Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

eggbert, you may have seen my system backing onto Wulagi Park. I am home most days, you're welcome to come by and visit if you would care!

I also have some interesting information to share about alternatives to barra... but not quite ready to drop on the forum yet!

Ahh, great. Yes that must be you.

Fantastic looking set up from the outside.

Thanks for the offer, will pop by one evening soon. Am just about to head away for a break but will be in contact when I get back.

OK, some good news for Territorians. I have just received a Section 16 permit from Fisheries to import Jade Perch from Livefish Pty Ltd in QLD. I was able to successfully argue that Jade Perch are native to the NT and therefore should not be excluded.
I hope they are a more viable option than barramundi!

Cheers!

Was it much work for you?

It took a little time on research and then arguing the toss with Fisheries. I found an NT Gov't document that listed Scortum barcoo as a fish found in the Georgina, James and Ranken Rivers and possibly others (see http://www.lrm.nt.gov.au/__data/assets/ ... fishes.pdf ). It was hard for them to argue against this, but they tried by going to a taxonomist with Arts and Museums. He concurred with the above document.

I would think they could only refuse other applications now because of suitability and security of ponds/tanks.
I applied 20 August 2014 and received permit 23 September. One month, so not too much work.

Nice work kajayr, will definitely have to pop around and take a look soon. For all the glory it gets barra is not my favourite fish.

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Love to be able to do Barra without the huge cost of winter heating. Been eating the Jades and the silvers are still 12 months away from being ready. Barra would be nice.

Jades will do good in the top end and should feed all year round.

Just a note to let you know a little about the 32 Jade Perch from LiveFish Pty Ltd I received about two weeks ago.

I received the fish 24 hours after dispatch from Bundaberg. 7 / 32 were dead on arrival and another 2 / 32 died overnight. So I now have 23 / 32 fish which are doing very well. (Livefish have applied a credit for 7 fish for next time I order.)

They are delightful little fish and feed voraciously on whatever I have put in the tanks with them so far... Initially I did not feed them for a couple of days, and I soon noticed they were grazing on the algae on the tank walls. Soon there were no longer any long strands of algae floating in the tanks and the water cleared up significantly.

They are now feeding on 1 teaspoon of 4mm Marine Float per dozen fish twice per day. I suspect they have also cleaned up a few of the smaller guppies I had in the tanks to keep mosquitoes at bay. Caterpillars on my greens last about 10 seconds when I throw them into the water. Maggots from compost, same deal. Leftover cat food - they just chow down on it. Beautiful, I am very pleased with them.

Sounds interesting... We were thinking of maybe a second (little bit smaller) system for our verandah extension for herbs and maybe some flowering plants.

With Jade find out what the PH of the suppliers water is and have yours the same. Bought fifty last March and 38 died. After we spoke to the supplier about it he said his pond was way down compared to my 6.7 which is around the normal PH of his ponds. They were replaced ok but was very worried that something was wrong with my system. All is well and they have started to eat again after winter.

Just a point to remember when next you blokes order Jades.

Thanks ccBear, will check that next time. Currently my pH is about 7.5, may have to let it drop a little.

Temperature varies between 20C (July) up to a maximum of 33C sometime in October... so I guess they will just keep feeding voraciously all the time!

My temp is 9 to 33 C, when it hits 30 c start getting the oxygen into the tank. At 9 c they are sluggish and you can forget feeding. Yours should be good all year round but they will keep eating so just be careful of how much you give them. They are opportune eaters so they eat as much as they can during the good times and store fat to see them through the lean times.

Any top end members can provide some information for me, cheers

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Bloody thread hijackers...