Is there a "regular window" of availability?

[aususer]

Newbie alert... making transition from Hydroponic to Aquaponic..

I've been reading lots of websites/ringing people trying to understand availability of fingerlings/fry (I am thinking of Murray Cod personally - but a lot of "whitenoise" websites around too).

eg. I have read DPI documents that say that Murray Cod spawn ~ October... but rung Glenburn - they only have ~600 $2ea left - and they will be gone end of the week!

SO....

so how can I plan for my transition - and work out what fish I can get (I am aware I not exactly ready yet for fish yet - 3 weeks for setup + 1 month for Biofilter). I want to workout when I have to have the system ready.. so I can buy me some fish!

What can I expect from growers...
My focus is Melbourne suppliers only - but I imagine I am not alone here.

Is there a "standard" window of availablity that I can work with?
ie.. Murray Cod are generally available between <XYZ> and October; and Janurary and <XYZ> etc..

or am I completely off track - and I simply aim for "next available" (which could be 1 year?!!).

Help the newbie please... I am really keen to get moving forward!

[djs-sa]

most larger fish hatcheries should have fingerlings all year round if grown intensively eg indoors.

trout wont happen till after summer each year

most other species anytime, just depends on the fish farm really

[Murray]

We have just tried to get fish for a new system installed in Melb two weeks ago. Will get 100 Murray Cod from Glenwaters hatchery, but they don't have very many left. Next seasons fingerlings of Murray Cod will become avbl in Jan 09
I hope this helps.

Glenwaters Native Fish
PO Box 330, Yarra Glen 3775
Break-O-Day Road, Glenburn 3717
Phone: 03 57978384

[Outbackozzie]

Silvers are available from most hatcheries from December onwards, trout from end of March.

[DaveOponic]

I've seen a few posts on this forum mentioning cycling times in weeks and months. Here in the tropics it mustn't take as long for the bacteria to grow, given water temp. is a fairly constant 30 deg. C 24 hours a day and 12 months a year and not much difference in air temperature and water.

Can any more experienced AP'ers comment on this?

My first system was up and running within a week, fish and plants (Koi/Tilapia) and (Basil/Leafy veges) I didn't measure anything but it all seemed to work, no sick fish, plants grew well etc. Was I just lucky? This was an existing concrete pond which had been out of use for more than 12 months. Filled with water for several days. Pumped and circulated through grow bed for a few more and then added fish and veges within days of each other. No fertilisers, urea or starter bacteria.

I've now setup a second system, again all working within a week. Added a few buckets of water from the existing system and again no problems.

Maybe third time lucky but helped a mate set up a (barrelponic) system that I made and he also has everything running smoothly within a week. As far as I know he hasn't done any testing.

Is it the temperature or the fish? Or is it just three times lucky? I know Tilapia and Koi are reputed to be less sensitive to disease etc.

I have the test kits now after losing a couple of fish but have only tested three or four times over more than six months now and every time the tests come up perfect with no ammonia or nitrate showing, good pH and no nitrate (does this mean there aren't enough fish or too many plants? Should I detect some nitrate in a well balanced system)

As a relative newcomer to AP it's sometimes confusing to read so much advice on cycling when my experience here has been that careful introduction of fish and plants (i.e. a few at a time) and there aren't any problems. Perhaps cycling is more an issue when you want to set up with hundreds of fish and plants rather than a gradual build up of stocks as I have done?

[nick]

most of the what you have written is correct. high temps help the bacteria to grow and reproduce more quickly and at 30 degrees the growth rate will be very high. Also the koi are a pretty tough fish and again when you introduce a few fish at a time you are probably going to avoid aby real trouble.

Congrats on a happy healthy system, hope the good times keep up.

[GaryD]

Hi Dave,

I've seen a few posts on this forum mentioning cycling times in weeks and months. Here in the tropics it mustn't take as long for the bacteria to grow, given water temp. is a fairly constant 30 deg. C 24 hours a day and 12 months a year and not much difference in air temperature and water.

This is a big factor.....constant warmth is conducive to rapid nitrifying bacteria growth.

I've now setup a second system, again all working within a week. Added a few buckets of water from the existing system and again no problems.

Cycling a system is only ever an issue for the first one. Thereafter, the transfer of water from an existing system is all that is required.......the ultimated cyling process.........because the bacteria are already there.

As a relative newcomer to AP it's sometimes confusing to read so much advice on cycling when my experience here has been that careful introduction of fish and plants (i.e. a few at a time) and there aren't any problems. Perhaps cycling is more an issue when you want to set up with hundreds of fish and plants rather than a gradual build up of stocks as I have done?

Cycling is going to be less of an issue if you are only dealing with a few fish (and relatively bullet-proof ones at that). It is rather more important when you put a 100 or so into a 1000 litre tank. When you're growing fish to eat (and they are only available from a hatchery) you often have to purchase a minimum of 50 or 100.....or more.

Didn't you post something very recently about nutrient-deficient plants?

Gary

[Outbackozzie]

Most of us in Australia have to travel for hours to get our fish, so 'a couple at a time' is not viable. Neither is adding 100 fish (a very small order for a fish farm) to a new system, and killing them all with ammonia or nitrite poisoning.

Remove the stress, and fishless cycle.

[Murray]

I have just been in contact with SQ Fish at Beenleigh.
They advise that new seasons Silver Perch will be avbl in about 2 weeks
Jade Perch at the end of November.

It is best to email your order as Matt works in the farm a lot during the day.
Also do not drop in without an appointment as Matt may be out in the farm and cannot stop what he is doing at the time to come and help you with fish etc.

South East Queensland Hatcheries
1044 Beenleigh-Beaudesert Road Luscombe
Ph 07 55 464 462
http://www.seqfish.com.au/index.html
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