Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Oh and I finally managed to get a min/max aquarium thermometer from an aquarium place on Anzac Highway (Seaview Aquariums), a little costly but worth it to know the min/max temp of the water (15.6 degrees C at the moment).

Latest Update:

Losing around 2 fish a day, not good but at least better than 10

The ammonia is sitting around 0.25 and everything else doesn't change at all. Plants are starting to take off in the greenhouse (not sure what they're living on; but they seem to like the greenhouse 20 outside 42 inside!)

The goldfish are growing almost before my eyes (just wish I could catch the suckers and put them in a seperate tank, so the SP could get all of the food)

Redesigned the sand filter so that I don't get flow back into the pump (sand in pump not good )

Oh well, if anything changes I'll break out the camera and take some pics.

On the bright side the chickens are laying 5 large eggs day in day out, we don't buy much meat anymore since we have to keep up with the buggers.

God help us when the two young ones start laying (oh well some people at work want real free range eggs)

pushing my luck I know; but I've had my first fatality free day



I've been regularly changing my zeolite around (8kg in filter, 8 in salt soak), every couple of days and keeping the feed down; but this hasn't effected my ammonia reading (0.25) at all (TAN anyway). PH (7. ,KH, GH, NO3, NO2 (last two are zip) all stable; and water temp between 15 and 16 degrees (nothing changes!) and the fish have kept dying.

So a couple of days ago I decided to up the aeration by adding a pipe with holes in to the outlet from the zeolite filter, another one to the return from the sand filter and repositioning the return from my sump so it splashes a LOT more. I've also thrown the fish food I was using away since although this is kept in a cool, dark place I'm getting desperate! I now feed the fish from the supply I keep in the freezer.

And for the first time in a couple of weeks no sick or dead fish

Here's hoping this continues, although it'd be nice if the damm thing would start to cycle. Lots of ammonia (TAN) and no NO3/NO2....

Fish will forgive a lot of things if they have plenty of air, i have been told. You need to maintain ur pH at 7, if it drifts lower, it will take much longer for ur nitrifying bacteria to establish. In a 10,000lt tank you need 30 Kilos of salt, this will give u 3ppt. With the salt in, it will help to negate the toxic effect of the nitrite spike which looks likely to be the next hurdle.

Nice greenhouse by the way. Hope things work out.

The only problem I have with PH is getting it to move! Stays at 7.8 ish no matter what (also the system is maybe a little over buffered, gh and kh don't move at all...maybe it was the several kilos of bicarb I put in at the start...)

But I think you're right, the air may be the thing that's made the difference...hmm now how much was that air pump I saw

Fish respiration will drag pH down over time. With plenty of air and salt in ur system, the worst may be in the rear view mirror.

7.8 is great for the bacs if the ammonia is low enough for the fish health.

You shouldn't need to go above 1ppt salt for the nitrite protection (probably even less but i'm stuffed if i can find my figures)

That'd would be around 10kg! I must admit I'm a little hesitant to add that much salt; mainly because I won't be able to do big water changes due to the size of the pool

Anyway, now to the good news...

[start music: Yes sir I can boogie...]

yes sir I have nitrite; but I need some nitrate soon; yes sir I have...

[End music]

Yes 21 days after the first ammonia I have nitrite (0.5); now my fish can die from something new

The ammonia is still there though at 0.25, hopefully it'll start dropping away soon.

But the worrying news is my PH is going up; it's gone from 7.8 ish to 8.2 ish; which has got me worried and a little perplexed. I've been feeding; the fish have been doing their stuff....

The only thing I can think of is there was some rain; so I got around half an inch extra water...or maybe the zoelite or maybe I have no idea

That's the problem with multiple imputs... hard to point to which one has had the direct effect.

You don't really need to do a water change to get 1ppt salt out of the system. It will be fine if it stays indefinitely.

I think your system is still too new for the poo and such to pull the pH down yet. That will take months.

Rain would probably pull pH down. Acid rain and such. Don't know what is pulling it up.

I've thrown a handful of salt in; but aside from that I'm just doing mininal feeding and changing the zeolite every couple of days.

The system appears to have stabilised back at ph 7.8, ammonia 0.25, nitrite 0.5, nitrate 0. gh and kh are still good so the system is buffered.

and best of all NO DEAD FISH

I'm tempted to pull out the zeolite cannister; because this may be converting the ammonia to ammonium and keeping the TAN reading up; but I've learnt my lesson (at least for a while ) and will leave everthing alone.

If it ain't broke don't fix it!

Atta boy e2

Well time passes and I now have Nitrate (and Nitrite and Ammonia...) and still no more dead fish

And since pictures of tests seem to be all the rage!

Add 1-2ppt salt. Nitrite is a little high. Can you do a water change?

Water changes are a little difficult, we're in the middle of a drought with water restrictions. I've already added some salt though, and will cut the food down again.