Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Thanks everyone for all this stuff, and particularly to Tony in TAS, and LR Bob who answered a question on page 1 of this thread for me, but I took off searching the net for biopods before subscribing to the thread and never found it again.

I've had a few tries at BSF farming that didnt pan out, so I think I'll give the house fly a go.

I live in suburbia so trying not to stink out the people next door will be a high priority. I imagine the smaller the entry and exit holes the better as far as smell goes. Would that be correct? I'm thinking small holes means less air flow means less smell. I doubt the flies will have any trouble finding a way in, given the way they navigate the tiny hole in my screen door.

I made a test version, stocked with a dead silver perch who's autopsy was never performed, but stayed on in the bottom of my freezer for a few weeks like fish tends to do.

What do you think of this? Could it this he used in AP?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... Q6A#t=513s

I'm fascinated by this thread since this is what my kids' research project is centered around - natural/free food for the fish. At first I was disgusted (maybe a bit still), then interested, then planning....then realizing this one might be the one that puts the husband over the edge on my "projects"

For those of you that started a while ago, is it still working/worthwhile? Would it work with something other than carcasses, like leftover meat scraps?

Obviously it's not as big of a source, but I can't see myself ever doing roadkill. By the way, why do Aussies get such cute possum when ours look like roadkill zombies even when they're alive?

Got maggots!



My soft drink bottle actually worked.

Admittedly in this picture my maggot is heading back down the ramp, but they eventually harvested themselves.



It doesn't take long, no smell at all unless you stick your nose right to the bottle (say within six inches on a stinking hot day) and self harvesting as long as the sides of the collecting jar were dusted with flour (I lost a few before I realized they were getting out)



Also no risk of any extra flies in the area (once the escaping was sorted) because my bottles acted as a trap and even caught some European wasps (introduced pest species) I suspect every fly that entered is still in there.

I gave up on this stuff. Too smelly. I have found a chap who is doing bsf larvae commercially here in SA so I am thinking of just buying the larvae in. I have yet to actually go and meet up with the bloke but it sounds interesting.

I found no smell at all. Probably because of the trap-like shape. In fact right now it's in my grow house right next to where I sit. And yes I have a sense of smell

I'm not sure I'll bother with it though. More, because I cant measure how much food the system is getting.

Dont crickets eat paper? an old friend of mine used to breed crickets for his frogs and lizzards . all he was using was heaps of shreddedpaper, some old aquariums and some warm lights (same type used for his lizzards). he was breeding them in his parents garage up in rollystone

Food for thought Tony,
I have been wondering what I could do to produce live food for my fish and you have hit it on the head with HFLM's, especially after purging with pollard to clean the intestinal area.
I must get into gear and make good use of the fish frames as blow flies just love them.
Thanks for the information, much appreciated.

Hi all!
Auone know if previously-cooked meat (kitchen scraps
) will attract flies the same way as raw meat?
Also, since roadkill is not an option for me (too few, mostly birds or hedgehogs, and way too squished to be picked up) what is the nearest best thing?
I could have an almost endless supply of lizards in my garden, plus they're pretty easy to catch: would those work?

Btw awesome thread thanks everyone for sharing, I'm already building my biopod!

yep sure will.
maybe you could try a local butcher and ask if they have any meat scraps? tis what ive been thinking about trying if i dont have BSF's here
while they would work, im not sure id like to be recommending killing local animals (unless there a pest species) for this. local animals usually perform a job in the echo system, lizards would be eating other pets like snails and slugs amongst other things. and im sure if you try you will find a much more ethical meat source
dont forget to post pics etc specially of the build up for others to see

this is fantastic... and great food for both my AP system and my chooks!!!

i found a pic to a composer i like the look of. im going to try making one like this.

I'll be posting the pics later this evening.
I do have another question though, what is the purpose of the brown cardboard? To prevent the larva from escaping from the entry hole?

Re: ethical about the lizards. I'm not sure whether they are a pest but you are right, I though about it after posting, there could be other and easier ways. Anyways there's hundreds of them running around in summer but I'll let them do their job.

Will ask the local butcher once I get this thing going seriously then!

the flys lay there eggs in it