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Hi van Melkbosstrand, Suid Afrika http://byap.backyardmagazines.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=45&t=26735	Page 1 of 1

Author:

PieterS [ Feb 17th, '16, 20:17 ]

Post subject:

Hi van Melkbosstrand, Suid Afrika

Hi

My daughter and I recently started with aquaponics - our first system was a barrel - 1/4 GB and 3/4 FT - in 2014. We tried a few different plants and also managed to kill 6 of the 10 tilapia's while out of town and the pump failed.

We then migrated in 2015 to a 1000Lt IBC FT, with 3x GB (cut from damaged IBC), hybrid radial/swirl filter (repurposed barrel FT) and 2x 500lt sump. It is stocked with 22 tilapia in FT and 4 gold fish (mosquito deterrent in sump) - as our water table is very high the sumps are above ground - with GB and FT supported on blocks.

It's a modified CHOP system with pumps in sumps, SLO in FT with parallel gravity feed to GB and filter. An air pump add oxygen to the FT.

We're quite happy with the produce of beans, lettuce, spring onions, basil to name a few. Still experimenting with types. - trying beetroot in the GB now.

Some pests (landmeterruspe) seems to enjoy the greens as well - but kept in check by mechanical picking and feeding to fish - a win-win situation.

Future plans include a wind cover/green house over FT & GB, and expansion with vertical towers - and some rudimentary logging of key parameters for science. Also need to start own seedlings as this is currently highest visible cost. Also looking at fly larwe as supplementary food source for fish.

Getting momentum to set up pilot plant at school for STEM education.

At the moment most of the produce is consumed by family and friends.

(needs to resize pictures - will post more later)

Geniet!

Pieter

Attachments:

File comment: Starting out 2014

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Author:	BuiDoi [ Feb 18th, '16, 14:02 ]
Post subject:	Re: Hi van Melkbosstrand, Suid Afrika
.. Hi to you both.. Looking forward to some photos,. WELCOME to BYAP.. ..

Author:	will101 [ Feb 18th, '16, 14:41 ]
Post subject:	Re: Hi van Melkbosstrand, Suid Afrika
Hi Pieter - what is that grow medium? Almost looks like Gravel / sand. I am in Hout Bay - Also trying to educate on the advantages of AP. Cheers Will

Author:

PieterS [ Feb 18th, '16, 17:30 ]

Post subject:

Re: Hi van Melkbosstrand, Suid Afrika

Hi Will - good to now. Yes - the pilot plant needed ~ 20mm of gravel - I scooped it from my wife's zen garden and probably did not washed it.

Some added photo's

Attachments:

File comment: We tried raising maize - but the wind was so strong our kernel production very low. - the heath-robinson contraption worked well for a time - but from a safety point of view not the best solution... The bucket and wash tub was a very successful filter - empty ice cream tubs inside caught a lot of fine solids.

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Author:

PieterS [ Feb 18th, '16, 17:46 ]

Post subject:

Re: Hi van Melkbosstrand, Suid Afrika

some more pics-

Attachments:

File comment: Cole and Basil - the basil quickly outgrow the cole.

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File comment: some tomatoes - lovely flavor - exploding in the mouth

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File comment: Some visitors overstay their welcome - they ended up in the FT (a story I tell with relish to any young visitor to my daughter... I also show them how I did chop the worm to pieces before feeding them to the fish)

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File comment: New grow bed before sides painted. The overflow is now routed to the Filter - it helps maintaining even head for the GB inflows - else it was a bit of a challenge getting them balanced.

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File comment: Still high hopes in lifting the countries maize production....

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File comment: Had some problems with pipe clogging up - traced it to earthworms traveling up the pipe - changed then from timer to continuous flow - also leaving air gap where GB supply enters. not seen any flying earthworms since.

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Author:

PieterS [ Feb 18th, '16, 17:55 ]

Post subject:

Re: Hi van Melkbosstrand, Suid Afrika

a few more

Attachments:

File comment: GB's a month or two ago - tomatoes, basil, sprig anions, salad.

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File comment: Spring onions roots - after a good season - I check the roots for any good organisms - earth worms - before they go into the compost pile.

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Author:	BuiDoi [ Feb 19th, '16, 15:47 ]
Post subject:	Re: Hi van Melkbosstrand, Suid Afrika
.. Did I see a galvanized pipe, in the photo about blockages and worms.. Just be aware that ZINC may be an issue for some fish.. ..

Author:	PieterS [ Feb 19th, '16, 16:01 ]
Post subject:	Re: Hi van Melkbosstrand, Suid Afrika
Hi - no - it's only a zoomed in image of normal thin wall 16mm Dia. black plastic irrigation pipe connected to right angle fitting. The fitting was fastened to a pipe just below the gravel surface to minimize algae growth. The right angle and intermittent flow (timer control) allowed fis gwack to presipitate and the earth worms went for it. In the IBC system the pipe is replaced with 40mmDia pvc pipe, with ~ 20-100mm gap between outlet and GB - to minimize splash (wind) and evaporation a loose 40mm funnel pipe guide the water to the GB - this is easily removed to check flow and keep splash to minimum. Regards, BuiDoi wrote: .. Did I see a galvanized pipe, in the photo about blockages and worms.. Just be aware that ZINC may be an issue for some fish.. ..

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