquid fertilizer? I imagine the chick/quail manure is part of the compost process.

You took one for the team...I was going to put my filter sediment on outside beds. Now I will add it to compost as you intend to do. The crusting would be a problem. Some could go in worm beds or BSF bin if drained for a while I think...do you agree?

OK, guess I am pushing for a lot of free advice

GD


Must be one of those counterintuitive things. I would have thought dirt plants would have loved the sediment. What went wrong?

Worms are fine underwater provided there is sufficient DO.

Stuart, Gary said the sediment formed a crust on the dirt surface.

Rather formed a crust on the coco-peat.

Hi,

The worms in my system are in the tricking bio-filters so they are not immersed in water.....and there's plenty of air in a trickling bio-filter anyway.

I poured the sediment onto my coco-peat satellite pots and it formed a thick crust which has (I think) messed up the root aeration.

Gary

DB, from what people have said here about their worms if there is enough dissolved oxygen in the water they can live completely submerged.

true - the worms (which my barra refused to eat), lived on in my system tank for ages untill I transferred them into my growbed, where they still are - I have a very high DO level as i have airstones going all the time as well as water flowing back into the tank all the time

Hi,

Today I emptied out our satellite pots......they had failed to thrive since I poured sediment onto them two or three weeks ago. My hypothesis is that the fine coco peat clogged up with the sediment and impacted the root aeration of the plants.

When I emptied them, I was reminded that I had part-filled the pots with perlite.

This time, I used coarse coco peat. I planted Grosse Lisse tomatoes, cucumbers and capsicums. I've also replanted several trays with coarse coco peat.

I've usually used fine coco peat for growing vegetables but I periodically experience problems with over-watering. I've recently grown some lettuce in coarse coco peat and it proved to be really good. I also cut back on the watering......in this weather, I found that it was only necessary to provide a good watering every four or five days.

Based on what I've witnessed of Murray's watering regime, I'ved decided that a small daily watering is all that it is required for coarse coco peat.

Gary

We had a drama today.....

The day before yesterday, I detected some ribbon-like strips of bio-film floating in my fingerling tank.

While feeding the fingerlings, I noticed that the bio-film strips were drifting toward the bulkhead fitting which drains from my fingerling tank into the main tank.

I removed the strainer fitted to the bulkhead fitting so that the bio-film strips would not clog it up and cause the fingerling tank to overflow (which would eventually lead to my large fish tank being emptied).

Last night, I noticed that one of my fingerlings was looking a bit sick. While it seemed to be on its last legs, I decided to leave it in the tank in the hope that it came good.

This morning, I entered the shed and found that the fingerling tank had overflowed to the point where there was only about 150mm of water in the main fish tank. My 44 Jade Perch were almost having difficulty standing up.

As it turned out, the sick fingerling had drifted too close to the outlet and had been sucked into the bulkhead fitting....causing it to block up.

I cleared the fitting and refilled the tank with rainwater.....and things seem to be going well again.

I guess the moral of the story is that (in the context of strainers) you're buggered if you do and buggered if you don't.

Anyway that's my big fish kill story.

Glad that everything else and other fish seemed to have survived

Nearly had the same thing happen to me Gary, was lucky to catch it before to much water was lost. MF suggested I install a center syphon vice my over flow and that seems to work great.
On my to do list. Go through my system and ask myself, If this plugs or fails what are the concequences? Then Murphy Proof.
Thanks for the reminder.

Hey I got one for you.... warning it's a bit gross.

I needed to skim off about 100 gallons from my big tank, so I stick my 300 gph submersible pond pump in and throw the switch. I come back 15 minutes later and a fingerling tail is sticking out of the pump intake.

I shut the pump off and pull the pump out and the fish is stuck in the intake. I pry the fish carcass out and the pump propeller blades have ground the fish's face to the gills. Everything else is perfectly intact. Seems as though curiosity killed the fish.

No wonder the dog shadows me....