Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Good to see everyone getting their feet wet for a change Chrissy

Only one way to find out if the fish like it!

I don't know if the fish will eat it, but YOU can! Have a look here for more info
MAKE SURE YOU PREPARE IT PROPERLY, or you can die of beri-beri, just like Burke and Wills here

All that grinding puts me off, I don't plan on eating it, it's just lovely to look at.
Might try and get some going in system 2 so I can try it on the fish when we get some, no doubt the water in the swamps will be gone by then and so will the Nardoo

Excellent reference!

I bet that the Tilapia I keep (Legal as pets in WA) would make short work of it!

Does it grow in Perth suburbs? (Mediterranean climate).

Regards Duckweed ad Azolla ....

I noticed at a recent visit to Perth Zoo one of the big ponds that they have there was absolutely covered in Duckeed and Azolla - for anyone in WA that needs some free food, I guess all you need to do is phone and ask them if you could have a few bucket loads of the stuff!

I bet they would be pleased to get rid of some of it.

My goldies come to the surface as soon as I put a handful in the water! I think that they like duckweed and Azolla more than any other food I have tried.


(BTW , Duckweed and azolla make a great green fertilizer for suburban garden beds and can be used to feed worms as food for your carnivore fish!)

Apparently the Canning river is full of it atm. But I would probably avoid getting it from the river to avoid any nasties.

This stuff is amazing, it grows as fast as algae and has one of the best nutritional profiles for vegetarian livestock I've ever seen.

With a vegetarian fish... or chicken, or cow or whatever you could easily feed them entirely with duckweed.

Here's an excellent link to how to cultivate mass quantities: http://www.p2pays.org/ref/09/08875.htm

I apologize if this has been posted someone else.

Lots of discussion regarding duckweed throughout the forum... and a dedicated thread by that name...

Here's a couple of links anyway...

http://www.fao.org/ag/AGAinfo/resources ... DW/Dw2.htm

http://www.rirdc.gov.au/reports/NPP/BWM-1A.doc

Duckweed can be pretty amazing but it takes a huge amount of surface area to grow enough of it to feed your fish.

not the thread jack, but... has anyone ever considered growing beans as a source of high protein? I'm sure you could turn it into a paste or some other form to inject into fish feeds.

I think finding sustainable food sources that incorporate the fish is EPIC.

not if youve got the right conditions.... ..........but that also depends on how much fish ya talking about.

I heard a lecture from Hubert Gijzen (UNESCO). he was doing large-scale sewage treatment using duckweed to strip nutrients, and then feeding to fish (tilapia from memory).
He reckons duckweed can produce 6000kg/ha of protein every year, soybeans 600...

lol at the moment I'm trying to grow soybeans and not duckweed...

My duckweed grows 2-3 inches deep... as quick as I can remove it, it's back.... it really is a weed :-)

2-3 inches deep...



I have never been so lucky with duckweed ot azolla .. I wish!

Koi, goldies and tilapia love the stuff!

Both grows well in WA if conditions are good., if I don't keep some in shade, some in sun, some in various "micro climates" it dies....

I have on more than one instance lost the lot! Doh!

But have always managed to keep a little bit for restabishing it.

Will post some pics soon.

I cant keep it growing fast enough.