growth rates

[Leigh Thatcher]

Could somebody give me an idea on growth rates. I added 250 silvers to my 2500 l system at the beginning of March. They were approx 20mm. They have about doubled their length. Is this about right? In feeding I am adding about a tablespoon morning and night. There is quite a bit left on the bottom. Am I right to cut it back (especially as winter approaches) and what should I cut it back to?

thanks
Leigh

[Murray]

Leigh,
If there is food left on the bottom, you are right to cut it back. Experiment a bit, cut it back to half and watch to see if they are using it all up, then adjust a little every day.
If there is still food on the bottom , don't feed them for a day.
Now that water temps are dropping the fish will eat less.
Silvers grow at different rates. I have about 300 silvers that were fingerlings in October. There is about a half dozen that are near ready to hit the BBQ plate (I will hold off until spring on that), but the rest of them vary in size right down to about 100mm long.
I have been able to keep my water temp up now that I have made a solar heater for that tank, but still they are eating much less than a few weeks ago.

[Leigh Thatcher]

Thanks Murray
As a first timer you can begin to worry as you boldly say to family and friends "we'll be eating fish by Christmas" and then you look at the tiny potential dinners shoot across the tank and wonder. One thing that has been absolutely amazing has been the amount of vegetables we have been eating from the wastes of such tiny organisms. Copious quantities of beans, herbs, lettuce, spinach, celery, broccoli and the list goes on. My soil gardening days are over!!!!

leigh

[Murray]

It is just amazing that is for sure...the amount of veggies a small aquaponics system can produce. We currently have 3 large baskets of tomatoes on the dining room table. I love tomatoes but am struggling to keep up at the moment.
The fish do take a while to get going.
Most people overfeed in the beginning.
Getting them to grow well is more about water quality, temp and density than about the amount of food they have.
Not that food is not important, but unlike our overweight human population, too much food does not end up making bigger fish.