Nitrites spiking 3 weeks into setup -- please tell me it's OK - Aquaponic Gardening2024-03-29T05:28:28Zhttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/forum/topics/nitrites-spiking-3-weeks-into-setup-please-tell-me-it-s-ok?commentId=4778851%3AComment%3A455952&feed=yes&xn_auth=noMy growbeds are basically ply…tag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2013-04-03:4778851:Comment:4573172013-04-03T01:44:48.908ZJeffrey Iharahttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/JeffreyIhara
<p>My growbeds are basically plywood coffins with pond liner. I used regular PVC for the plumbing, and my fishtank and sump are IBC totes (the sump is cut to fit below the growbeds, which are propped up on cinderblocks). I'll get pics up here eventually. A little different than yours to be sure, but when I saw the gravel and lava rock, it looked kinda like my setup. I went fishless mostly because I wanted control over how much ammonia was going into the system--it's not like I can ask my fish…</p>
<p>My growbeds are basically plywood coffins with pond liner. I used regular PVC for the plumbing, and my fishtank and sump are IBC totes (the sump is cut to fit below the growbeds, which are propped up on cinderblocks). I'll get pics up here eventually. A little different than yours to be sure, but when I saw the gravel and lava rock, it looked kinda like my setup. I went fishless mostly because I wanted control over how much ammonia was going into the system--it's not like I can ask my fish to crank up ammonia to 2-4 ppm and hold it there. That and I'm planning to stock with catfish and they don't tolerate nitrite nearly as well as tilapia.</p>
<p>perlite underneath the gravel? is any of it floating up (or is any of your gravel sinking down)? I switched to lava rock because the gravel for the first bed was too damned heavy.</p> I worried about fish health o…tag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2013-04-03:4778851:Comment:4574152013-04-03T01:26:04.789ZHank Palocihttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/HankPaloci
<p>I worried about fish health over the weekend but like Harold said it cycled in a couple of days. I changed water twice a day until the nitrites came down. Now I'm at NH4 0.25, NO2- 0.5, NO3- 5ppm.You expect and you know it's coming but you still worry.</p>
<p>Now I need more plants.</p>
<p>I tried several different things with the GBs. The first two I used piping from Home Depot but the 3rd one (pics coming) I used a screw-together standpipe and tubing from a hydro store and sealed the…</p>
<p>I worried about fish health over the weekend but like Harold said it cycled in a couple of days. I changed water twice a day until the nitrites came down. Now I'm at NH4 0.25, NO2- 0.5, NO3- 5ppm.You expect and you know it's coming but you still worry.</p>
<p>Now I need more plants.</p>
<p>I tried several different things with the GBs. The first two I used piping from Home Depot but the 3rd one (pics coming) I used a screw-together standpipe and tubing from a hydro store and sealed the plumbing with silicone. Also, the gravel proved way too heavy and made me nervous on my old work bench so I got some perlite and layered it so that there is gravel on the floor of the GB and at the top but like a 3-4 inch layer of perlite in between. It seems to work pretty well and it's a lot lighter.</p>
<p>I see that a lot of people here cycle fishless but I had the opportunity to get the fish and was otherwise set up, so I gave it a go and it worked out.</p> hey-- this looks familiar. I…tag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2013-04-03:4778851:Comment:4575142013-04-03T01:17:25.440ZJeffrey Iharahttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/JeffreyIhara
<p>hey-- this looks familiar. I also started up with two growbeds, one with gravel and one with red lava rock! I'm on day 16 and have the nitrite spike (just under 5 ppm) going as well. I'm outdoors and fishless, though. I'll be adding fish once nitrites drop and the bacteria can clear ammonia I'm adding without any further spikes.</p>
<p>hey-- this looks familiar. I also started up with two growbeds, one with gravel and one with red lava rock! I'm on day 16 and have the nitrite spike (just under 5 ppm) going as well. I'm outdoors and fishless, though. I'll be adding fish once nitrites drop and the bacteria can clear ammonia I'm adding without any further spikes.</p> Hi Hank,
Stocking density is…tag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2013-03-30:4778851:Comment:4560522013-03-30T05:47:07.332ZHarold Sukhbirhttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/HaroldSukhbir
<p>Hi Hank,</p>
<p>Stocking density is only limited by preference. As long as a system is monitored regularly you can harvest fish or adjust the feeding accordingly. Also, 5-8 gallons twice per day seems spot on!</p>
<p>Hi Hank,</p>
<p>Stocking density is only limited by preference. As long as a system is monitored regularly you can harvest fish or adjust the feeding accordingly. Also, 5-8 gallons twice per day seems spot on!</p> Thanks for the replies.
