Gary's Existing System

[GaryD]

This is my existing system......about 8 months old.

The system comprises an 800 litre mega bin, a 250 litre fingerling tank and a 200 litre sedimentation tank.

It has a total water capacity of 1000 litres and it houses 44 Jade Perch which are now plate size (500gm+) and another 65 Jade Perch fingerlings.

My growing systems comprise a small gravel/LECA ebb and flow grow bed and several growing trays and satellite pots.

[GaryD]

My growing systems comprise:

• Flood and drain bed - filled with 10mm drainage gravel and LECA - one square metre in area - originally planted out to silver beet - now a herb garden.
• Satellite pots - coco-peat - watered by hand - used for larger plants like tomatoes, cucumbers and capsicums.
• Tray System - coco-peat - watered by hand - excellent for salad vegetables, Asian Greens and herbs.

The flood and drain bed recirculates water from my fish tank. The satellite pots and tray system trays are 'open loop.'

[GaryD]

We've recently relocated all of our non-recirculating growing systems because they were on the southern side of our shed and spent most of the day in total shade.

They have all been moved up closer to the house where they now receive several hours of sunlight each day.

[GaryD]

Hi,

This morning, I walked into my shed and found that most of the 600 litres of water that had been in my fish tank was on the shed floor.

My 44 Jade Perch were in about 100mm of water.

A small bulkhead fitting (that carries the water from my fingerling tank back into the main fish tank) had become blocked (by a fingerling) causing it to overflow......and overflow, etc etc. This is the second time that I've have this problem.....with exactly the same cause.....in the past few weeks. I simply forgot to replace the little strainer that would have prevented the fingerling from getting into the fitting.

I've attached a photo that shows the fitting with the small strainer re-attached.

I was fortunate that I discovered it when I did.....and that, for the second time, my fish have survived my negligence.

I can't recommend Jade Perch highly enough. They are one tough little fish. As you can see from the photos, they were surfing rather than swimming.

An interesting by-product of the whole episode was that, several months ago, I placed about 500 compost worms into each of my trickling bio-filters. I'd been wondering what happened to them. The photo evidences the fact that they're still going strong inside the bio-filter. I recovered this small batch from the tank before the fish realised that they were there.

GaryD.

[Macca]

You are a lucky ****** heh. Those fish look a good size Gary. Should have taken the opportunity to grab a couple for dinner LOL Have you eaten any yet. What do Jade Perch taste like?

Oops - looks like even mild language is beeped out here - sorry.

[GaryD]

Hi Macca,

Oops - looks like even mild language is beeped out here - sorry.

Since we cater to people of all ages and circumstances, the language editor on our forum software is set pretty fine.

You're right, I am lucky.....it could have been much worse. It just to show how the little things can conspire to bring you unstuck.

I've eaten several species of freshwater fish so I'd be struggling to recall what Jade Perch taste like compared to the others. My main recollection is that Silver Perch seemed to be bonier that most of the others.

Gary

[Quietly]

I heard about the problems of fish being stuck in pipes fairly early in the process.
My tanks are inter connected with 32mm pipe and I use a fitting with a piece of laundry bag material over the opening. They will need cleaning every now and then but I changed the existing ones over in less than a minute the other day so it no big deal for such an important piece of the equipment. See pic attached

[GaryD]

Thanks Quietly,

Your solution is a simple and inexpensive one....the best kind.

My problem is not so much that I didn't have a strainer but rather that I forgot to replace it when I cleaned it. As much as it would be good for me to be able to blame the gear, it's a simple case of pilot error.

Gary

[njh]

Thanks Quietly,

Your solution is a simple and inexpensive one....the best kind.

My problem is not so much that I didn't have a strainer but rather that I forgot to replace it when I cleaned it. As much as it would be good for me to be able to blame the gear, it's a simple case of pilot error.

Gary

It's probably worth adding a secondary overflow with no obstruction?

[GaryD]

Hi njh,

I think you're right. I'm also working on another solution to do with the placement of the fingerling tank.

Gary