Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Thanks TCLynx, I might try the paper towel for the carrots..

..also, i put some sweet potato in 5 days ago, as a bit of an experiment, so I'll see what happens in 3 weeks or so, because i buried it real deep. Hopefully it works.

Hi DanDMan, i have hydroton in my setup, and i believe we should be able to grow carrots. It seems to me people just through a variety of seeds in and leave it at that, what grows grows, if it don't its too hard like. I think if i can get them to germinate i'll be fine..

..the sun light is interesting point, i think it is too hot and sunny for some of the plants i have now, they get to a point, about 5mm high, and die after the next day over 35C.. ..think i will have to put some shade cloth up

JJ & KP - regarding the stands, I may give RHS a go next time - because it would certainly make things a little easier not having to stuff around with the corner cuts required for angle. One of my issues with RHS is that my welder is just a 130amp cigweld turbo compact. I expect I would blow holes in anything thin, so need to use thicker stuff. One disadvantage for me with RHS is that I can't weld both sides of the metal (if you know what I mean). I have quite a bit of 40mm 3mm thick RHS in my shed that I was originally going to use for legs and some other things but changed my mind. May as well give it a go for my next bed - provided I can get a decent weld on it as the piece I am working with gets bigger (another problem I have with just having a 130 amp welder . If anyone wants to discuss this stuff further - we can take it to a welding thread (might be able to make use our metal work teacher friends :-))

Veebs what its 130amp with no knob to turn it down?

JJ, I had troubles with the heat, water temps up to 34o put some shade cloth up as it helps, water temp today 27.5o, air temp 34o, gravel in sun maxed out over 43o, gravel under the shade cloth 32o. I am going to extend the shade cloth when I get a chance as I have noticed the plants in full sun don't seem to do as well
cod fish

Thanks cod fish, i think your right. We have had 2 days in a row over 35C, and thee weaker new shoots all struggled and look like they have wilted away.

Ok veggie boy, tell me more about your welder, because off the top of my head (will double check the settings we use at school) you shouldn't have to much of a problem welding your own stand if the material has a 3mm wall. I had to turn the welder up to weld TC and RT's stands last week as that had a 3mm wall too!

..and setting up a new thread sounds good.

Did that already mate :-)

your a champ now aren't ya KudaPucat

JJ - have outlined what I was getting at in the other thread. No worry about having too much power for the 3mm RHS - more concerned about not having enough once the piece of work starts getting big (ie close to completion).

You just keep moving the ground VB, get is close to the joins as possible. You want to keep the DC current path as short as possible...

EDIT: OK, Just read the other thread.... At least I got it right...

Hi there JJ, my advice on your system is that if you can get fish happily living in your system then your plants will be happy. The plant nutrients are determined by the amount of fish in the tank as well as the feed that you add. While the fish are small it may help to add Seasol seaweed concentrate (mix with water) and applied as a foliar feed on the plants leaves. This is not a fertiliser but a tonic and will help the new plants off to a good start.

Thanks faye, i have been adding 1 cap full per week, as per Tim C's instructions, and it is certainly helping the established plants. I think it is just these few hot days in a row that are cooking the weaker just germinated plants.

Sorry people, am late getting the latest pictures put on..

..this is the latest update, 3 weeks in and still going - YIPEE!!! Now i have to look at getting something up for the climbers to climb on, they are approximately 8cm high. Also the red cabbage have doubled in size in the past three weeks. Finally, i think the baby beats are on Hungarian growth hormones or something, they are starting to go crazy, just seem to be doing exceptionally well in an AP system.

The fish no longer swim around, prefer to hide under the pump. I hope they get bigger fast, so they wont fit and i can admire them So far no fatalities, and im feeding them Nic C's special blend of flakes - rekon they'll take off now with the family secret food.

Eh? what blend of flake? did Tim give you some dried shrimp?

Btw nice plant growth, i know nothing about plants but they seem fast growing. Oh and our perch seem to dart around while the tandanus are allways out in the open love attention i think

Nic