Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Updates! I dont know how big these photos are. Hopefully not as big as last time. If they are big then apologies, if it causes any problems feel free to skip to the next page They are from the 14th. So a little while ago.

So i did end up having a few casualties. My capsicum and jalapeno didnt make it. I think the extreme heat was enough to take them out after the move. So i got new ones of those, a habanero, some bok choy and some new corn.

System overview. Brahmi has gone spastic. I have already had to trim it out of the grow bed to stop it invading the whole lot.



New corn is looking a lot better than the old stuff. When i took these photos, you could just see the flowers starting to form. The tomato is a self seeded one, i figured i would let it go and see what happens. I have eaten a few of the lettuce too.



New capsy. It will have fruit bigger than the tree soon!



You can see the damage that has been done by the caterpillars. I have been pulling some off every day that i am home. I have not been home for a few days now and it will be a week away when i get home so i am not looking forward to seeing the damage.



The cucs are still going gang busters though. You can see the watermellon trying to keep up against the bricks.



I also saw this guy while my phone was out.



I have also been having trouble with tiny grass hoppers. I am not really sure what to do about those guys.

Silvers are still feeding well, they seem to be loving the warmer weather. It has been really cold here at night though, down to around 15degC or so. That is jacket territory there!

Nice work with the move. It's crazy the effort APers put in to there systems

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Says the man who has a balcony full of blue barrels and spends hours welding them!

Looks great Ryan, A bit of extra sunlight has it booming.


You image resizing on the other hand is bloody terrible

Yeah yeah... More bang for your buck

Ok so a little update. Hopefully the photos will be smaller this time. I threw together the few solar parts that i had to see what happened. I had a spare battery floating around that i had been keeping charge but condition was unknown. It was holding voltage though.

I had my pump and my air pump running on the solar since late morning. Everything was running sweet, only 1 amp up my sleev for charging the battery though. The plan is to have an automatic changover switch that flicks to mains power when the battery runs flat or a cloudy day etc. The add on more components as they become available. The battery didnt even last 1 hour though.

Nice work Ryan, what specs are all your solar bits?

I love not depending on mains power, it just seems so much cleaner that way.

You do realise you have room for another 20 IBC's along that wall mate.

yer why do we see only one

Ryan, your ummm, photos are big..

I also love the Solar panel stand, is it made by datepalmstands r us ?

Sorry i didnt reply all, i didnt see the replies

Nebbian, it is a 110W panel. It is not even close to running the pump/air and charge the battery, but i will set it up to run during the day. When funds permit (read, i find the stuff for free) i will expand it so i am mains independent. I have a few ideas to make it a solar tracker and getting a MPPT might go close during summer.

Haha SV it was made by them! The quality wasnt as good as i was hoping.... Has a bit of burning on it already....

Now here is the problem i am facing. Trout season is coming. I dont have anywhere to put them. Silvers go to sleep at winter. If i were to have another fish tank for trout and maybe 2 x 1/2 IBC raft systems i should be sweet hey? Yeah i reckon so. Now to find 2 x IBC's

Not even close to running the pump and air?

A 110 w panel should be plenty for an IBC system like that, mine's 120 watt with a bit more growbed than yours, and it works like a champion!

Come on you're a smart lad, you'll figure out a way to make it work :-)

Pressure is on now!

Ok so in my test the other day, i have 1 amp spare to charge the battery. I only have a PWM controller remember... I am actually getting about 80W or so out of the panel. With a MPPT tracker it might just get through in summer. I dont get decent light onto the panel until about 10am too... I am running CF as well, not timed F&D. I could switch to that...

I may have also have 800AHr of battery fall into my lap. Not deep discharge, but with that capacity, who cares

Are you using 12 V pumps for water and air, or 240 v ones with an inverter? How many watts does each one draw?

I am using 240v. Around 60w for the pump and around 10w for the battery backup air. I don't plan on buying new ones though until these ones kick the bucket. I think with a timed flood n drain with mppt and solar tracking it would go close...

Feel like taking part in a solar tracker project? I have lots of ideas.

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