Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Quick up date.


I went and cleaned off all of the old caulk, sanded the area around the hole, inside and out. Cleaned and prepped with 91% rubbing Alc. caulked my auto siphon bib, inside and out. Let side in my garage for 3 days with fans blowing on it.

Came home from work, it looked all dry and sealed. And then I put it all back together again. And it has been running a 1min flood, 30sec drain for 5 days now.

The caulk has held up. I think I am ready for fish. The only problem is my clear water for 4 days has gotten cloudy today. Would it be because; I don’t have any fish in it yet? Or something else?

-df

DF,
It's hard to say why your water went cloudy. Could be the beginning of algae...dunno. Test all the parameters on your water, do a sniff test, and if it seems OK, go ahead and get a few inexpensive fish to test the waters and start the nitrogen cycle.

Janet...for shore!

Ill do a pH, ammonia tests. It smells fine, but ill see when I get home

List for after work: take pics for all my buddies here at BYAP, test the water, and sit back and admire the cycling. That sounds like a great Friday!

-df

Where can I find info about this system that was mentioned earlier in this thread?

Hey Kevin, welcome to the forum.

I don’t know to much about that system except what I can gather from the photo.

It looks like 4in irrigation tubing, with 4in net pots. Its a NFT system (continues flow). The reservoir looks like to be ~ 6in irrigation tubing. it looks like a Hydroponics set up, and an Aquaponics set up, but correct me if I am wrong.

I hope this helps

-df

it used to be on ebay, crazy over price

RE the cloudy water, in aquariums it is usually a sign of a bacterial bloom, part of the system start up.

can be real milky.

the hardest thing is not to play with it. i had it in my tropical aquarium when i first started it up. lasted for about a week from memory, then turned the lights on one mornigh and it was crystal clear.

Didn’t have a change to snap any photos last night, i had to go to a friends birthday party. It was fun, they rented a mechanical bull. I am tender today.

Any ways...

I woke up this morning, tested the water before I came to work.
By the way, I have the strip test kit that my friend gave me (free), its new, they had a lot extra.

Ammonia-0-0.25
Nitrate (NO3)-0
Nitrite (NO2)-0
Total Hardness-120
Alkalinity-240
pH-8.0-8.4 (color was hard to differ)

From the looks of it, I need to get my pH down, so my Alkalinity goes down also.

Is there any Organic pH Downs, and Ups that I can get easily? I am trying to be organic, or as much I can be for right now.

Steve, sounds like you are right on the mark. But I don’t have any fish yet. I know I have algae starting right now. I can see the slime easily with my dad’s special pool man polarized sun glasses. He keeps his pools clean beyond the naked eye.

Is it weird to have trace amounts of ammonia? It might just be the strip test.
Thank you

-df

Edit: all the Spelling errs.

Hi Df,
I`d leave the PH where it is, it`s a pretty good start point for the bacteria and will drop as they get busy.

With a new tank it`s best just to leave it well alone to find it`s own natural balance.. usually the more you interfere the longer it`ll take

That is great to know, that’s going to save me a lot head ekes.

I and just concerned because it is a small system, with only 5 gal of water. I need to keep my eye on it; because it is going to shift rapidly, and often, until I can get a good ratio going on here.

-df

oooo by the way, i was wondering if i can put earthworms strait into a pea gravel growbed?
let me know what ever you think

-df

oo and janet, i think you are the only one in the "i need a life" area. i found it funny that only you where in there. i think we belong to the need a life club

just a thought

-df

Random comments...

test strips are not always accurate. Use the drop tests after you use up the strips.

The ammonia could actually be in your tap water. My tap water measures 20 nitrates. Ick.

put worms right in the grow beds. they'll be fine.

Yes, the pH is high, and you wouldn't want to cycle with fish in there at that pH. Even a trace of ammonia can be pretty lethal at high pH. However, the bacteria really like it that high. I would say let it run just like it is for a while and see if that ammonia starts to shift to nitrite and then nitrate. As the nitrogen cycle establishes, the pH will naturally drop. If you just can't stand it, and want to bring it down, try adding a couple spoonfuls of lemon juice. Just be very very careful messing with pH after you have fish in the system. Bouncing the pH around can be lethal, too.

I'm the only one who needs a life?!?!?....you're right. Only because I haven't ascended to a posting goddess.

Well Janet I know you are a saving grace

-df

Update:

So last night I put about 15 night crawlers in my 2 gal grow bed.

When I woke up this morning took a look at the water, it was yellow-brown, and so I tested the water for Ammonia- 0.25

So the worms where adding more Ammonia. So I am thinking that I am going to take out the night crawlers and wait until I can get a hold of some red wigglers.


-df