The f…tag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2013-03-30:4778851:Comment:4560272013-03-30T02:52:45.119ZHank Palocihttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/HankPaloci
<p>Thanks for the replies.</p>
<p>The fish look OK except that the biggest one is respirating really quickly. The smaller ones look good. I'll probably keep changing 5-8 gallons out twice a day until the nitrites come down. If that sounds like too much let me know.</p>
<p>I've never grown these hybrids before, but I know that they grow quickly.</p>
<p>I know that I'll be overstocked at full size, but I think I'll be OK for a couple of months by weight. I have a plan for a second tank and system…</p>
<p>Thanks for the replies.</p>
<p>The fish look OK except that the biggest one is respirating really quickly. The smaller ones look good. I'll probably keep changing 5-8 gallons out twice a day until the nitrites come down. If that sounds like too much let me know.</p>
<p>I've never grown these hybrids before, but I know that they grow quickly.</p>
<p>I know that I'll be overstocked at full size, but I think I'll be OK for a couple of months by weight. I have a plan for a second tank and system but I wanted to work through this first one before I built the second.</p> Bad for me to George! Nitrit…tag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2013-03-30:4778851:Comment:4559522013-03-30T00:54:22.263ZBecky Coburnhttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/BeckyCoburn
<p>Bad for me to George! Nitrites are just as toxic to fish as ammonia.<br></br> <br></br> <cite>George said:</cite></p>
<blockquote cite="http://community.theaquaponicsource.com/forum/topics/nitrites-spiking-3-weeks-into-setup-please-tell-me-it-s-ok#4778851Comment455935"><div><div class="xg_user_generated"><p>Nitrite was bad news for me but you've got fish that can probably take it. I'd go easy on feeding or possibly stop feeding until the nitrite goes down but you may know more about it than I…</p>
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<p>Bad for me to George! Nitrites are just as toxic to fish as ammonia.<br/> <br/> <cite>George said:</cite></p>
<blockquote cite="http://community.theaquaponicsource.com/forum/topics/nitrites-spiking-3-weeks-into-setup-please-tell-me-it-s-ok#4778851Comment455935"><div><div class="xg_user_generated"><p>Nitrite was bad news for me but you've got fish that can probably take it. I'd go easy on feeding or possibly stop feeding until the nitrite goes down but you may know more about it than I do.</p>
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</blockquote> Nitrite was bad news for me b…tag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2013-03-30:4778851:Comment:4559352013-03-30T00:17:22.279ZGeorgehttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/Geoge
<p>Nitrite was bad news for me but you've got fish that can probably take it. I'd go easy on feeding or possibly stop feeding until the nitrite goes down but you may know more about it than I do.</p>
<p>Nitrite was bad news for me but you've got fish that can probably take it. I'd go easy on feeding or possibly stop feeding until the nitrite goes down but you may know more about it than I do.</p> Hi Hank!
You said 50 finger…tag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2013-03-30:4778851:Comment:4557952013-03-30T00:09:00.483ZBecky Coburnhttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/BeckyCoburn
<p>Hi Hank! </p>
<p>You said 50 fingerling hybrid tilapia in a 50 gallon tank? That concerns me! I think you have over stocked. </p>
<p>Wonderful idea that your ready with the water changes! How fast will those hybrids grow?</p>
<p>Hi Hank! </p>
<p>You said 50 fingerling hybrid tilapia in a 50 gallon tank? That concerns me! I think you have over stocked. </p>
<p>Wonderful idea that your ready with the water changes! How fast will those hybrids grow?</p> Hi Hank,
So soon after the ni…tag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2013-03-29:4778851:Comment:4556432013-03-29T15:47:56.239ZHarold Sukhbirhttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/HaroldSukhbir
<p>Hi Hank,</p>
<p>So soon after the nitrite spike(couple hours,couple days) you'll be cycled, as you've already suspected. At 74F you'll get there pretty quick. So have some patience. BTW neat setup!</p>
<p>Hi Hank,</p>
<p>So soon after the nitrite spike(couple hours,couple days) you'll be cycled, as you've already suspected. At 74F you'll get there pretty quick. So have some patience. BTW neat setup!</p>