Aquaponic Help!

[Darling Nikki]

Hey guys.  This is my first attempt at aquaponic gardening.  I'm growing Carolina Reapers  I managed to grow some seedlings with a small LED light and I've now introduced my tiny plants into my grow beds. I'm using a larger LED light (not shown in picture) I believe it's 240 watts. 
 
While I was waiting to introduce my plants I was filtering my fish tank.  Now that I've introduced the plants should I turn off the filter?  Should I run it occasionally while the plants are small to make sure the water is sufficiently filtered for the fish?  
 
How close should the light be to my seedlings?  It's currently about 18" above. 
 
I've read I should use garden worms in my clay pellets.  Any truth to this? 
 
Finally, the leaves on my seedlings are brown.  Does this mean they're not getting enough nutrients?  Am I burning them with the light? 
 
Thanks in advance for all your help!

 

[meinchoh]

  I'm not familiar with hydroponic but seedlings, typically, do not need nutrients. You could have fert burn. I don't believe that your lighting will be burning the leaves, either. Others will chime in soon...

 

[Tank]

I`d leave the filter on, especially if the tank isnt cycled and/or the media in your growbeds is new. Too much filtration wont hurt because it`ll all convert the ammonia into nitrite and ultimately nitrate for the plants. Worms will help reduce any solid waste build up in the growbeds but with a small setup it shouldnt be an issue..I wouldnt add worms to a setup without an auto syphon, they wont like being constantly flooded . Dont scrimp on oxygen, the worms, nitrifying bacteria, fish and roots all need a good supply of it to function  

 

[Darling Nikki]

I`d leave the filter on, especially if the tank isnt cycled and/or the media in your growbeds is new. Too much filtration wont hurt because it`ll all convert the ammonia into nitrite and ultimately nitrate for the plants. Worms will help reduce any solid waste build up in the growbeds but with a small setup it shouldnt be an issue..I wouldnt add worms to a setup without an auto syphon, they wont like being constantly flooded . Dont scrimp on oxygen, the worms, nitrifying bacteria, fish and roots all need a good supply of it to function

The tank and grow medium is very well cycled.... 8 weeks. Still think I should leave it on?

 

[Tank]

The only way to know for sure is to test the NH4 level, although its not essential testing the NO2 and NO3 level is useful.   
Having too much filtration is always better than not enough. More importantly, if you switch the filter off the bacteria colony will die and you`ll be completely reliant on the growbeds, aka all your eggs will be in one basket

 

[Darling Nikki]

The only way to know for sure is to test the NH4 level, although its not essential testing the NO2 and NO3 level is useful.   
Having too much filtration is always better than not enough. More importantly, if you switch the filter off the bacteria colony will die and you`ll be completely reliant on the growbeds, aka all your eggs will be in one basket

Sorry, I'm such a novice.  What are the NH4, NO2 and NO3?  Is that the nitrate and nitrite?

 

[Tank]

NH4 is ammonium, NO2 is nitrite, NO3 is nitrate. The fish generate NH4 (highly toxic to fish) and nitrosomona bacteria oxidise it into NO2 (slightly less toxic). Nitrobacter oxidise that into NO3. Nitrobacter reproduce at a much slower rate than nitrosomonas so it can take a while for them to build up sufficient numbers. The bacterial colony size will grow or shrink based on the available food supply (NH4,NO2), available accomodation (media) and oxygen.  Water temperature and PH play a part too.
 
Anyone that keeps fish was a novice once I have a  pleco that survived my novice period, he`s 23 years old now with a crooked tail, his mate is a snow king, just a whippersnapper at 17 

 

[N8thaniel]

hey there,  Ive done aquaponics indoors with peppers and led so here is what i think
 
 
filter, usually id say no but your tank is horrifically overstocked u do realise those goldies grow up to 6 inches in the 1st year on a proper diet
 
 
18 inches for the led is fine, could be too intense for the babies though
 
browning could be anything but likely overwatering-what kinda system is that? are you constantly pumping water into the beds? if so lower the water level an inch or so below the bottom of the bed to dry things out
 
gold fish can go weeks without feeding fyi
 
as far as testing and nitrate levels dont bother, if u can smell ammonia(sticky fish tank smell) u need more plants/less fish- so just dont feed for a couple days
 
pics of the brown seedlings pls

 

[Darling Nikki]

hey there,  Ive done aquaponics indoors with peppers and led so here is what i think
 
 
filter, usually id say no but your tank is horrifically overstocked u do realise those goldies grow up to 6 inches in the 1st year on a proper diet
 
 
18 inches for the led is fine, could be too intense for the babies though
 
browning could be anything but likely overwatering-what kinda system is that? are you constantly pumping water into the beds? if so lower the water level an inch or so below the bottom of the bed to dry things out
 
gold fish can go weeks without feeding fyi
 
as far as testing and nitrate levels dont bother, if u can smell ammonia(sticky fish tank smell) u need more plants/less fish- so just dont feed for a couple days
 
pics of the brown seedlings pls

Hey, thanks for your reply.
 
I originally started with 50 fish in a 50 gallon tank.  Half of them died (probably from overstocking) so now I have them stable at about 25.  I bought "medium feeder goldfish".  Do these get as big as you say?  I haven't seen any growth in two months.  Good to know about the feeding.
 
The beds pump water once an hour so the clay is not flooded but it does get wet for about 15 minutes out of the hour.  I'll post pictures of the plants when I get home.
 
Thanks again!

 

[Tank]

as far as testing and nitrate levels dont bother, if u can smell ammonia(sticky fish tank smell) u need more plants/less fish- so just dont feed for a couple days
 
 

Toxic ammonium (or nitrite) levels are way too low to be detected by smell.