Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Seems kind of perverse Tony, have spent years fighting ammonia, nitrites and nitrates.

Just had a plague of caterpillars, hundreds crawling up the walls etc. The fish were slightly confused at first with a wiggling meal but soon got used to it, they are even annoying hover flies which are also in great numbers. First time I have seen goldfish try to sneak up from underneath then a fast strike (never seem to catch them but I suppose it gives them a bit of exercise).

Temps in the hills (our side) hit 42 yesterday, looks like the yabbies will be out and about shortly. pond water up to 23 degrees.

Have started spraying with fish tank water, being the least likely to upset everything might also dump the rest of the fishtank water in the pond. If this fails it looks like up the ammonia .

Still like to know if anyone has used fish emulsion.

An update, what I did wrong and what worked.

Mechanically the system is running without a problem, loop siphon works like a charm and the ping pong balls are shutting off the beds in sequence.

Plants have been a drama. When they initially went in pond sat at 7.2ph 0 ammonia 0 nitrites and 0 nitrates. I put three more goldfish from my fishtank, getting to big for it anyway, in the pond and upped the feed.
Also dumped the water from the fishtank into the pond, very high in nitrates. All of this had absolutely effect whatsoever.
The plants stayed small and stunted looking and would not grow. I thought it was spider mites at first, then lack of nutrients untill I realised the pea gravel was getting really hot. The plants took a long time to get over this and have only just started to grow well.
Curiously the centre tomato has stayed small and yet is producing fruit all the time. The so called pot romas have now reached and are through the top frame.
Now finally have a digital camera so pic's.
First is the washing machine loop siphon (note the sophisticated level adjustment)
Second the plants (slowly getting there)
Third the real SLEEP E (as most think it is something to do with my admittedly strange sleeping habits)

Wow.. I used to have one of those ... VW's that is....

Where did you get the growbeds from Sleepe?

Telstra Rupert

They were always changing the office, I volunteered to get rid of them

Damn! That's some fine scrounging Sleepe!
Well done. I think that'd make even F&F envious.

Doubt it, I'd love his big earthmover.
I end up having to pay in cartons and owing favours

So how have you got the mobile AP system setup

can't see any flexible tubing running to the car - take it the fish are in the rear there (nearly said boot then) and that is the lid to the fish tank

...had a good look and couldn't spot any water leaks around the round rubber bits

That roma is a keeper!

Ell type 3's have a boot? in the front and the rear .

John

Don't understand that plant, grows very little but keeps producing fruit

Don't understand that plant, grows very little but keeps producing fruit [/quote]

Sleepe, as all fruiting plants or trees, go for growth when at optimum
but go to fruit (reproduction)when stressed to assure survival of the species.

Steve

Have to find a way of keeping the toms slightly stressed then

Not if you get them mixed with greens you don't want to bolt to seed,
but can trail the toms horizontally, that will help.

Nice setup - love the price!

As I still can't get started on the larger system (various problems), I decided to overhaul this one and anyway it gives me a chance to experiment. Added an additional shade area and major (well minor ) construction finished. Now waiting on some uniseals to be delivered and aquiring an esky (verge collections next week), then plumbing (my not favourite job, always ends up costing money).
Basically the new system is pond water into a swirl filter then into trough (in earlier pics). Pumped from trough to a biofilter, most dropped back to trough some to flout in esky (sort of header) then Flush and Drain to pots in market boxes back to trough.
Overflow in trough (clean water) back to pond.

Pics so far: