Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Those goldfish will get big eventually, i still have 5 or 6 left from cycling my system 3 years ago... i dont think i will ever have a fish big enough to eat them and i cant bring myself to kill them for no reason.

They are also the most hardy fish i have, even when i had a fish kill in one tank due to excessive freezing every fish died except for the gold fish.

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brian cotton
5000+gallon backyard system
700 gallon ferrocement system
Reproducing Sunfish (Bluegill/Redear/Crappie)
Feed training Crappie
Breeding tilapia

Hello a couple issues have come up in my system wondering if anyone has knowledge or has experienced the same. I'm sure it's quite typical but educated thoughts and opinions would be more then welcome.

1# The dark green to black algae water I had before, sure enough totally cleared up on it's own until the water got crystal clear, which lasted about a week or so and now it's back to green again.

2# The fish I put into my 1000 gallons is 150 gold fish, 50 catfish, 50 Blue Gill. Filtration is more then adequate as I'm not reading any ammonia or nitrite but I am getting one or two dead little fingerlings everyday, mostly the gold fish but occasional one of the other two. At first I figured it was just the little feeder gold fish not meant for life in this world but I'm starting to get a little concerned about it. Everyday a couple deaths while the others look healthy to me, eating well.

3# The plants are doing okay but nothing very spectacular. The seeds I tossed in the gravel beds are starting to come up which I think looks promising but the little starts I put in there are just clinging to life. The raft beds are doing the best but just below average growth. I suppose since the system is just starting up there aren't an abundance of nutrients to really get anything going yet.

Otherwise everything is running pretty great, pumps are pumping, drains are draining, water is flowing, fish are swimming.

Thanks!

How are your latest test results? Ph, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate?

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Now on my blog: Aquaponic Water Testing Info roundup

LITA; give us a slight recap on the system. How many gallons of filtration and how many gallons of the fish tank? Because honestly 200 fish, all very active because in the younger stages, seems like a lot but I might be wrong on this one because I didn't do the math on your system

Adding to that a couple deaths a day might be from stress, polyculture, chasing, predator fish trying to eat prey fish, many variables...

Btw it was good meeting you at the fish farm earlier this month.

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Now on my blog: Aquaponic Water Testing Info roundup

Have you salted yet? Not so great for the plants, but might mitigate the fish deaths. Your system is still finding its feet. Explosive plant growth will come, but don't expect it right away.

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What answers I can question for you?

My Patio System

My Indoor System

No single drop of rain believes it is responsible for the flood.

1000 gallon fish tank, 600 gallon sump, four 180 gallon media beds, two 180 gallon DWC raft beds.

Likewise!

I have not salted, I've looked into it a little bit, I might have to study it further. I was pretty much feeling the same, that everything's still getting situated and that it'll get going eventually. I have a friendly competition going with a friend who has similar plants in the ground across the yard. So far it's pretty even but hopefully I can win those bragging rights. Thanks.

Ammo- 0
Nitrite- .25
Nitrate 160+
PH 7.4

Nitrates are pretty freaking high, test looked dark red, nearly off the charts. My plants are all just babies, that could explain the second algae bloom and the dead fish as well? Hmmmm.

Nitrate levels have to be 800+ before you even worry about the fish.
Bluegill have a 96Hr LC50 of approximately 2000ppm.
Channel Catfish have a 96Hr LC50 of 1400ppm.

Are you running air in the fish tank? Do you have a bag of oyster shell in the sump? Where does your water come from? EBMUD?

As for the plants - Have you added Seasol/MaxiCrop?

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Now on my blog: Aquaponic Water Testing Info roundup

i'd not want nitrates to get that high;
Nitrate poisoning occurs when fish are exposed to gradually rising nitrate levels over a period of time. This typically happens when regular tank maintenance is not performed. Overfeeding and overstocking are also significant contributors to rising nitrate levels. If steps are not taken to reduce nitrates, the cumulative effect can be fish death. Some fish will be affected by levels as low as 20 mg/l, while others will show no apparent symptoms until levels have reached several hundred mg/l. Immature fish are affected at much lower levels, as are saltwater fish

some good reading here
http://ciresweb.colorado.edu/limnology/ ... Pub079.pdf

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my basement system;
viewtopic.php?f=18&t=8354

I'd like to hear updates if you are still around. Is your system still going/?

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brian cotton
5000+gallon backyard system
700 gallon ferrocement system
Reproducing Sunfish (Bluegill/Redear/Crappie)
Feed training Crappie
Breeding tilapia