supplementary plant feeding

[warwick]

I have a 900 litre (approx) garden pond with 17 gold fish (up to 3 inches in size) and 2 half 200 litre barrel grow beds.
The plants are spindly at this stage (been going a couple of months) and look to me to be nutrient deficient. Is there some plant fertiliser that I can feed them with that wont harm the fish and do I need more fish? I have used liquid seaweed supplement but that doesnt seem to be helping all that much.

thanks
Warwick

[GaryD]

Hi Warwick,

I would normally suggest that you use some Seasol (or Maxicrop) but, since you've already tried that, my next piece of advice would be to add some iron chelate.

If you manage the pH in your system to around 6.0 - 6.4, some of the nutrients that are locked up at higher pH will become available.

You may not be getting enough out your small fish. Test your water for nitrates. If you have none, you may need some more fish.

Gary

[warwick]

Hi Warwick,

I would normally suggest that you use some Seasol (or Maxicrop) but, since you've already tried that, my next piece of advice would be to add some iron chelate.

If you manage the pH in your system to around 6.0 - 6.4, some of the nutrients that are locked up at higher pH will become available.

You may not be getting enough out your small fish. Test your water for nitrates. If you have none, you may need some more fish.

Gary

thanks Gary,
so do I add the iron chelate to the pond or water the bed?

[GaryD]

Hi,

I don't think it matters that much since, in a recirculating system, what goes in the fish tank ends up in the grow beds.....and vice versa.

To avoid the fish swimming into a slug of iron chelate, I'd mix it with a bucket of fish tank water and pour it into the grow bed. I wouldn't bother with more than a half a measure to start......and add more every month or two.

Gary

[warwick]

Hi,

I don't think it matters that much since, in a recirculating system, what goes in the fish tank ends up in the grow beds.....and vice versa.

To avoid the fish swimming into a slug of iron chelate, I'd mix it with a bucket of fish tank water and pour it into the grow bed. I wouldn't bother with more than a half a measure to start......and add more every month or two.

Gary

thanks again Gary,
I have started with the iron chelate and am about to get a nitrate and ph testing kit.

Is there any fish that can be added that is compatible with gold fish and will clean up the detritrus (mainly leaves that have fallen in) on the bottom or do I have to vacuum them out?

[GaryD]

Hi Warwick,



Is there any fish that can be added that is compatible with gold fish and will clean up the detritrus (mainly leaves that have fallen in) on the bottom or do I have to vacuum them out?

I wouldn't mix freshwater fish with goldfish. While I'm aware of people who do it, I'd advise against mixing species......particularly with anything that comes from an aquarium shop.

Most fish will eat the goldfish once they get large enough to do it.

I'd remove the leaves. They contribute nothing of any consequence to your system but they will consume oxygen as they decompose and they may also block pumps and pipework. I advocate covering fish tanks for a number of reasons including that it keeps windborne debris out of the tank.

Gary

[warwick]

OK thanks Gary, I'll put more goldfish in and manually remove the litter on the bottom

[warwick]

Hi Warwick,


I wouldn't mix freshwater fish with goldfish. While I'm aware of people who do it, I'd advise against mixing species......particularly with anything that comes from an aquarium shop.

Most fish will eat the goldfish once they get large enough to do it.

I'd remove the leaves. They contribute nothing of any consequence to your system but they will consume oxygen as they decompose and they may also block pumps and pipework. I advocate covering fish tanks for a number of reasons including that it keeps windborne debris out of the tank.

Gary

hello again Gary,
looking around for testing kit and I am a little confused by what is on offer. What would you recommend for a beginner?
thanks
Warwick

[fishfood]

Most of poeples in ap use a freshwater master test kit try guppys aquariam supplys

[GaryD]

Hi Warwick,

You can get the Freshwater Test Kit from most aquarium supplies places.

Gary

[warwick]

thanks Gary and fishfood, have now got the fish number up to 40 and have ordered the master test kit. So I'll soon be able to see whats going on :)