Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I figured i should start on for my IBC system.

I got it finished up and planted about 8 days ago. It only took me about 4 days to build and get some water in it. I had to pull it apart about 5 times to stuff around with stand pipe. I should have followed my gut and made it the size i wanted originally at 40mm. However the lady at the hardware store seemed convinced that they didnt have any fitting i could use and get a water tight seal on the lid. So my original stand pipe was too small and cost me a stupid amount of money for a fitting and a bit of pipe. Oh well. I got there in the end So some pics.



You can see that it still needs some paint to finish it off. Those with a sharp eye will also notice that there is 2 different kinds of media in there. The bottom layer is blue metal i borrowed from the side of the road. I didnt have enough hydroton, i think i probably needed about 50L more. I wasnt too happy about having to use the blue metal, but i didnt really have an option because no where local had any that i could find i wanted to make sure the system was cycled by April. Hopefully 4 guys will be able to lift the GB when we have to eventually move. I doubt it though You can also see the frame i made with the help of a friend of mine. I didnt want the cut edges of the IBC frame sitting on the concrete. So we made the frame and drilled in about an inch with a speed bore bit and put them in there. I am in a rental, so risking damaging the concrete isnt an option. So the FT frame is pointy end up as far as the frame is concerned. You can see the frame alot better in the photo below with the grow bed sitting on it. All of the plants that ended up in the GB were originally in pots, so i had a whole heap of soil left over that was full of worms. So i had to start a worm farm. The ones that escaped getting thrown into the GB ended up in there.



Another angle of the plants.



You can see how i had to tie up the capsicum. There is a bit of wind in the area and i was worried that as the capsy grew it would break the branch. It has already started splitting the branch so that should help.



A final picture of all the plants.



These photos were taken yesterday and you can see that the plants arnt looking too happy after being moved. They are starting to pick up a little today though so hopefully in a week or so they will start cranking.

I have a few very small yabbies and a few nameless fish that i can catch in the local river. I think the fish are swordtails. Some of the definitely are but im not certain that all of them are. They are fairly small anyway, so when i get some trout they will get eaten i imagine. Next is to finish the last little bit of painting and then make a wind break to help the plants out a bit. I also need to get something to block out the light to stop algae and make a lid so the trout cant jump out

More photos can been here:

https://plus.google.com/photos/107745026209570973291/albums/5714889868320771377

Nice!

I've found the hardest thing so far about hydroponics and aquaponics is the getting the plants supported and strung reliably! My normal MO is to put 500 stakes in the dirt.

I have only grown 1 tomato plant before and i have been tying it to the patio pole. The hydroton doesn't seem to provide much support of the plants when you first put them in. Especially at the size that these are.

The plants are looking a bit happier today. I can see a few new leaves on the brahmi and the chives seem to be growing. The rest is only marginally better. Maybe im just imagining it. lol

Some growth updates. 10th March 2012. Amazingly my AP system grew a bonsai. Pot and all!

Growth Update. 28th March 2012. Added a few silverbeet and chopped down my spring onion. Hopefully the spring onion will come back again. It did last time.

I had to make up a wind break. The wind was howling through and really causing some problems. I have probably seen as much growth in the last 10 days or so since i put it up than i have since i started. Most of this wont be because of the windbreak, but i think it will have helped the plants alot. It is just a bit of pine with some clear perspex hinged to it so i can get access to the back side of the IBC. It doesnt open far because of the rain tank, but it is enough. I have also added a few dwarf bean plants and an unknown that grew in one of my pots. I think it might be a cucumber.

Hopefully will be cold enough to get some trout in the next few weeks. The tank temp at the moment is peaking towards the top end of their livable zone from what i have read on here.

I know the pics are of a high quality, but please ask before using them

Here is a photo of an attempted escape.

The little bugger, just what I was wondering the other day.....Claw over claw, you go .......fella?

Looks great Ryan, excellant growth mate.

Thanks mate. I was a bit surprised to see how much there has been since it started!

And thats why this wonderful forum and personal threads are soooooo important.


You and everyone else can watch it all grow...right down to the date and minute...





BYAP's not just about great info, support and free hats... its a necessity.

And you get to meet heaps of awesome people. Most people my age are either interested in clubs or computer games!

Weekend after next i will be down in Perth so hopefully i will get a chance to call in and meet the proprietor and co

Well i actually did a water test today. First time since i started it. I have some yabbies and some gambrusia (sp?) as well as a few swordtails that i caught in the local river. I have also been dosing with humonia. I am not really stressed if any of them die and i have only had about 3 fish deaths, all of which were half eaten by yabbies before they floated. So i never really bothered testing it until now in prep for trout in a few weeks.

Ph: less than 6
Ammonia: 1
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 160+

I did give it a decent size dose of humonia yesterday. Around 1 cup i think. I kind of just pour it in from 2L bottle. So will see how it looks tomorrow. I will keep giving it quite high doses until i pick up the trout. I would rather have the biofilter reduce in size to handle the biomass rather then the other way around.

I also saw one of the biggest compost worms i have ever seen. Must have been about 7 feet long and as thick as my arm!

I added a small amount of sodium bicarbonate to see what happens. It will be a few days before i can get some shell grit. Unless shells from the beach are ok?

I also took a photo of the spring onion today. 4 days growth

Looking good Ryan. Keep up the good work.

Thanks Dunder. Doesnt look anywhere near as good as your system though!

Just realised. I was all excited to finally get to call into BYAP on friday to pick up a few bits and pieces. But it is the easter weekend