How to Maintain Fish Water Quality for Aquaponics With John Musser
May 21, 2015
How to Maintain
Fish Water Quality for
AquaponicsWith John Musser
John Musser has been raising and breeding Tilapia fish for over seven years. Some of the leading experts in the field all agree that they are among they finest they have seen in health, thickness, and even looks.
John Musser was taught by one of America’s leading Tilapia fish scientist.
John says, “if you can learn how to raise Tilapia fish and keep water quality you can use the same principles for Aquaponics and your system will flourish.”
Special enhanced breed John is fighting to hold!
IntroductionWater Quality for Tilapia
Aquaponics and Earth, 314 W. Belt Line Road, DeSoto, TX 75115 ● 469-275-8652 ● www.aquaponicsandearth.org
Water QualityWater TestingWhat Fish Need in Water
Aeration and Oxygen
Water Quality for Tilapia
Aquaponics and Earth, 314 W. Belt Line Road, DeSoto, TX 75115 ● 469-275-8652 ● www.aquaponicsandearth.org
Water Quality for Water Quality for TilapiaTilapia Fish breath oxygen and
give off carbon dioxide. You can’t smell carbon
dioxide. Fish without enough
oxygen, or too much carbon dioxide gulp air from the surface of the tank.
Make sure there is plenty of aeration and that there are not too many fish in a tank.
Water Quality for Tilapia
Aquaponics and Earth, 314 W. Belt Line Road, DeSoto, TX 75115 ● 469-275-8652 ● www.aquaponicsandearth.org
Water Quality Testing
We test for several different chemicals or conditions in the water. Ammonia Nitrite Nitrate pH Chlorine Temperature
Water Quality for Tilapia
Aquaponics and Earth, 314 W. Belt Line Road, DeSoto, TX 75115 ● 469-275-8652 ● www.aquaponicsandearth.org
Ammonia
Fish give off ammonia in their urine. Ammonia is toxic to fish Ammonia levels of
more than 5 ppm can be deadly to most fish.
Tilapia can tolerate higher ammonia levels, but it is unhealthy.
Ammonia is broken down into Nitrite the bacteria in the bio-filter.
Ammonia (NH3) is a gas under standard conditions and is highly soluble in water.
It's also excreted as a waste product by fish and other aquatic animals.
Three-fourths of the excreted ammonia leaves the body respiration and the remaining fourth is excreted in urine.
Ammonia is highly toxic in very small quantities and a concentration of 0.25 parts per million (ppm) is sufficient to compromise the immune system of some species of fish.
Water Quality for Tilapia
Aquaponics and Earth, 314 W. Belt Line Road, DeSoto, TX 75115 ● 469-275-8652 ● www.aquaponicsandearth.org
Ammonia levels should always be 0!
Nitrite
Nitrite is the product of ammonia being digested by bacteria in the water, on the skin of fish, and in the bio-filter.
Nitrite is poisonous to fish at levels of 2.5 ppm.
Nitrite is broken down by bacteria to form Nitrate
Water Quality for Tilapia
Aquaponics and Earth, 314 W. Belt Line Road, DeSoto, TX 75115 ● 469-275-8652 ● www.aquaponicsandearth.org
Nitrite levels should always be at 0 ppm.
Nitrate Water Quality for Tilapia
Nitrate is formed by bacteria in the water, on the skin of fish and in the bio filter.
Nitrate is a natural fertilizer, used by plants to make protein.
Nitrate is non toxic in levels up to 80 ppm.
Water Quality for Tilapia
Aquaponics and Earth, 314 W. Belt Line Road, DeSoto, TX 75115 ● 469-275-8652 ● www.aquaponicsandearth.org
Nitrate range is best at 40 ppm or below!
pH TestingpH Testing
pH indicates how acidic (sour) or basic (bitter) water is. pH ranges from 1 to 14. Pure water is pH 7 1-7 pH is acidic (sour) 7-14 is basic (bitter)
In general, tilapia can survive in pH ranging from 5 to 10 but do best in a pH range of 6 to 9.
Water Quality for Tilapia
Aquaponics and Earth, 314 W. Belt Line Road, DeSoto, TX 75115 ● 469-275-8652 ● www.aquaponicsandearth.org
7.6 - 8.3 range is good!
pH Testing
pH above 10 or below 6 can be harmful to the fish.
pH is changed by several factors: oxygen, carbon dioxide waste in the water and the quality of
the source water.
Water Quality for Tilapia
Aquaponics and Earth, 314 W. Belt Line Road, DeSoto, TX 75115 ● 469-275-8652 ● www.aquaponicsandearth.org
Chlorine
My advice is either use well water or RV filters if you need to put water in right away!
