Water Test 5/6/05

pH 6.8
Conductivity .24
Water Temp 16.0
Air temp 17.7

Health and Disese Prevention

Established a 'salt bucket'. To be used to dip all equipment eg. nets to eliminate transfer of disease, pathogens etc. Purple Bucket. Please dip equipment after and before use.

Water Test 3/6/05

pH 6.6
Conductivity .24
Water Temp 14.9
Air temp 13.5

Trout Grading Complete

Growth of Trout expected to increase rapidly after grading, espicially Small and Medium sized fish.

Agist Fish- Mt Penang Gardens Project

An industry relationship has been developed through the CCAF (Central Coast Aquaculture Foundation) between Mt Penang Parklands/Gardens and Wadalba Community School Aquaculture Research Centre (ARC).

The ARC will develop an Aquaculture Management Plan for the Gardens with the goal to supply the park with a range of species grown in the ARC to restock the dams/wetlands.
An assessment will also be done to provide advice on improvements to the current Kariong facility to improve growth and survival of current and future aquaculture species.

Involvement will begin immediately with:
100 Bass (70 mm to 120 mm) from Mt Penang will be transported to the ARC facility on Monday afternoon 6/6/05.

20 Murray Cod (120 > 150 mm) from Mt Penang will be transported to the ARC facility on Monday afternoon 6/6/05.

400 Silver Perch fingerlings (50 > 80 mm) from Mt Penang will be transported to the ARC facility on Friday Morning 10/6/05.

These will be grown out and then returned to Kariong.

Water Test 2/6/05

pH 7.0
Conductivity .24
Water Temp 14.6
Air temp 16.5

Trout Grading Commenced

Grading and counting of Trout commenced. Trout will be graded into 3 sizes- small, medium and large. Grading is essential to enable all trout to grow to their potential.
Trout currently in T1 & T2 will be graded into Small T3, Medium T4 and Large T5. Trout will then be returned to Large T1, Medium T2.
Reduction of stress is vital- stress, physical damage and handling (mucus) could cause short term and medium term deather to fish.

Completed Transfer

Students completed transfer of Murray Cod and Yellowbelly from 1000l tanks to Aquarium (Lab). Acclimatised fish- time, water temp and water. This leaves Tanks 3-5 available for future 'agistment'. Refilled tanks and sump to 'normal' level. Need to reactivate Biological filter and investigate protein skimmer. MUST grade Trout utilising Tanks 3-5 then transfer back to Tanks 1-3.

Water Test 30/5/05

pH 7.30
Conductivity .24
Water Temp 14.9
Air temp 17.2

Maintenance

Backwashed filter.

New Equipment

Setup Aquarium 1 with heater for Murray Cod. Connected air hose to reconditioned air filters. New air stones, wool and activated carbon.

Central Coast Aquaculture Foundation Meeting

The group is meeting at WCS ARC today. This is a strong political group whose mission is to develop, promote and protect a sustainable aquaculture industry for the benefit of all stakeholders & the environment.
http://www.ccaf.org.au/

Water Test 27/5/05

pH 6.90
Conductivity .24
Water Temp 15.4
Air temp 15.0

Excess Food

Excess food. Suspended feeding of fish to develop scientific determination of mass of food for each tank. Will purchase scales and conatiners to prepare food each day? Drained and Flushed Sump. Backwashed and rinsed. Adjusted air flow to balance air to Lab and Aquarium.

Water Test 24/5/05

pH 6.30
Conductivity .14
Water Temp 16.2
Air temp 14.3

System Check-up and Clean

• Removed, rinsed, flushed and cleaned risers in Tanks 3-5. Significant debris, mould etc.
• Syphoned debris from base of Tanks 1-5. Left over food, dead fish and mould.
• Replaced 50% of water in Silver Perch aquarium (Aquarium 3). Dead fish- indicating a problem with water?
• Filled Aquarium 4-5. Ready for future use?
• Joined Tank 3 to recirculation system (Bi-carb Soda). Have been slowly mixing water with tanks for 1 week.
• Replaced air stone in Aquarium 3. Air stone discoloured, maybe adding unwanted chemicals?
• Cleaned filter in Aquarium 3. Old and discoloured. Need to purchase activated charcoal.

Aeration System Extended

The aeration system has been extended to supply air to the Lab (as well as the hatchery) and the aquariums, replacing the need to have small aquarium tank pumps.

Move Yellowbelly and Murray Cod

Murray Cod and also Yellowbelly will be moved to the Lab into Aquarium by students next week. This will allow greater control of their environment and food. We have continued to have significant losses of both species although the Murray Cod have has the most loss.

Silver Perch added

To extend our species farmed at the ARC 22 Silver Perch were added to the ARC this morning. Transported from Taree by Graham the fingerlings have been quarantined in the Lab section of the ARC using aquariums. After observation a decision will be made to either introduce them to the re-circulation system or continue their time in the Lab.

Yabbies Moved

Yabbies (Crayhaven) moved from the dedicated yabby grow out tank to the Trout tanks. This represents a change from the Monoculture situation (growing only one species in a given area) to Polyculture or Multiculture growing multiple species together.
http://www.alken-murray.com/glossarybug2.html
The yabbies will consume any of the over feed left on the bottom of the tanks. AND hopefully the Trout will not consume the Yabbies?