Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

That's interesting about the taste of the honey, I hadn't heard that before. Thanks for the review Skeggley.

I'm almost tempted to bite the bullet, but the price tag keeps putting the brakes on, a couple of hundred dollars cheaper and I wouldn't hesitate.

I keep researching and still can't make up my mind, as Skeggley said there's a bit of bad press out there on the Flow Hive, and I think most of the bad press is just a case of sour grapes.

https://www.honeycolony.com/article/against-flow-hive/

As Skegg said teething problems and poor quality knock-offs are about the only drawbacks I've found so far.

Good to hear some of it is still going strong.
Lots of silver perch in the tank and trout in the freezer, not a lot to complain about then.

Hey man, your comment was a good jolt. I really do need to get something going on with an AP system. I have a ton of excuses though!

The biggie was that we emigrated from South Africa to New Zealand. Really cleaned me out. But we're turning the corner now and the finances are starting to not be so stressful. As things change over the next year I can see that opportunities will arise. So thanks Skeg, you're totally right - I do need to do something. I am dead keen, just need to make sure we're able to take it on. Renting also presents it's own challenges.

I think the day I break ground on it I will name it "The Most Overdue AP System in The History of the Universe" what do you think?

I'm getting the hang of filleting these trout.
Slowly working out way through the freezer stock.
Definitely easier pin boning the larger fish but still a pain.

Nice I’ve probably got around 8-10 left to practice with also.
The next batch should be awesome lol.


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Trout are definitely a pain to debone, but they are tasty! I don't know of anyone raising trout near me, but we do have a hatchery that isn't too far, about an hour drive. We have cool winters, but rarely freezing, and usually get up over a hundred for a few days in the summer. It kind of makes fish choices tricky if you don't want to heat or cool the system. I like that you were up for the challenge though, and have been successful!

Skeg, I just read through most of your thread, you have an awesome setup by the way, and it seems that you have been able to keep strawberries growing in somewhat salty water. I saw that you had one system that was around 5 ppt, and one around 2 ppt at some point? Did you have the berries running in both? I have a strawberry plant that someone gave me, in a pot, but I just salted to 3ppt, you think it might make it if I pop it in there??? I know most people swear they'll croak if you even think about adding salt... Sorry this is off the fish smoking/cooking topic..... but I was just curious about your experience

Good grief, has it been a year since I updated!
Thanks for reviving the thread Will.
My system has fallen to neglect, one of the gbs has a 3M lemon gum growing out of it that I plan to uproot and plant in the ground when I can actually dig again come winter.
Strawberries. I haven't salted the system in ages, years probably and the same strawberry’s are growing still, they haven’t been terribly productive but nothing has really grown well for a while. Except the fish, they’re getting pretty big. I seem to be constantly battling rats which pinch the strawberry’s just when they’re ripe.
Probably time for a system recon.

My work just removed a giant lemon gum/ Eucalyptus. Beautiful tree, but I can imagine how fast it is growing, especially in an AP system. This one was ruining the water lines.

I might get the strawberry in the system just to see what happens.

Rats....argh. They eat most of our guavas and passion fruit every year! Unripe oranges, loquats, feijoas, figs....never ending battle. Some of mine might have jumped to your place! I've seen the bastards jump 4-5 feet.
They just caught on to the growbed, and swiped a few tomatoes. I've only had success with snap traps. I even tried some of those co2 traps, with no luck.

I hope I get one guava this year! I'm trying this for rat proofing. I tried aluminum window screen, stapled shut, and they ate right through it! Had to up my game a notch.

Skeg, I think it's time for an update....with pics...

Just to keep going with the rat theme....my neighbors got a male and female cat less than a year ago, not fixed, and they let them roam everywhere. They have had two litters of feral kittens so far.

The flea population is up, but the rodent population is down!!!

We finally got a good crop of guavas, and a bumper crop of passion fruit, unfortunately, our lizard population has dropped, and our cat poop in the sand box population has grown significantly.

Hi mate, to be honest I’m not really proud of my system at the moment, I got plenty of broccoli over winter but now, with our hot summer approaching, the beds are barren as until I get a cover over the area everything cooks and bolts. We get wicked easterlies and anything not nailed down sails off with the wind, in fact even stuff nailed down goes walk about...
I still haven’t pulled a perch out and they’re getting big now, pushing 400mm I reckon, one day.
Don’t get me started on cats, wildlife predators, good mousers are usually good birders also and as I have been planting for the birds my neighbours cat likes to visit much to my dismay. If it kept the rat population down it’d be an almost fair trade but it doesn’t seem to make a dent in the population especially with all the neighbours getting chooks.
I have the materials for a cover for the beds just need motivation. Stoopid beer keeps getting in the way.
I will get there just need to close off a few other jobs first.
So I’m afraid no photos just yet.

Hey, no worries!
I figured it was worth a shot......
A verbal update is still an update.

We've been getting the occasional heavy wind here. I had one that blew a 10x20 carport into my neighbors yard a while back. Blew down my slimy okra the other day.
I feel for you.

I understand about not feeling proud about the system. I am not proud that it's taken me so long to get this addition up and running, but my therapist says to share my vulnerabilities....or was that my wife??

Finally cooled down here and apart from occasionally feeding the fish haven’t done much AP wise as I haven’t installed shade cloth over the patch. Yet. Finally I can plant again without having the seedlings fried.
Topped up the sumps earlier this week and initiated constant flood mode then walked away. Couple of days later when visiting the shed I could hear the pump running but no water splashing in the tanks. Found the sumps dry and pump still running. Hmmmm checks found the IBC with the passion fruit in it overflowing. Who’d have thought you’d think I’d have noticed it after all I had noticed it fruiting profusely.
Yes there is an IBC at the back there. And a couple of blue barrels, pots, worm farm....
Time for an AP clean up.
Stay tuned.