Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

TCLynx, it's the eucalyptus trees for sure, specifically the tannins/oils in the leaves. They are great survivors and kill most plants that would grow under them. A eucalyptus forest is also know as a eucalyptus desert among botanists.

Perhaps we need to try landscaping trees in AP. I know my system seems to grow every type of tree that some how gets a seed in. If there was a market for elm trees I'd have had a a small fortune in trees that have been pulled out.

Main problem is containing the root systems, some of the trees growing in our system might have only been a foot tall but they had 3 fee of roots hanging out the bottom of the pot.

Don't tree nurseries grow young trees in 1, 3, and 5 gallon pots? Seems like that should be doable.

absolutely fabulous growth on that first harvest, good luck with getting it up and running again soon

Any update on this system? I'm particularly interested because I've volunteered at Dr. Savidov's system for a few days to get a feel for their layout, and have quite a few ideas of my own regarding changes I'd make and how well certain aspects work.

I hope you actually approach the experience from a point of view of seeing how Savidov's system works... rather than from a perspective of "what changes" you'd make... before you've even seen it...

Might be.. that in the end... you might have to change what your intentions were...

Sorry, should have been a little more clear, but I volunteered at Dr.Savidov's a little over a year ago. I've been basing my large backyard/semi-commercial system on his design until I began reading this forum a few weeks ago. Now I'm not so sure anymore what to do.

They're producing, on a regular basis, an average of 200 lbs of basil a week I believe, so the numbers are definitely there and it's hard for me to argue w anything their doing without having started yet myself. Harvest and replanting took two inexperienced people a half day, and dealing w the solids tank probably takes an average of an hour a day actual labour time (w time spent waiting on the flocculants). So they do have labour/man-hours down to a minimal, and it's something I want to be able to mimic on my own setup.

Nick told me that for DWC, solids removal is absolutely necessary to be broken down in a somewhat separate system (their geotextile chamber and solids breakdown/oxygenated chamber) due to the issues solids cause w plant roots. Unfortunately, RDF's (rotary drum filters) and other fine-mesh (to the micron - ie.sieves) systems aren't usually too 'low maintenance, DIY-friendly', or cheap. Thankfully this forum has shown me that there are other ways around solids separation that do work (though not necessarily DWC).

So I'm curious as the continued/renewed results of the OP's system and how it's functioning without solids separation as in Dr.Savidov's.

Ahh... now I'm with ya....



Who/what are the "OP's system"???

OP - Original Poster in reference to earthbound's system

OK... but EB's system does remove... and digest the solids...

Yep, large solids removed and broken down separately, though long term results from the system don't exist because it's shut down at the moment due to other external issues... For now we are weighing up the pros and cons of getting it running again, it's going to require a fair investment of time and money, and for a system that doesn't return for us in the short-medium term, it's a pretty hard thing to justify easily.

We had, and still have many enquiries about it, and even people wanting to buy the systems and have them installed, but without running more trials we just aren't willing to install such systems for people. There are plenty of others out there that will promote and sell/install so called commercial systems and components that haven't been fully trialled, but ultimately this is just bad for AP..

As the failing systems mount up from people trying to make a quick $ selling their experimental commercial systems, AP starts to be seen as something that doesn't work.

EB, thanks for that update. I sure admire your honesty about the commercial system.

EB, same thing is happening here in Hawaii. People selling systems and consulting services that don't work all that well. People are starting to get the idea that AP doesn't work or is impossible. Not good for the overall movement...

Sadly that's been reflected across the AP spectrum in the last 12 months HB... even with backyard systems...

Every "successful entrepenaur", cosmic bling salesman, life coach etc etc.... has popped their head up... claiming to have been doing AP since Noah was a boy... and offering "dinky-di" "fish/farm in a box" solutions.... consultancy... e-books and blogs

Or having been around for 12 months... are suddenly "internationally recognised" experts... for hire...