Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hi Iam new to the forum, and in the process of setting up a system with a 1250 L IBC.
300mm of blue metal in the bed over the remainder of the container (about 900L).
I am trying to get it cycled at the moment but it is a bit slow, I probably put too much ammonia in it (about 15ppm) with a ph of about 8. I have dropped the PH to 7.3 and done a 30% water change and emptied the canister filter off the aquarium into it about 5 days ago, the numbers are now as follows

ph 7.3
amm 4
trite 0
trate 2?

So hopefully I will be inbusiness within a couple of weeks.

Now I better get on topic!
Where can I buy fingerlings (cheaper the better) in Perth WA
I was looking at Barra (I am going to solar heat it) or if posible Murray Cod if the are avilable in WA.
Any help greatly appreciated

The answers you seek... are probably contained within one of the threads started by every other member in WA during the last month....

Don't forget to aerate your water even though there are no fishes... oxygen helps with the ammonia to nitrite conversion...

I do have a small 3 Watt aquarium unit going on it and i have about 30 holes on the end of the syphon. should i get a bigger aerator, if so how big?

3 watt will be ok for a small tank like that. Maybe get a bit bigger one for Trout season if you go that way.

Hi Devo,

I have just spoken with Carine at Golden Ponds in Baldivis.. they now have in stock
over 20,000 Barra fingerlings.

We are paying $75 for 100 of them. We are off next Saturday to pick ours up!!!

Their number is 08 9524 2244

Just one thing with Barra fingerlings. Check the size, and think about your grow out....

You will not be able to grow a 5cm barra to a decent size in Perth without heating.. Although it may sound cheap to get 100 for $75, if you're left with 100 half grown barra at the end of summer it's not much use..

Earthbound.. how long do they usually take to grow out from fingerlings??

These guys will be our 1st fish.. except the goldfish lol.

we are out in the wheatbelt area.. so are hoping that as it is hotter for longer out here we will get them grown before it gets too cold..

Any advice or input appreciated!!!

Char

Any alternatives for this summer?
I want to grow fish but not ones i cant get to edible size!!

If you want to grow fish to edible size (500gm+) by end of this summer... then buy "big" fish now...

I'm starting with 80mm Barra... would have preferred 100mm+... in the hope of getting them to 500gm+....and hoping that this April follows the pattern of the last few years.... or I'll have to heat...

But I'm prepared to cut my losses and eat them from 400gm+.... and if the weather and tank temp is below 20... replace them with trout earlier than I did this winter...

Geeze that is a good price

If your used to fishing the Swan River....any fish you can grow at any size will look like a great day on the River

I went down to golden ponds today to get some barra for my system.

The ones that are $75 for 100 are tiny, i would est. about 3cm
They said they would have some 10-12cm ones in this coming week at $6.00ech

I decided to get some large ones so picked up 20 for $8.00ech but they are about 30cm. Expensive, but i figured the $$/weight ratio at the end of the growing season would be better with these as opposed to 40-50 much smaller ones.

My only question is will 20 largish barra be enough to support my 2 BYAP grow beds in a 1000L Tank?

Definitely enough fish for good growth.....

Check out the bottom of this page http://www.backyardaquaponics.com/compo ... -fish.html

How well do perch travel? We have a 10,000 litre inground tank in Cue. I had intended to go with Barra but I'm told they have to be constantly graded and separated to prevent them eating each other. I don't want a heavily stocked tank because we won't be home all the time to attend to them. I think our closest supplier might be in Geraldton but even that is a six hour drive. My other option is to take a look about some of these old open-cut mines to see what fish are about locally.