Cyndi from Raleigh NC with aquariponic system

[cyndimcknight]

Hi Every one!

I am brand new to this forum. In fact it is the first forum I have ever really joined concerning aquaponics. I kinda skimmed the titles a little bit trying not to repeat too much, and I will look deeper. But you guys seemed so friendly I thought I would just post what is going on.

I have a small aquaponics system. It consists of a 10 gallon fish tank, a couple of air pumps, a bell syphon and hydroton. The fish tank has 2 silverbellied tropical cat fish that have doubled in size in the past 3 months and are probably way too big for the tank. Plus my kids overfeed them regularly.

I started this tank months ago, sometime around the beginning of the year. I did a by guess by gosh try and lost a couple of guppies once from using the wrong chemical to help with the PH but other than that I have been running strong for months now.

I don't check my water as often as I should but I checked it today and the levels arw as follows...

PH 6.6

Ammonia .25ppm

Nitrite 0ppm

Nitrate 80+ ppm

I know my Nitrates are on the toxic level. And that is what brings me to your forum.

I can't grow plants.

I bought a grow light, 2', expensive, and it is the last thing I can think of that is causing me problems. My house stays around 60 -80degrees. The light is turned on and off daily in the morning and at night respectively.

I have tried to grow sage that was started in dirt, seeds of a variety of herbs I started myself, basil that is sold at walmart with it's roots, mint, spinach that was a seedling from the local nursery, lettuce, and finally bamboo. It is the bamboo that has lasted infact it is taller, a little, thatn when it was planted a couple of months ago.Everything else just wouldn't grow then became week and died. I have tried placing them high in the hydrotin so only their roots ever get touched with water. I have tried burying them all the way down with the same results.

I have tried to add clip on incandescent light, another florescent without any noticeable difference.

So I guess what I am looking for now is what kind of light should I buy, and where can I buy plants that have a track record of growing indoors on a aquaponics system. Oh, and is there a way to test for minerals?

I know this was long, I am sorry.

Thank you for reading my post,
Sincerely,
Cyndi McKnight