Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I generally dont use seasol as a foliar spray, attracts too many flies in kalgoorlie.

250 ml of concentrate in 8000 liters of water twice a month gives good results. You should just get a slight tinge of brown in the water. I have added way too much on occasion into the smaller system, turning the water totally brown, didnt kill anything though

As chappo says, with your nitrates that high, use the non nitrate maxicrop.

No flowering or fruit setting problems here.

Raining like hell... as yet no numbers today but since yesterdays feed was the same as the day before...

No feed today, I tried, with maybe 1/2 a hand full, I'm guessing 30grams but the rain is so hard (i guess) they are staying low.

Yes thanks, for the data on Maxicrop. We only have the one Maxicrop product low in N. it's their Liquid Seaweed.
Yes I looked for the lowest N
(N) 0.1%
(K20) 1.0%
Chlorine 1.0%

I wanted to check with you, the "regular users" of Maxi-crop and make sure our formulas were close enough to be called the same.
It's the Chlorine that gets me... 1.0% seems unnecessary Why Chlorine? Colors?



All is well,
Thanks

Nice!

Might be a bit different from the product here in OZ...especially the N level... haven't got a bottle handy to check..

What's the actual product name Don??

Here's a good potassium source + Humate... available in OZ under the name "Maxicrop® Natural 100% Organic Plant & Soil Nutrient"



MSDS ... http://www.multicrop.com.au/MSDS/Maxicr ... f-1004.pdf

Thanks guys, I knew something was fishy (no pun intended) lol

This is the product I have...
It's called, "(OHRSTROM'S Liquid Seaweed"
http://www.maxicrop.com/pages/products_1_seaweed.html

Please note, the time taken to inform and educate the consumer as to just what lurks inside bottle. No, you must be in the store, with product in hand, to see their details.

This is their US website... the products for sale, here (and their packaging)! http://www.maxicrop.com/pages/products_main.html

If these guys are acceptable, I really like the Liquid Seaweed Plus Iron for Vegetative growth and Liquid Seaweed Plus K for Bloom.

Dang Rupe!!! ... Plus K Humate(s)
Based on the description from the MSDS pdf. you posted Rupe of what you guys use there, it looks like, this product and I stress, LOOKED like, is the closest in commercial pitch/brochure... http://www.maxicrop.com/pages/products_4_seaweed.html

thanks,

Looks like I'm going to have to hijack your thread again Don

I have had a slight change of heart on molasses, sorry Chappo.

Aquaculture - yes
Twisted Hydro - yes
organic -yes
Aquaponics - a hesitant no

As Myles said the promotion of heterotrophic bacteria could be to the detriment of the nitrifying bacteria. The article linked while on the subject of backwashing bead filters discusses this, it may also be of some interest to those technically minded as to what happens with GB's. http://nsgl.gso.uri.edu/lsu/lsux97004.pdf

The Plus Iron FTW Don Dont forget you'll need potassium for root crops too.

Yeah OB, I've seen this lack in K in my Radishes and Carrots as I've said, "I'm scared of everything"!

But... What do you guys think about the 1.0% Chlorine???? I don't like it. ...and you guys have Humate(s) Wasn't I squawking about that earlier, lol I'm sure the Fulvic is there too, just not mentioned by Name. These are fundamentals, it is IMO impossible to have mature GB without them being present.

See how they treat us, Americans? ... like the "Smart Car" a hybrid diesel/battery 150 MPG or better and we can't get it. Not for sale in the US; if you want one, you must drive it back from Canada AND PAY out the ass for the RIGHT, to do so. America is only FREE if you can afford it, Ask OJ! I digress further. HHO, YOU folks in OZ are the ground breakers on that ALSO; seems the queen was locking up some damn smart ancestors.

NP Sleepe, It's all good data, I will finishing reading your link, however I saw no reference to any sugar based mycorrhizal in the system, IMO mycorrhizal would be the second part of this binary system and the ultimate control factor in plant uptake/conversion. Without the Mycorrhizal, solids not converted may build up over time and could cause a slower rate of de-nitrification/conversion. The addition of Humate/Humic and Fulvic acids would with time convert.

IMO Adding 1/2 of a well known Binary/Symbiotic System is an imbalance, period. When you add an imbalance by design...

As to the direct issue of AP Bacteria being slowed. I'm no expert but in my own recent experience with the VERY VERY SLOW growth rate of AP Bacteria; it is my contention, the phenomenal growth rate of mycorrhizal wouldn't allow for any extra build-up of sugars or the gunk created by them that the AP Bacteria can't convert..

In short order, the entire system would be over run by AB/AM Mycorrhizal not allowing any sugar to escape it's grip and cares nothing for fish poop.

Chappo, with caution I would venture to say the addition of Mycorrhizal would reduce the amount of Molasses you use daily and your Algae would explode with growth in less then a week. Try it without the fish and just the water... and watch your Algae explode.

But what do I know...


Numbers for 07/14 Appear unchanged.
Ammo 0 to a trace
Nitrite 0 to a trace
Nitrate 50 - 60ish

Funny, I can see a very visible pile of fish poo sitting dead center of the tank.

Is this poo broken down already, without the use of the beds? I don't think so. Seems I can't trust these tests!

How can I have such low readings with a big pile of poo plain as day?

Thanks All.

You sure it's poo and not uneaten pellets Don?....

In terms of humate developement... I'm of the opinion that this probably takes place within the growbeds as the solids are broken down and the system matures...

Many of those who've run their systems for several years and then for some reason cleaned their beds.... report a "sludge" in the bottom of their beds...

Almost without exception, they also report a happy, healthy colony of worms, which have been happily munching/breaking down the solids...

With regard to the "chlorine".... very hard to say.... might depend on just what form it takes.... as a free "chloride" ion/salt... then it's probably no more of a problem than adding salt as a medication... indeed perhaps a benefit in that regard...

Remember you dealing with 1% (w/v) and will only being adding very small amounts in relation to your system volume...

It sure smells like poo, I guess I could taste it... Think it tastes like shit too? lol Just playing... but I would spread it on a cracker.

Thanks Rupe, I feel better about moving forward as a foliar spray. I have decided, if these vines keep growing like they are, I will be Meters and Meters away from the beds themselves any way and I'll just go with what I know. lol.

It's the spraying over the beds, I was sweating.
Thanks.

There is never ANY un-eaten food in this tank. The fish are just above starved. I use floating food and never leave the tank until i confirm all food is consumed.

Couldn't make out where you pump is situated in your pool Don....

If the pile is in the center... then can you put your pump there so that it sucks the crap up?

Yes Sir, that's the plan, move it back to the center.

I was only noting the weirdness of it. The circulation is such, that I can take a tank reading from the current along the sides and get no reading but take a reading from the bottom center... poo, strange.

It isn't so strange that you could get different readings from different parts of a system. And it sounds like your current runs swiftly around the outside of the pool but the center kinda sits and spins. Watching how solids move and collect in a system can inform you alot about how the circulation is working.

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Thats why it was a hesitant no Don
Its unfortunate that there is little hard research into AP and extrapolating from single purpose systems data always leaves me with the worry that I have forgotten something.