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Newbie to the group in Sumerfield Florida, IBC tank with bluegill, and red worms.

Quick look at my new setup. A bit scared about what winter will bring.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIJMxKAJR1w

Well, first the bad news.

I lost 6 large bluegills :( they went to fertilize other plants so not a total loss.

Now the good news,

I was able to catch 3 more bluegills adult size, and about 5 minnows so back in business.

I have found that cycling out the water is more effective than filtering the water. The BIG bonus here is that this water is awesome for my self watering containers. The
plants really turned green after I cycled out a large portion of the
water.

At last! I now have lettuce grown from seed in the grow beds. I saw a video of a guy on youtube who said he just tossed the seeds in, and they grew, sure enough
tossing in the seeds I now have lettuce growing in rock!

The plants are doing well, the cuttings of tomato, oregano have started in well, I am noticing the father away from the water source it seems the less nutrients the plants are
getting in the grow beds. Not sure of that but seems to be the
case.

It is so cool to see red worms living in the rock grow beds. Just amazing they do so well there.

PH seems to be coming down which is a good thing was 7.5 now 6.5

Cheers

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by TCLynx on November 27, 2010 at 8:23am

You will need to add some buffer soon since if the pH gets too much lower your bio-filter may suffer. You want to make sure the pH stays above 6 and you don't want to change it suddenly.

What are your other water quality tests showing? How is your ammonia and nitrite level. If the system wasn't fully cycled up yet, that could explain fish deaths as well as your comment about changing water being more effective than filtering water. It does take time to properly cycle up a system to the point where the ammonia and nitrite stay at 0 and there is nitrate to feed the plants.

As the water temperature drops you will need to reduce feed to the fish and things may slow way down if we get lots of cold this winter but some things like the cold. Like Broccoli. Sprinkling seeds like broccoli, cabbage, kale, kohlrabi and such can provide plants to use up nitrates through the winter here in Florida.

Permalink Reply by halemart on November 27, 2010 at 8:46am

Yes PH of 6.2 - 6.4 is my goal. I have only been monitoring PH, and with the death of the fish have ordered me a nitrate kit. I have lime handy if the ph goes too low, but I have also been changing out the water with rain water.

I have had these fish alive for about 3 months in this tank. I also agree that the tank is very new and is in the first steps of cycling so ph swings are to be expected.

Thanks for the tips of what to grow in the winter, I am trying some kiwi in my upper tank as they are cold hearty, and I have some cabbage on order.

TCLynx said:

You will need to add some buffer soon since if the pH gets too much lower your bio-filter may suffer. You want to make sure the pH stays above 6 and you don't want to change it suddenly.

What are your other water quality tests showing? How is your ammonia and nitrite level. If the system wasn't fully cycled up yet, that could explain fish deaths as well as your comment about changing water being more effective than filtering water. It does take time to properly cycle up a system to the point where the ammonia and nitrite stay at 0 and there is nitrate to feed the plants.

As the water temperature drops you will need to reduce feed to the fish and things may slow way down if we get lots of cold this winter but some things like the cold. Like Broccoli. Sprinkling seeds like broccoli, cabbage, kale, kohlrabi and such can provide plants to use up nitrates through the winter here in Florida.

Permalink Reply by TCLynx on November 27, 2010 at 11:18am

Keep in mind that rain water is soft and won't have much in the way or minerals in it so you should be adding some lime.

Also, by changing water, you are probably actually impeding the cycling process and steeling the nutrients from your plants in the gravel beds.

I would recommend having not only pH and nitrate but also an ammonia and nitrite tests. I rarely test nitrate but I do regularly test for ammonia, nitrite and pH.

Permalink Reply by halemart on November 27, 2010 at 2:34pm

Thanks

Test kit came in today. As expected test came in high.

Nitrite > 1

Nitrate 50 - 250

Ammonia 2.5

TCLynx said:

Keep in mind that rain water is soft and won't have much in the way or minerals in it so you should be adding some lime.

Also, by changing water, you are probably actually impeding the cycling process and steeling the nutrients from your plants in the gravel beds.

I would recommend having not only pH and nitrate but also an ammonia and nitrite tests. I rarely test nitrate but I do regularly test for ammonia, nitrite and pH.

Permalink Reply by TCLynx on November 27, 2010 at 3:38pm

Yep, don't feed till the ammonia and nitrite start coming down and your new gravel beds cycle up.

Permalink Reply by Izzy on February 15, 2011 at 8:33pm

My bluegills all died to the winter temps. They don't really grow to a good plate size, but they are easy to catch. One of the local fishing docks has tons of these little guys in schools of 100's to thousands. I've seen guys throw down nets and pull them up by the hundreds. They're usually looking for a different kind of fish to use as bait and throw the rest back.

It sounds like your system is producing more nitrate than your plants want. What's your nitrate reading?

That's an excellent pH, but over what span of time did the pH drop 1 point? Do you use the partial water changes to balance the pH or do you use something to bring it up?

Permalink Reply by halemart on February 16, 2011 at 5:06am

Hi izzy,

This is my latest video -> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tL6i-2iXtXs&feature=email&em...

I went to fishless cycling. I have not been monitoring PH or nitrogen for some time now, I have just been looking at the health of the plants. As the temps warm up I may start testing again. I do water changes each time it rains :-) those grow beds do pick up much water each rain. Thanks for the reply izzy!

Mart

Permalink Reply by TCLynx on February 16, 2011 at 6:58am

While you probably don't need to keep checking the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. I would recommend checking the pH perhaps weekly since with rain water being your top up water the pH could fall when the buffering in your system runs out.