Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

the string you mentioned (pink one) was the ties used for the chook box at the market (waste not want not) the orage one holding the ldpe water pipe is nylon

hehehe - a bit more acceptable for AP applications then

What is wrong with duct tape?

Nova

Now NCIS has finished I can put up the pics for vb:

Pic1:
The frame is 2 boxes the same size and hinged together so that either end can be pulled over 180 degrees and if necessary moved totally out of the way

Pic 2:
Shadecloth across the end and over the beams to offer shade in this hot weather - I can vouch for AA's comment about bugs dying with high temps, found a few lying on the shadecloth trapped between the plastic. I had a thermometer close to the top and temps were near 40c so removed it (working on the theory - if I don't know about it then it can't hurt me )

Will eventually trim the plastic and shadecloth to fit but right now am enjoying washing gravel too much to worry about minor detail (doors are still opening and clossing automatically )

The top shadecloth is easily removable - which might happen during the cooler winter months

Aaahhh! - just noticed my famous vertical pipe going to nowhere . I have done the plumbing so that I can add another growbed later and didn't have a ball valve to shove on the end, so did the "90 degree elbow and ram a bit of pipe in" trick (temporary of course )

Interesting story - I initially put in a bit of pipe about 30mm long, the water rose 35mm when drain cycle started (needed longer pipe )

Thanks Les

gday Les, I see the poly grow beds are supported by concrete besser bricks and in the later photos plywood sheeting has been added when the gravel was put in.

Have you found these poly beds flexing substantially or is the combined support of besser blocks and plywood sufficient?

Ive got some poly beds/troughs, and building stands is my next hurdle.

G'day Waterboy, the GBs are supported on 70mm wide hardwood fence palings (have a stack of them in "the shed"), I found that I could either put more blocks down or spread the weight via the fence palings, the fence palings I have used are sufficient to support the weight.

A disadvantage of gravel as a media is the weight and advise using some sort of material to spread the weight more (thick plywood sheeting would work also).

Problems - SP still not eating properly, putting in quarter what they were normally eating but they are very finicky.

Disconnected the siphon pipe between the 2 tanks and emptied and cleaned the duckweed tank out thoroughly, refilled with water, this is equivalent to a 50% water change - see what breckie time brings.

Temp is ranging 26-29c so they should be ravenous

A days fast every now and then is good for the fishies.

What is your GH. SP's want it up 200 or more. Just been reading the lime stuff can ya tell. Lime (dolomite) will bring this up and help steady the ole pH.

Water changes will of course lower the hardness.

Damned if you do.....

Tks AA, ever since I have moved them to the new system they haven't eaten much, I was thinking along the lines that the water may be stale(?) - the water was in the tanks for some weeks whilst I stuffed around getting greenhouse and GBs up and running.

Trying this course 1st and see if any positive results (don't have hardness tester)

Got a bag of dolomite in "the shed" - might try small doses in a day or so

What are the ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and PH readings Les?

These were the results taken end of last week, since then done 50% water change (and a smaller one also)
temp is slightly higher now 26-29c

Skittish as hell when I lift the lid and hide under anything convenient (only lift frame about 30cm to look under) - got me stumped at the moment

- what happens if you don't use a water ager? - do fish stop eating?

In my small system I only used tank water but filled the new system from the tap (and did water change from tap) after allowing to age for a day

Chlorine, chloramine and/or ammonia will burn the gills. Chlorine/choramine will kill bacteria. I don't think it would impact feeding.

If you have only chlorine in the water, aging for a few days will drive it off, especially if you use a bubbler. If you have chloramine, I also believe that you must use an Ager. It is much harder to break down than chlorine.

The feeding issue may just be nervous fish in a new surrounding. Can you offer them some particularly favored wiggly yummies? If you can get them started eating again on anything, you can then transition them back to standard chow.