Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Doug, will be really interested in the copper level if you ever get around to testing it.

Well said Doug, have you seperated any of the catfish from the main tank?

Hey John I lack the equipment. My largest aquarium is 20 gallons. Janet said that will handle one of the 30 gram catfish. The aquarium is sitting on a self dusty. Cycling it would take time. Not sure there are any more catfish. Six more dead today. But what scared me was one dead, large, healthy looking BlueGill! If my bluegill die, I am out of business. I would completely empty the system and disinfect everything. That would be no veg and no fish. A very depressing thought. Due to temperature and delivery considerations, I would be out of commission until next spring. At 60 years old, I hate wasting a year in any endeavor

Steve, there is no doubt I will measure the copper. I am trying to find a test kit locally.

Doug at 60 your just starting! Not a year wasted if it leads to perfection. I know the place I got my perch from sells em until around October so you still have time to do it yet.

Thanks John, if I started some in September, I could have veggies all winter and the spring warmup would come naturally to the well established fish. Good thought.

Exactly, thats the Month I started just get the possible contamination sorted out and your good to go.

Dont dispair doug 60 not old i am 67 going on 68 had a crash wiped out the lot took 2 goes to get it right now i am back with avengence see my thread food and fish starting again

Thanks F&F. Eight years from now I should have it sorted out, and if not, maybe the next 8.

you've both got plenty of time to get the systems sorted out

60 years old!....just a young chicken, hang in there db

Doug, couldn't you get ahold of a rubbermaid tub or some stock tank to hold your fish, Heck even an inflatable kiddy pool?

Gotfish, my sump is a 100 gallon rubbermaid. That would be the same water, so not good. Any big container I would have would need a lot of support in pumps, aeration, filtering. Just can not put it all together. Maybe I should think about becoming more capable in the future.

Thanks Doug for seeing my posts for what they were. As John pointed out I may have come across as grumpy, but really it's out of concern and a desire to see you have success. I shouldn't have to apologize for stating the obvious, and I appreciate that you see that. Have you read the SRAC fact sheets and publications?

Here are two specifically on tank culture... I keep these fact sheets in a manual along with other important information in a greenshop manual.

http://srac.tamu.edu/tmppdfs/331916-451 ... e3164b513c

http://srac.tamu.edu/tmppdfs/331916-452 ... e3164b513c

There are some catfish and sunfish specific fact sheets as well at SRAC.

Those articles are gems. Thanks Michael. I need to read these thoroughly. The answer to improving my system may well be there!