Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Had an hour and half of rain today...
System weathered it essentially unscathed.
Definitely need to add berms around the sump tanks...

Ordered my blue tilapia today. Should be here Wednesday or Thursday!! Woot! Woot!

Then I will move the goldfish tank and plumb it to the big system.

bk

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Moving the goldfish tank after work...think I should put some stainless hardware cloth or screen between the tanks to prevent fish from swimming to different tanks?? This way I could keep species isolated...[FACE SCREAMING IN FEAR]

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Picked up a 100 gallon Rubbermaid stock tank off of Craigslist for $45. Going to use it for an isolation system. Happened upon a fish tank, heater and stand for 25 at a yard sale on the way. Future indoor breeding set-up.
Now for pics...


Tomato is growing and showing new growth.

Pepper plant finally fruiting!!

Seedlings doing well

Moved the second fish tank into position. Plumbed and ready to fill.

3 koi and 6 goldfish in the isolation system.
33 blue tilapia fingerlings in the big tank on the left. End tank is empty for the time being.
Put some bowls under the slo drains in case the fingerlings decide they want to take a trip...will get some mesh to put over the overflow tomorrow.

Another project for tomorrow...
24 blueberry plants to set out as an "edible hedge"


Overall a productive day.
Peace and rest to all.
bk

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"Overall a productive day." I'll say it was

Planted the blueberry plants after church.
I had 20 flags marking where they were to be placed. I will be under sowing raspberries and blackberries between them in December. I knew I had 24 plants so would need to measure the other 4...well I kept having more plants...and more plants.

I must've counted them 3-4 times trying to make sure. I felt like the count from Sesame Street..."twenty two, twenty three, twenty four!! Twenty four blueberry plants!!! Mwahahaha" (cue the lightning flash and thunder tracks)

Actually ended up with 37 plants!!!
Almost came across the entire front of the house...
Cut the grass with a push mower. Intended to use the rotary mower but the grass was too long. I picked up a toro self propelled bagger from craigslist for $70. Ran like a scalded dog...
Needless to say I am a worn out puppy.
System still plugging along. Need another fitting to increase back pressure on isolation system siphon but that will have to wait.
Have a great week.
bk

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Pic isn't very clear but you can see the flags along the curve past the light pole. The extra plants come past the pole 1/2 to where I was taking the pic...
Edible hedge progressing!


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That is quiet a shoe string.

Nice

Thanks.

HSM #?, I forget...

Walked out this morning to hit the gym and heard the pump sucking air...but different. Couldn't really tell what was going on so I turned it off. Came home, grabbed a flashlight and it seems the main sump tank bladder had collapsed.

Back story:
We had a heavy rain yesterday morning. Unforseen, not forecasted etc...
Came home at lunch and the sump holes were full of water, sumps were operating fine so I didn't worry about it. I figured the water would drain off as it always did and I could finish filling in the holes.
After work it was still too muddy to work on the system so I fed up and went to town demolishing the drywall on the load bearing wall I am removing...
Anyway, had to get to work so pics and corrections will have to wait until lunch.

Peace,
bk

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I have heard of that happening. Bummer deluxe. A few years back my brother and I were installing a new concrete septic tank next to his house. They delivered it and placed it, and the next day we were going to start back filling the tank, only it rained a proverbial gully washing frog floater that night, which of course in New Mexico is completely unexpected. The result was it floated the concrete tank, which wasn't bad enough, but it flipped it as well. We scrambled like Phoenician slaves the next few days with blocks, levers and chains, and finally got it righted. It was pretty cool how it worked, but it was also pretty awesome witnessing the power of Nature's hydraulics.

Lunch project...
Screw drain lines...but make sure you catch the PVC when you do...

Initial look

Better look


Pumped the water out of the hole into the empty fish tank and then onto the ground.
Filled both sumps up simultaneously. (They are plumbed together)
Tried out the fish tanks in series...seems the inflow is restricted due to one way flap. Looks like bk is going swimming after work.
Everything is back cycling as normal.
Tomato plant looked rough with no water for @ 18 hours or so...

Peace,
bk

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If that is what you do on a shoe string I would love to see the build if you spent money

Thanks F&F.
Set the pipe for valve access during lunch... reciprocating saw jumped and bit me...grrr
Was able to fill up the sump holes after work.



Peppers growing, new seedlings set out, tomato recovering.


Another productive afternoon.
Blessings.
bk

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looking good! This will be one heck of a 'lean-to' when you start building it with as many tanks and all that space you have in between them!

I second the Avalanche love! I bought a 2009 Avalanche LT last summer, absolutely LOVE it! It is so versatile and you can really pack some stuff in there and still have it all enclosed with the full back seat and tonneau cover! I had a work truck package Silverado before this and I'm living the dream with this Avalanche! I can't wait to see what they come out with when they return next year... hopefully they don't mess them up with the reintroduction! The only thing I don't like about my Avalanche the way it is, is that the mid-gate is a full size mid-gate. It would be so much better if they made the midgate 2 piece mid-gates to match the rear seats so I could fold one side of it down while keeping the single seat up for the kid's car seat!

Thank you.
Good points about the mid gate.
My dream is to do a Duramax Allison swap when this engine dies...

Went home at lunch and was going to give the rabbits a treat. Noticed my females had some fur gone and cuts on their flanks. Thought perhaps they were fighting...went to check on my male and he was dead. Missing a leg...grrrr

I disposed of him and went back in the house. Heard a dog barking...sure enough...he was pulling the fur of the small female. The get panicked and don't move. I had to encourage him to get along with my .22. Don't enjoy shooting dogs but I will to protect the creatures entrusted to my protection.

I feel I have let them down. I reckon I need 1/4" hardware cloth around the pens...grrrr

I have been focusing on the interior of the house.
Walls removed. Load bearing beam installed in the ceiling.

Most of the drywall back up



I have the island essentially set in its final location. Built platforms using lumber from the wall removal and free plywood from work.

Pics tonight...

Still worked up over losing a rabbit...

Peace.
bk

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No work on the house nor system today...
Friend gave me 37 blackberry bushes so I had to dig them up and plant today.

Such a blessing as I was going to purchase some in December anyway!!


Promised pics of island progress.
2 black cabinets I scored from Lowe's on clearance along with the gas range.
Prep area at the end is being built from old range cabinets.


Back side of island, beginning of raised bar wall.


Side note...found some rabbits on Craigslist and drove to get them Thursday. Male did his business on the way home so in 28 days I should have 3 litters of rabbits...then breed the 2 females from my original purchase.

Have a blessed weekend.
bk

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