Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

The big system is similar to my GH plan. I like it!

everything was growing gang busters for a good while, and then bam, it was like it ran out of something

it started showing signs right before i had to go out of town for a few days, when i got back it was looking bad, and i dosed it with some more maxicrop with iron, but after a week that did not seem to help, as most of the pickleing cucumbers and all the beans died, while some of the market more cucumbers are still going. And a lot of the tomatos had the leafs turn brown and fall off......

I added some Potassium bicarbonate and the new growth on the peppers and tomatos and cucumbers is greener.....

been pulling out the dead stuff, so some freshly planted cucumbers the peppers will have plenty of light.......

mean while, the Ph had come down from 7.4- to 7.2- over the last 2 mo
with the water temps about 79F to 81F,
had been feeding heavy, but did a check on the first, and had ammo at 0.50- ites at 0.25- ates at 40+
so quit feeding, and this morn the ammo 0.25- ites at 0, so will feed some tonight and see where it goes.... Just wating on the new Trickle Down Biofilter's / GB's to mature some.......

I was real sad when the Cucumber konked out, i had been eating a 5 to 7 in long Cucumber and several cherry or yellow tomatos every morn.........

the newly seeded ones will be producing soon...... and the dirt garden will be too......

What kind of dogs are they RS? They look like Bullarabs, do you hunt?

They are German Short Hair Pointers mixed with pointer and mutt, and no i dont get to go Quail, Dove, or Pheasant hunting much any more. My back does not like my 12ga........

and this batch of puppys are better cowgirls, than quail pointers anyway..... as the first rabbit they located, and they would be gone for 2-3 hours.............. because of my back going out a few years ago, i did not get to train them like some of their predecessors........

update....

Well it seems that my monster GB sump tank plan has been shot down in several ways...... First, the use for free Backhoe to dig the sump hole, now needs the water pump replaced, and the guy does not know when he will get around to it.......

2nd, the dump truck for hauling gravel, needs inspecting, and tags, and insurance, and he can't afford to do that for a good while eather...

and 3rd, the total price tag for the GB/sump, is just to much to do all at once..... i had planed to do a little at a time, but until the Backhoe is fixed, i can't even get started............

So, Plan B......

I was given 4 old hydroponic tubs and 4 4'x4' x 10" deep trays. So i am setting these up with blue barrels as the sump tanks, so that i can get some more GB online asap.......

will take my trailer to TXI and get 2 yards of 3/4"+ size gravel this afternoon, or in the morn...

So GreenPhenoix, you up for washing gravel this week end....?

will post pic's soon........

meanwhile, about 3 weeks ago, 30-40 baby fry showed up in the FT, so i scooped them out and put them in the first white Fry barrel, and they have been growing like weeds..... not sure if they are tilapia or goldfish fry

then this morn, there were 40-50 baby fry in the FT, so I've been scooping them out and putting them in the 2nd white fry barrel, i think this batch are tilapia fry.........

so much fun........

Yeaaa,

More baby tilapia fry in the tank... and a Female guarding a corner of the happa net cage....

so i spent the last 3o min scooping them out, and will go look for more after i cool off and eat something......

i dont think this is the female i saw mating a few days ago....... i may have more soon....

Gday

Awesome read . Have you got a diagram of the working system/s that you can post.

Hi Shaker,

I don't have a diagram of the current Plan B setup,

But there is a older Pipeing diagram of the GH FT and Biofilter in my new member introduction thread, it needs updating though....

I guess now that the Plan B GB / sump setup is running from the GH FT, and only the extra outside IBC FT needing plumbed up, and some landscaping needing finished off, I could post some pic's.

Mean while, the baby Tilapia have been growing great, with about 12 or so at about 5" and a lot at 4"..... I got a new Happa Net cage built and installed in the GH FT and have the biggest baby Tilapia in 1/2 of it now.....

Should have some more babys very soon as i saw a female with white between the stripes, guarding a corner of the cage this morn.

Update:

OK Plan B is now running and a bunch of tomatos and peppers etc.... transplanted or planted in the grow beds

a cupple of weeks later, and the new growth is noticeable, and the pinto beans and purple hull peas comming up good in the 2nd 4x4 bed. The Celantro and parsely have not come up yet in the 1st 4x4 bed...... it may be to hot for them to come up good

and a 1lb 6.7oz Tilapia for dinner tonight, with tomatio and hot pepper salsa for the garnish....

Hope you enjoyed the fruits of your labour RS...

Thanks Rupert,

just got finished, and yes we did........ C says it was the best fish she has cooked yet, and the dirt garden anaheim peppers stuffed with home made goat cheese and grilled with the fish, was fantastic......

Nice work RS.

Time for a update