Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hi arbe , any plans for a back up system if power fails? Don't know if i could pay for fish with out having a back up plan to keep them alive. Maybe your power does'nt fail as often as ours.

Nice system

There certainly are plans. For now I can borrow my Dad's petrol generator, but the longer term plan is to go totally off-grid with solar and batteries appropriately sized for the months there isn't a lot of sun.

Main reason for this is where this system will eventually end up - my completely off grid (in terms of water, power, gas etc) country block.

just been up to take a look at arbe's system looks even beter in real life
its a credit to you arbe and the boss seems to be very proud to
give it a couple of weeks and it will be time to eat them home grown vegies
well done guys

Thanks for your kind words Wolly.

It's always nice to have a fellow AP enthusiast over.

Took a trip to the Backyard Aquaponics store today to get a few things to get the third bed online.

I could have fitted more in the car but the boss was worried it may shift when I went round a corner and land on our son who was sitting in the back.




Didn't do too bad for a small car with 3 people in it at the same time.

Ran out of time to get photos of the third bed as I was providing tours of the system all day to interested couples.

true AP spirit .

Got some pics of the grow beds.

Here is a previous pic when the first two were planted with seedlings.



Here are the beds today:



The third bed was topped up with Hydroton and planted with seeds with the exception of some beens which we managed to get sprouted a couple of days ago.

Nice looking system arbe! Nice to see the family working on it as well.

You did a very nice job building your setup. By one of you last posts you may be moving or are you just going off grid where you are?
Thanks for the help with my system also.
Don

Both Don.

I will be taking this system off grid (the system is complete and I need a project to stop me from tinkering) and I have already purchased a new country block just under 2 hours away from the city in the whealtbelt.

The country block is completely off grid and will cost too much to connect (somewhere around $200k).

GDay Ray

Been awhile....

All looking very good


AJ

Nice looking system. Seems to fit in rather well to the space available.

Now before you get all bent out of shape, just remember, it's training, not meanness that will have me say...
...Mousetraps.
Train em while they are young, they won't forget.
If it's too much for you, might try some cayanne pepper in peanut butter smeared on the edges of the GB where he likes to jump. Don't be shy with the pepper either.

And uh, don't lick your fingers.

Hi AJ. It has been a while. Will have to arrange another get together when everyone is able to.

iammr.bill - yeah I know it is training. She has attended puppy training and did really well, however she is a Kelpie and needs her brain stimulated. Not keen on the mousetraps, but will try the pepper suggestion.

Now for an update:

Things are progressing well. Had an attack from Catapillars so have applied some Dipel as well as picking off as many as we can find. It seems to be doing the trick as less and less damage seems to be occuring.

Have also had Aphids come visit. Using a recipe posted in Abdul's system thread and have been applying it. Also purchased some Marigolds to try and attract Ladybirds.

Both seem to be working. There are less Aphids since spraying (and reapplying) the Chilli/Pepper spray as a Ladybird came to visit today. It wasn't near where we knew the Aphids where so we picked it up and placed it there. It was good to see it having a meal.

Things are also progressing on the off-grid solar system. I have borrowed my Father's camping setup:

This runs my fathers two Engle fridges (one is configured as a freezer).

The solar panel is a Lorents (LA90-12S).
Specs are:
Max Power: 90W
Current: 5.1A
Voltage 17.6V

Just behind it on the floor is a Regulator. it is a Steca PR 2020.

The battery is behind that in a black box. It is a 56aH deep cycle.

Now I am on the lookout for an invertor.

For those of you interested in running their systems off grid I will keep this thread updated with results.

yeah arbe keep us posted, do you know what the cost of all the camping solar gear was worth? I have thought of a similar package for camping and thought that it would be good to run my AP but trouble is.... what runs the system while you are away camping!

True BndyBear. You could always take the solar system away with you and plug the AP into the mains while you are away.

I am planning on using the mains as my backup with a failover switch which will cause a batterycharger to run should the batteries fall below a certain level.

I will ask Dad what his kit set him back and let you know.

If you are looking for a solar system you could contact Burnsy and/or check out this thread.