Originally Posted 20-March 2009

Well PH has gone from 6.0(or less) back to 7.2 in 4 days. I've restocked with 30 small goldfish (cheaper). The Nitrites have fallen from 5 to 1, and Nitrates have jumped from 10 to 40. The small radishes in the system seem to have been hit by the PH swings as well, everything else is ok.

Bad news from the Department of Wildlife Resources, besides not allowing Tilapia, which I expected, they did not approve Red Claw, which they said they probably would when they visited. They sited "escape" concerns! The system is in a total enclosed, sealed greenhouse!!!

They approved Hybrid Striped Bass, the only problem is that they are only available as fingerlings once per year and not for 5 months! So I ask them to amend the application to include Bluegill, which was about my 5th or 6th choice, but I have to have something beside goldfish!

Tommorrow I'm installing a temp controller that should help me regulate the water temperature better (attached to a sprinkler valve that will control water flow through the water heater.)

I'm not looking forward to process of applying for a variance to raise Red Claw and Tilapia, but now that both are not allowed, I have to consider it.

Originally Posted 30-March-2009

I've asked the DWR to reconsider and grant a license for Red Claw, they said they would look at it, we will see.

PH seems to be stable between 7.0 and 7.4.

Here is my cycling timeline so far:
Day 10 - Ammonia starts to rise
Day 14 - Nitrites start to rise
Day 16 - Nitrates start to rise
Day 18 - Ammonia goes to zero
Day 34 - Nitrites still up(.5 to 1.0), Nitrates at 10

It took 28 days for ammonia to build and drop to zero.
On Day15 the Nitrites started rise and for the last 15 days have basically been between .5 and 1.0, Nitrates have been 10 for just about as long.

One of these days Nitrites will drop, I'm on day 34 since startup, Its about time for it.

Plants are growing fast now. On the beans, the older leaves have some yellow spots. (lighter areas). The cucumber leaves tend to curl on the outside edges.

I'm sure this indicates a deficiency, anyone know which one? (magnesium - add some Epsom salts) I add powdered seaweed fertilizer periodically, but this persists. The young lettuce looks goods, the radishes that survived the PH hit, are doing well.

The Water Heater that is switched by a sprinkler valve and controller is keeping the temps dead on. About once a week I shut down the bypass to force high pressure water through the water heater to push and solids that may have lodged in the valve.

The bell siphons in the beds cycle like clockwork. I just need approval for Bluegill so I can swap out the goldfish.

Neal
(Impatient)

The next day:

Cycled!!!
Wow, what a difference a day makes. Last night I ran the tests and wham, Nitrites were zero, Nitrates were 40. The goldfish are very happy fish, tremendous change, active, feeding, responsive! I'm amazed at the change. I kind of expected the nitrites to fall off over a couple of days, but it was all at once.

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