Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hi gemmell. My timer only has 14 presets, dunno why. I have programmed it to start at 5am bc all things being equal, a system is at its lowest DO level just b4 dawn. I intend to run a large airstone 24/7 to help out over night.

Half expecting to see you taking a mud bath in one of those.

Is your timer a digital one? If so what happens to the memory when the power goes out?

Hi Dave. The digital timers also have a couple small batteries, so if there is a short term power outage it keeps to time. One thing i need to investigate tho is a small scale diesel genny that kicks in when the power goes out. Ultimately I think it will be good insurance if nothing else!

There was talk elsewhere on these forums about Off The Shelf battery backed air pumps. If the power goes out, at least your fish don't die. Then you don't need a diesel generator!

Will look into that for sure. Either way, definitely need air back up.

OK, carry on...

TT, very well done - what are the pavers on top of the GB pipes, to keep the light out and reduce algae ?

One point, I tend to keep plants away from the drain pipe as the roots love to grow down and in through your holes...just be aware of it and snip when required

Hey TT sounds like you have a dad like mine. I can't stand things out of line, Dad was a builder and if it is not level or strainght it is just not right. I will have to show you a picture of my shadehouse, it is similar to your pic. We have been recycling since before it was fasionable, they called me frugal Faye.

Hi Ell. We have a couple silver birch trees that hang over the gh. They tend to drop leaves and i just don't want any blocking drain pipes. Ultimately I will probably get some 90 mm stormy caps, but I had these bricks on hand.

I have been really pleased with how much stuff i have been able to use from my ebay gh purchase Faye. We have used most of the old treated pine. The sump tubs i got for free that had the crazy piping have been a bonus too. Used a lot of the tees and joins. Bit of a bugger seperating them and cleaning them up but it has saved us a few bucks on plumbing.

Alternative is to cut a piece of shadecloth and fit over, allow it to breathe better than an end cap

A close fitting end cap could turn it into a siphon

Quick, administer first aide to LKB!

I would have expected his usual response to a tree problem would be to reach deep into the trusty AP toolkit and extract the CHAINSAW

got me gg

Well TT, I am most impressed with your set up. We need a gh like yours. Ours are looking very sad after being constantly knocked around by strong winds. (All psrt of the learning curve.)

Will take that on board Ell, only got 5 zillion metres of shadecloth so should find a few scraps!
I don't envy you, see more. We get wind here August usually, but nothing like what you guys get most of the year. I was told that placing the hoops a little closer together and adding extra horizontal support, helps with the whole wind thing. Guess we will see when it is all enclosed.

Ordered my silvers today from John at Glenwaters. He has been wondering why he is so busy. I told him that Bruce at Ausyfish in Qld told me a month ago he had no silvers at all and that seemed to explain it. Anyway, picking up 400 60mm silvers at 90c each on Sunday morning. I was worried about my dirty water, but John has told me the turbidity will be good for the fish, they will feel less exposed.

Have been too busy to test the water but will do that 2moro and make any adjustments. I know the bio is fine, so don't see too many probs there and total fish biomass in the system will be buggerall for months until they put on some weight, so the system shouldn't be under too much strain given our tank volume and gb area.

Apart from that, i am stuffed. Drove nearly 800ks today and ready for sleeptime.

TT - you going to cycle the system before putting the 400 fish in? Regardless of the low biomass, they will still produce quite a bit of ammonia.