Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Joel's not worried, he just gets annoyed sometimes. But, not the first time and certainly won't be the last either I'm sure..

I expect that we will start harvesting next week, we really have too because a few chillies have already shrivelled and dried on the bushes. I guess this will mean we have to harvest at least weekly from now on.. More pics and weighing to do..

Yea, that's the hardest part of any study for me. Getting the produce weighed. The cook tends to just pick things and not care if we are tracking or not.

There is a difference between practical and scientific knowledge (and absolute knowledge, but we won't get into that). These trials will "prove" nothing scientifically. They will give us practical knowledge for the day to day operation of our systems. I can know how to build a fire and have it burn without knowing any of the science behind why it is burning. I can then setup 3 different piles of wood to see which style makes a better fire. Not "proven", but quite practical.

This trial is doing its job really well. It is a simple comparison between three independent systems that essentially water the plants in a different way. Each should be treated on its own and allowed to run independently. If the fish want more food then give it to them, its about comparing productivity of the systems not standardising everything to see whatever that would show. If it was to be ran as a "proper" scientific experiment it would need many replicate systems (not double blind as the results can be measured), lots of number crunching and suitable funding. It would be a great project for a higher degree uni student but that is not the goal of this trial and remember, its a simple trial so we should not go looking for scientific rigor.

As for the knockers, just let them slip through to the keeper so they don't get so much exposure.

And here I thought just my countrymen liked to criticize

Its a great experiment you guys, much love and appreciation to you guys for running it and even more for putting up the results online for all and sundry to see.

Whether or not its 'scientifically proper' I think is irrelevant, its great data. Considering how young AP is any and every bit of data logged in a systematic manner is gold.

Thank you BYAP, thank you very very much

Can we get a break down of how each type of plant is fairing in the three different systems?
Maybe just a ranking...
Like this, Swiss Chard: 2,1,3 for doing best in CF, then auto-siphon, then timed F&D.

Sorry to ask but it can be really hard to tell just by looking at the pics. Would be easier if I could examine each bed up close.

Actually interesting idea, I'll look at putting one together...

Ok, quick run down of individual plants in the different systems as suggested above.

Thyme - 2,3,1. This means system 2 CF is best growth, System 3 timer second, and System 1 siphon last.

Not a huge difference from best till worst, all doing well but CF is ahead in growth, which really surprised me, I thought they would prefer a drier environment.
Also notice the little mound of solids that are next to the grid pipe, we never put worms into these systems, we need to... Below is thyme in system2 CF.




Parsley - 3,2,1.

Parsley has been a bit average with it's growth, hard to even see in the above photo, and this is the best of them, rather disappointed, hopefully it will pick up in all systems in time. Below is Parley just visible in System 3 Timer.




Oregano - 2,3,1.

Oregano, Hah, it isn't oregano, it's sweet marjoram.. Wrong time of year for it too, going straight to flower so not great growth in any of them really. This pic is system 2.



And here's the System 1 siphon, in case anyone thinks I'm making things up.



Dill - 3,1,2.

Once again, it's not actually dill, but rather fennel. Very unusual results with the fennel, System 1 has grown rather prostrate as you can see in the picture above, system 2 it hasn't grown at all, but system 3 has been fairly good growth, gone to flower now. Picture is system 3.



Chili - 3,2,1.

Chili is going ballistic in system 3, dozens of fruit. I'll post pictures below of system 1 then system 2, it may be hard to tell because of the plants growing over each other, but I think system 2 is a bit ahead of system 1 chili plants.

System 1 chili


System 2 chili



Celery - 3,1,2.

Celery growth has been reasonably slow in systems 1 and 2, not too bad in system 3, nothing to write home about.



Making another post for the rest, please hold off with any comments till I get it all done..

Great stuff Joel

Capsicum - 3,2,1.

Capsicum are crazy in system 3 with loads of fruit, they are doing fairly well in all systems but once again, I think system 2 is doing better than system 1.

Here's the comparison of both.

System 1


System 2


Chives - 0,0,0, Dead heat really, nothing much.

There were chives also planted in the system, you can see them in the picture above, unfortunately they have not done well in any of the systems, I think they have either been a bit fried in the hot summer sun, or smothered in other systems.

Spring onions - 3,2,1.

Spring onions you can make them out a bit in the pictures above and the pictures following for rainbow chard. Definitely 3,2,1, for their growth so far.

Rainbow chard - 1,2,3

Rainbow chard has been hit hard by powdery mildew and grubs in both systems 3 and system 2 as you can see by the pics below. System one has surged ahead with chard growth, though even system 1 is suffering in the heat a bit over the past couple of days.

System 1



System 3



Last on the list is lettuce, lettuce did not do well, I'm not even going to bother guessing which is doing better. Most of them were wither killed with the scorching weather, or they were smothered by rainbow chard..

I am certainly not knocking Joel in regards to these trials, I thought I was offering constructive criticism? I just thought its not that hard to have the same feed rate for all three systems, which I don't think would bother the fish and does away with another variable. Anyway probably too late now to change things for this trial?

I will be doing a similar trial myself when I finish my second system, with the main difference being all 4 growbeds will be supplied from the same fish tank, all criticism welcome?

No that's cool AS, constructive debate... There are many factors that are hard to work out with these trials.. Like what do we do now that the chard has been annihilated in a couple of the systems? Do we pull them out and replant with something new? But then what do we do with system 1 where it's doing well, leave them there and growing? Then system 1 might miss out on the next crop that the other 2 get... Hard to look at weights of produce possibly when we change things around with different crops in different systems.

unless the environment around the systems is completely controlled so that the watering method is the only variable, and the experiment is replicated, then it is not a scientifically 'correct' experiment. But to get an idea of what plants do better, which systems folter better, block up more etc etc etc this is perfect

all that food is looking de-lic-cous joel
whens harvest day ??

Another plus for system 3 would be power consumption which would be 75% less than the other 2 systems.

hmmm, so the siphon system is pretty much last in all the plants other than the rainbow chard, intriguing.