Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Just a quick question if someone can help please
Recall that I imported an already cycled grow bed matter and water to my new 700 litre system. Its been running for two weeks. So I had 25 kg of clay pebbles and then added another 75kg to grow bed and I added about 100 litres of the old water.
Now I have plants growing that appear to be fine.
I want to add 10 fingerlings (Rainbow trout)

Todays water test results are
PH 7.4
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0 to 5.0 ppm

So Is my tank ready for some occupants? And if I add them then wont the ammonia immediately rise (to toxic levels) merely by their presence?
What am I not understanding?

Yes its ready

However just because its cycled doesn't mean its capable of running at full capacity

The bacteria multiply according to their feed supply (ammonia)

Add your fish but carefully monitor your ammonia / nitrite / nitrate

You don't want any nitrite to appear

If it does you don't have enough bacteria yet to process the nitrite

Be prepared to add salt if nitrite appears this will help protect your fish

1 to 3 ppt that means 1 to 3 kilos of salt per 1000 Litres of water

After adding fish and doing SMALL feeds , If your nitrate is increasing and there is no nitrite reading you can slowly increase your feed rate (bacteria numbers multiplying at a rate to handle the fish waste)

Best bet would be toss some ammonia in and see what happens if system quickly deals with it with no nitrite your good to go

Hope that makes sense

This might sound strange Joel, but the system is located 300 metres from the ocean, and I believe, salt is being blown into system, maybe that's not a bad thing? It would appear to have had an effect on the plants originally, however now they all seem to be doing ok.
I have planted cos lettuce, silverbeet, leek, chives, corianda, a red lettuce basil and mint and BTW I added some worm castings (liquid) a week or so ago and have now added some worms as well.

Just an update to all. Well today was the day I added fish. 8 Rainbow trout in total about 3 inches each.
They have only been in for 1/2 a day but are now feeding i'd Throw a few pallets in. They really smash them. But reading back on above info from Terra's info, I should be cautiously feeding them and monitor the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate.
So I will resist the temptation to feed a lot (maybe once a day by a few pallets only) until I'm sure that nitrate is increasing and their is no rise in Nitrite. Which will mean that my biological filter is kicking in.
Any feedback, thoughts, ideas will be gratefully accepted
Cheers
Rod