Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Latest from the fish pond.
pH - 8.4
NH3 - 0
didn't waste the NO2, NO3 test solutions until I have NH3 present.
Perhaps I need to dose the pond with "P" a few times to kick start the process. This pond is years old, without any aeration except for a fountain pump dribbling water into the pond when it was on, so I don't know how it is dealing with nutrients and everything else, but the fish seem healthy and the algae is too.
Photo of results:

Do you feed the fish Tony or are they just self feeding on the algae any any wayward insects...

How many fish again?

There were, at last count, 4 gold fish and about 4 smaller, black fish. I don't know the varieties, but I think that they are all still there. The goldies are about 120mm long each and the black ones about 50mm long. I feed them intermittently and have forgotten for extended periods at times (2 weeks) without any signs of distress.

OK, I have applied natural Ammonia on 3 occasions and the results below show that I now have NH3 present. I plan to feed the fish every second day and continue applying natural ammonia until I get some nitrate showing.

Here are the results from tonight's tests:
pH = 8.4
NH3 = 2.5
NO2 = 0.25
NO3 not tested (first day of Nitrite, perhaps tomorrow).

Photo attached.

Hold off on applying any more natural ammonia. At the pH you are running, the ammonia you have is going to be quite stressful to the fish.

Today's Nute's
pH = 8.2 (added a lemon to work on this)
NH3 = 2.0
NO2 = 0.2
NO3 = 5.0
Houston, we have Nitrates!
Still watching

You also have ammonia... not sure what your water temp is, but if you look at the ammonia chart, at that pH you would probably normally do a water change or your fish would be stressing badly.....

Being goldies and whatever, maybe they'll handle it.... definitely no more "P"

Rupe,
I have taken JPs advice, I just omitted posting that I had. Also stopped the feed at the same time.
Thanks,

Here are today's Nutrient readings:
pH = 8.4 (will add more lemon juice - if I were to cook the goldies, they would already taste like lemon)
NH3 = 2.0
NO2 = 0.5
NO3 = 5.0

we have a fine weekend coming up. I will swap out some water tomorrow and retest the nute's.

No photo today, I took it, nut same as yesterday, so no benefit

what temp you got tony?

i check mine today and it was up arround 18.

nearly time for barra.

woohoo.

my water temperature reached 22 today
hopefully it stays that way the hole week

what fish are you going with in summer fisho?

cichlids

I didn't record temperatures today, but I only have a garden pond (possibly 300L) and a laundry trough as a GB forming this system. In my other system, I have a similar sized sump with a 400L GB (holds around 200 litres), so in both, I get pretty big temperature swings.
I am hoping my 5KL fish tank for my other system will stabilise the temperatures and a pool solar blanket will assist in maintaining higher overnight temperatures in the fish tank.

I would like to get some Barra, but I think I will take up Johnny7au's offer of some Tilapia, once I have 20°C average fish tank temperatures.

Perhaps I will know by Monday morning.

After manhandling the 5KL fish tank for System 2, I was so pooped last night that I didn't feel like posting my nutrient readings or temperatures.
Here they are (No, I didn't have time to do a water change)
Saturday:
pH = 8.4
NH3 = 2.0
NO2 = 0.5
NO3 = 50
Temp = 18.2°C

Today (Sunday)
pH = 8.2
NH3 = 2.0
NO2 = 1.0
NO3 = 10
Temp = 16.9°C
I had not fed the fish or added any more humammonia (P) to the system.
The goldfish appear normally active, with no signs of stress.
This pond also has a bubbler running 24/7.

I did a 75% water change today as my green pea soup was pissing me off.
I didn't take readings today, as the water change was late in the day.
I still can't see through the water to the bottom.
I think that I will try to get some barley straw and try out the suggested remedy.

Tony

What is the 'suggested remedy'?
I'm stuck with green pea soup as well (still cycling), I guess I overfertilised my water.. I was hoping that at the end of the cycle the water would get less green; I don't want to change it as it might slow down natural processes!