Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

So tell me, has the AP bug got ya when you spend most of your spare time looking up better more efficient ways of doing things on your existing set up???

Anyhow, i tend to spend about 2 hours a day doing something for my little system. The latest is wireless temperature sensor. I found it at the following web address http://www.marinedepot.com/ and i ordered the following

Item # Product Description Qty Price
AM1131 American Marine Pinpoint Wireless Thermometer (includes one sensor) 1 $34.99
AM1133 American Marine Pinpoint Sensor (for Wireless Thermometer) 2 $37.90

I got some extra sensors (for the next 2 systems which i hope to install over the next school holidays) as the postage and handling was more than the actual unit!

The monitor can accept up to 4 remote sensors, the only real downer is it does not act like a data logger or have any low/high alarms, I thought it did, but i must have been looking at a different model or even product (was looking at about 5 different ones at the same time - guess im not that clever).

If anyone knows of a wireless temp or PH sensor, that also has alarms and/or some form of data logging, let me know.

Wow - you really have the bug, Jeff! Your progress sounds wonderful. I am interested in the sensor stuff, too, so will keep my eye on your progress.

I know how addictive aquaponics is, but if one has to have an addiction, I think aquaponics must be the pick of the bunch! I am thinking of using something like "Aquaponics is my therapy" as my byline!!!

Tim - thanks ever so much for saving the tilapia for me. I look forward to them enrolling in my current school of fish! Might catch up with you over the next week or maybe over easter if you are not heading off somewhere!

Hi all,

Adding a few threads tonight, got extra pictures to show. First of all, people requested a photo of the shade hose frame i built, so that one is included.

Also on this thread, is a somewhat blurry picture of the Tilapia, i lost my second fish yesterday, it was a Tilapia, so i thought a picture of them would be nice.

These next few threads show the grow bed, which is going real well. I think you would agree the growth of the plants in the last few weeks is pretty amazing. So i included some of those too.

This last thread just shows the ever growing veg. I have also put some leek and carrot seeds in a pot with soil. I'm going to get them to seedlings and transplant them later. I think this is the only way i will get them to grow.

Nice progress JJ. Sorry, there is no cure for what you have, but you are not alone and in good company.

You really should make that cover bigger, so you can fit the next bed and tank in

Good to see it happening for you JJ...agree with OB, there must be several metres of virgin BYAP area right out to the boundary there for an extension

data logger

Not wireless though

Thanks peoples, the plan is to extend the frame back towards the camera, or front of the house. This way i should fit another 3 grow beds in. I just have to build a new side fence, remove the old one and re level all the ground!!! Give me about 6 weeks or so..

..and that data logger looks real useful, thanks Sleepe

late yesterday my wireless thermometer finally arrived from the US, seems like ages, but was probably ahead of the proposed delivery date. So when i was quickly bolting from work, i showed Robyn T, then did all my appointments, then got home just after dark and got it installed - YIPPEE!!!

well, it seems to be working great, i can just walk up to the base station and take a temp reading straight away. Also, i was keen to find out how low the temperature is getting overnight, so i did an all nighter, and kept checking every hour, till i fell asleep at around 4am.

here are the readings i got:

8pm - 24.8C
9pm - 24.6C
10pm - 24.1C
11pm - 23.4C
Midnite - 22.6C
1am - 22.0C
2am - 21.4C
3am - 20.8C
4am - sleeping ..
..8am - 18.2C
9am - 18.3C
10am - 18.5C

I also included a couple of pictures too, because everyone likes pictures, right???

Finally, this morning i found another deceased tilapia, it is the second one in a week, i have no idea why, the water test showed no problem. Any ideas???

Gee JJ you are keen arnt you.
I recon the Tilapia must have died somewhere between 4 and 8 am. You might have to check those hours tonight to see whats happening.

Wow Jeff - hope the AP bug doesn't get out of control!! I'm sure that all nighters might be the sign of the addictiontaking a stranglehold!!!

Commiserations on your littlie. Was s/he extra small? Does s/he show any unusual signs eg red gills, wounds etc

Do you have any info on how resilient tilapia are as regards temp swings - could your fluctuating temp contribute to the deaths? Do you keep your flood'n'drain going overnight? This may be contributing to the marked temperature swing - my ft temp usually only varies by 2C overnight - I stop the pump cycle at 11pm and start at 5am - but then again, my ft is buried so that probably tempers the temp swing! Have you thought of stopping it between say 10pm and 6am and just supplementing the oxygen if necessary via an air pump?

Have you done only PH tests, or Ammonia and Nitrite tests too? Remember with our high PH only a little of either of these can be very dangerous!

Tell me about it.....Last night I was dreaming about AP, My wife woke me up to tell me the GB was overflowing again, and when I went out to fix it, I had trouble figuring out what was real, and what was the dream.

Hi jeffrey are those prices in aust dollars if not what did the package cost thanks