Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Just with a few bits and pieces from the local supermarket, AKA the dump!

It's a very handy thing indeed. I've already put my order in a smaller and larger version!

Save the fingers from digging in the gravel.. Though I'm still trying to work out exactly how it works..

Definitely saves the fingers (and the nails) from the gravel. Can I post a video on this site?

Took some pics to show the overall system layout.

Just when we thought we had it nearly all done, we got another tank! 2 new fish ponds coming up soon!!

I don't think we will ever be really done

new tank

Hi mate, great looking system. Can i ask what did you use for stands?

Thanks Zman. Stands are the same thing as the grow beds. 2nd hand fibreglass pipes.

We've put a concrete base in one and turned it into a little fish tank for the baby Koi. It works well. I'm sure more will end up being used for that at some stage.

What are the pipes originally designed for?
Sewage, water,chemicals?
and where do you get some?

Hi Snags

Yeah, they're water pipes. I think they were used for an underground water pipeline.

You could try 2nd hand auctions for mining equipment. Can get some good stuff!

Things are cranking up in the garden here.

Cabbage moths are going nuts. We have neighbouring canola farms which makes them go feral. The kids wanted some extra pocket money for the show so I said I would pay them 50c for each moth they caught. They caught 50 within a few hours so the price has come down to 10c a moth now! Made a temporary netting over some GB's and will remember to plant their favourite things together under the netting next year.

Still too cold to move Barra into pond. Could be a while off yet.

Dipel is good for cabbage moths. Bunnings stock it in the pest control aisle.

there's a bunnings in hopetoun now ?!

Ha Ha

There is a great little hardware shop that has nearly everything though

Cabbage moths are still in plague proportions but slowing down, I think!

Looking good Keena

A few changes been going on around here.

The weather hasn't been very predictable and the Barra are still not in the FT!

Last week we had 2 days in a row at 35 degrees, the water finally got to 21. It has been cooler again this week and this morning the FT temp was 16 again.

We had to make some alternate temporary accommodation for the Barra as they have gotten too big for the aquarium and having 50 of them in there was too high maintenance. So they are now in a 1500L tank wrapped in insulation and surprisingly the water is holding at about 24-25 degrees just with a 300W aquarium heater on at night. We are also covering the tank at night to avoid heat loss.

They really didn't like being moved and refused to eat for a week but they are happy now and smashing their food down once again. I managed to weigh one when we moved them, it was 50g. Some are bigger and would be getting close to 20cm long now.

It's just a waiting game now to see when/if we can put them in the big FT.

They're amazing fish and I'm so glad I had the chance to get close and personal with them in the aquarium. The get fed on a timer 4 times a day. Within half an hour of the timer going off they all swim around under where the food drops.....ready....waiting.

They are also toilet trained! Serious, they don't poo where they eat!

At least the delay in warm weather is good for the trout. We've still got about 20 swimming around happily in the FT. The last few we've caught have been averaged 670g and tasted bloody fantastic.

We've also added 20 yabbies and 10 marron in with the trout. They all seem to be getting along fine so far with plenty of hides for them. With the size of some of the Marron, it's the trout I'm worried about but so far it's all good.

The garden has been growing really well. Celery and carrots are the latest thing we've started harvesting and they're very yummy. I'm surprised my carrots aren't that wonky at all. Some of my tomatoes are finally turning red, can't wait to try them.

We're still waiting for our translocation approval from fisheries dept to get our new trout fry from Pemberton. The 'cool' tank is ready to go for them so hopefully we can get them before Christmas. Will post some pics of this soon.