Maintenance and aquaponics

You may be mistaken into thinking that a routine can do no good to your aquaponic system. But sticking to a routine will assure the proper functioning of the system. Some recommend using lists on which you should check what activities you have accomplished and what not.

Furthermore, if you end up having trouble with your system, those lists can end up being helpful.

What to do on daily basis

Do maintenance on the water and air pump. In this way you will avoid lack of oxygen and further damage to your system.
Analyze the water level and establish whether or not you need to refill. Also, it is recommended to measure its temperature.
Look for possible leaks and if you find some, dress them immediately. This can turn out to be potentially harmful to your system.
While feeding the fish, analyze the amount of food that they do not eat. In this way you will be able to adjust your feeding manner and feed them properly. In addition, get rid of the uneaten food because it can alter the water`s quality.
Regularly analyze your fish behavior. This can tell you when your fish get certain diseases or when the environment is not proper for them.
If there is the case, do not allow dead fish or plants to float freely in your system.

What to do at the end of the week

Check the pH levels. Also, it is recommended that at the end of the week before feeding to perform some tests in order to observe the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate amounts.
Dress the pH levels if the test shows some anomalies.
Clean the biofilter. Remove any debris that has gathered at the bottom of the fish tank.
Look at the plant`s roots and make sure they are not obstructing the water flow.

What to do at the end of the month

After a month goes by, remove the fish from the tank and place them in another container.
Do maintenance on your fish tank and make sure everything is properly cleaned.
Check every fish for unusual signs of disease.
Replenish your fish stock if there is the need.
Check every component of your system for leaks or other inconveniences.

In conclusion, if you want your aquaponic system to work properly, you need to take care of it constantly. Daily, weekly or monthly, those specific tasks will save you some trouble. If you do not follow those maintenance steps, you risk ending up with sick fish or system damage. Prevention is always the best practice.

aquaponics, maintenance tips on an aquaponic system

Aquaculture