Otherwise let chlorinated water aerate in 55 gallon food grade barrel for a few hours. I prefer to do it over night.
Chlorine is a killer of fish!
Water Quality for Tilapia
AESL sells almost everything seen in this presentation.
If you need help please call or e-mail Jonathon at: 469-275-8652 [email protected]
Aquaponics and Earth, 314 W. Belt Line Road, DeSoto, TX 75115 ● 469-275-8652 ● www.aquaponicsandearth.org
Temperature
Tilapia are tropical fish and require warm water. Ideal temperature is
around 85° Fahrenheit, 29.4° Celsius.
Breeding occurs above 72° F (22.2° C)
Death can occur below 55° F (12.8° C)
Growth, health and breeding are all tied directly to temperature.
KEEP YOUR FISH WARM!
Water Quality for Tilapia
Aquaponics and Earth, 314 W. Belt Line Road, DeSoto, TX 75115 ● 469-275-8652 ● www.aquaponicsandearth.org
What Fish Need in Water
Clean water Remove the waste Oxygen Light Food Movement
Water Quality for Tilapia
Aquaponics and Earth, 314 W. Belt Line Road, DeSoto, TX 75115 ● 469-275-8652 ● www.aquaponicsandearth.org
Clean Water Clean water is not necessarily clear Clear water is not necessarily clean
Carbon Dioxide, Nitrite and other polutants do not discolor water.
Green water, while not clear is very healthy for fish, particularly Tilapia.
Water Quality for Tilapia
Aquaponics and Earth, 314 W. Belt Line Road, DeSoto, TX 75115 ● 469-275-8652 ● www.aquaponicsandearth.org
Waste Removal
Solid waste can foul the system, consume oxygen and change pH.
Liquid wastes can be poisonous to the fish.
Remove the water, either physically or automatically through plumbing
Water Quality for Tilapia
Aquaponics and Earth, 314 W. Belt Line Road, DeSoto, TX 75115 ● 469-275-8652 ● www.aquaponicsandearth.org
Oxygen Tilapia prefer Oxygen levels above 5 ppm Can survive at less than1 ppm, but they will not thrive
under constant low oxygen, and will eventually become sick and die.
Ideally Oxygen levels will never drop below 3 Oxygen is introduced through several processes.
Plant life Aeration Waves and cascades Degassing columns …
All or a combination of these methods can be used to increase Oxygen levels.
Water Quality for Tilapia
Aquaponics and Earth, 314 W. Belt Line Road, DeSoto, TX 75115 ● 469-275-8652 ● www.aquaponicsandearth.org
Light
Tilapia require light to grow.
Will not breed with less than 12 hours a day of light.
Will not eat when there is no light.
Light is also necessary for healthy green water and algae populations.
Water Quality for Tilapia
Aquaponics and Earth, 314 W. Belt Line Road, DeSoto, TX 75115 ● 469-275-8652 ● www.aquaponicsandearth.org
Food Natural foods are algae,
plants, small fish, and insects.
Commercial floating pellets are balanced for maximum growth.
Uneaten food can become waste and hurt the fish.
Don’t let too many people feed fish. In fact it’s best to have one person in charge or a check list!
This will ruin your system faster than anything and foul up your aquaponics system in a hurry.
Water Quality for Tilapia
Aquaponics and Earth, 314 W. Belt Line Road, DeSoto, TX 75115 ● 469-275-8652 ● www.aquaponicsandearth.org
Water Movement Stagnant (still) water will become unhealthy. Moving water can help remove waste. Moving water increases Oxygen and removes
Carbon Dioxide. Fish prefer moving water to still water.
Water Quality for Tilapia
Aquaponics and Earth, 314 W. Belt Line Road, DeSoto, TX 75115 ● 469-275-8652 ● www.aquaponicsandearth.org
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Aquaponics and Earth, 314 W. Belt Line Road, DeSoto, TX 75115 ● 469-275-8652 ● www.aquaponicsandearth.org
More trainings available!
John Musser is considered a global expert in developing micro gardens using Tilapia fish waste and byproducts as the primary fertilizer.
John Musser has requests from over 40 countries of the world including leading universities and major humanitarian organizations asking to help with food systems. Entire cities have requested his help.
Teachings include: Developing cinder-block gardens Making homemade substrates and
fertilizers in your back yard that will bring bumper crops.
Backyard Aquaponics Breeding and caring for Tilapia
fish And much more….Aquaponics and Earth, 314 W. Belt Line Road, DeSoto, TX 75115 ● 469-275-8652 ● www.aquaponicsandearth.org