Aquaponic observations
Back when I was first getting
the pH and ammonia levels in my aquaponics tank close to recommended
values, the water went crystal clear. I'm now realizing that sparkling
water is actually a bad sign in aquaponics.
In contrast, as soon as I did a partial
water change and began seeing both nitrites
and now nitrates in the water, turbidity levels rose once again. Those
nitrogen-converting bacteria --- not stirred up sediment --- must be
what's causing the cloudiness. I'm thrilled to be able to see my
microbial partners as they work!
In other news, one of my
forced daffodils is already sending up a bloom bud. Looks like my grow
bed is going to turn pretty sooner rather than later!
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About us: Anna Hess and Mark Hamilton spent over a decade living self-sufficiently in the mountains of Virginia before moving north to start over from scratch in the foothills of Ohio. They've experimented with permaculture, no-till gardening, trailersteading, home-based microbusinesses and much more, writing about their adventures in both blogs and books.
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I don't know about the turbidity idea. In my two years of aquaponics, I usually had crystal clear water. The plants grew well.
I had about 3 sq. ft. of growbed, and three to four inches worth of comet goldfish. In the beginning I tested a lot, and worried about levels... In the end, I found if I just keep the fish fed and water oxygenated it tended to level itself. I would toss in some unfiltered creek water and some lake water if you have one near you. Build a robust ecosystem with local organisms.
I do think the best choice for fish is a comet goldfish. It is beautiful and very hardy, basically a koi for a tenth of the price.
Hi Anna and Mark,
my gold fish have not failed?