Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I kept two jades from the harvest a few months ago and both have died. The smaller one died in the big outside community tank when the water got down to 6ish and the biggger one was listless at the surface. I netted him out and put him in the greenhouse system but he carked it the other day when we had a lingering frost (still -1.4 at 9am) and foolishly had this systems pumps starting at 7am, so the tank would have been very cold.

Hi Quentin

Im from NSW too... but the south west corner so not very close!

We just installed a gas spa/pool heater to test it out... but I would be tempted if you have the room to check out a 'rocket stove mass heater'. I looked at them years ago when looking at cob buildings, and Web4Deb is looking at putting in one... look under 'web4deb's geodesic greenhouse' I think its under...

There are a few cool heating methods if you are interested in looking at wood burning stoves and the like...

Hope that helps! Cheers,
Netab.

Hi netab32

Keen to hear more about the gas heater as you learn more about it. Gas does seem like a good idea to heat the water - you would have some pretty cold nights where you are - I will also look at the Rocket Mass heater - thanks

I have started to read your terrific Members System thread - boy you are ambitious.

I am still in design stage but burried in reading & calcs for my system - it is CHOP & I have come up with a device to lower the pond down while still having the gravity drain into the grow beds & the sump under the grow beds. I will do a drawing & try to post it. I am new and a but dumb when it comes to using the site.....hope to learn fast

Thanks for the help

Bye for now

Quentin

Ha Quentin. Don't no much about heating, thou am starting to work out the site. Stick at it. It gets easier as time goes on. I'm hopeless with computers and the Internet, but slowly working it out. Don't give up, there is plenty of good info on hear.

Hi all.
I'm at the southern end of Lake Maquarie. I have an IBC cut up and an extra growbed i picked up on ebay.
Looking at building a more permenant system, possibly in a green house. Any ideas would be great, slowly making my way through the site.

Better late then never,
I'm in Albury (2640), have 1 system going and 1 in construction.
Would be great to hear from someone local.

Lyndon

I'm in Edgeworth in Newcastle.

Currently only have 1 system running at the moment, an ibc setup with Barra

Other system is from DYI Aquaponics (needed to move it due to renos, just about to kick it off again

I love northern NSW.

My partner is from that area, we stay at Evans Head every year around sept-oct for a holiday, such a beautiful place.

We will be moving to around that area at the end of next year. Look out East side! Im going to miss my yabbie hunting adventures but its time to move on.

I might be able to come visit some of you fine people!

And only a few hours drive to the Sunshine coast Charlie.

Initially what got my attention was Murrays vid I watched it at a mates place about 5 times. Im in Sydney and Im in a long term rental property, so I am keeping my system as simple as possible in case I have to move, My good wife is disabled (the big C) and her part in our hobby is to organize what and when to grow by drawing up the plans concerning the growbeds, she loves it.
I have two growbeds, a sump (1/2 an IBC) and one 1000ltre exIBC fish tank. The pump that I got has a 2.5mtre lift.I think that this should be enough. Im about to purchase my gravel and when Im ready I will be starting with 50 either jade or silver perch. I purchased a Masters ph, nitrite, ammonia, nitrate checking kit from ebay cheap.

The way that Ive been putting my system together is 'slowly' Ive watched roadside 'chuckouts' and believe it or not Ive collected most of my plumbing in this way, with heaps to spare. its amazing what people throw away. Two days ago I picked up two, yes two metal bath tubs in good nick. Ive cleaned, painted them and Im thinking that I will try to grow Duckweed to offset any costs. I will save and will eventually buy a biopod and collect the grubs for fish food. I bought a wormfarm from Aldi and worm starter pack from Masters (An excellent hardware store)Ive asked the owner of my home if I can put an external powerpoint to the fishtank and he is happy (Im paying)

One of my son-in-laws has been bitten with the Aqua-bug once he saw how the auto syphon works. I have a small tank sitting ontop of my home fishtank, the small tank (made of plastic) found in a chuckout, has 5 yabbies in it and I redirected the fish water pipe into that tank and I have a small auto syphon that puts the yabby water in with the fish and then the fish filter cleans the water. My idea at this time is to have the yabbies in the sump, I am also interested in the future to look into growing murray crayfish, but Ill have to look into that further down the line. Im also going to be buying a subscription of the 'Backyard Aquaponics Mag' there is a heap of great info in that mag.
So, thats where Im up to, I hope that we, (wife and I) have encouraged others that are starting out. Take it slow and steady, watch the dollars and we hope that you will enjoy your Aqua - experience as much as we are.

Welcome Budgiegrower

You'll have to start a thread of your own dedicated to your system. Doesn't matter whether you've got it up and running or not. Had my thread going for a year before I got to put any fish in my system.

You'll find the jades a lot more fun, but I'm not sure they'll handle a Sydney winter though.

Yep, the Jades are unproven down here in Sydney...

I've seen them around Wyong way.. in winter... so they should be OK...

A lot of people wanted to give them a go last summer... but the cool Nov & Dec... meant that fingerlings weren't available until mid January...

I'll be trying to get a batch in as early as possible this year... and give them a go...

Where in Sydney budgie?

I'm near blacktown.

Bow Bowing, near Ingleburn

Quirindi. Near Tamworth. 2343

Sent from my MB526 using Tapatalk 2