Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

heheh trees?

scrub

Breeding bluegill is tricky. They like to breed after the water goes from cold to warm. I have lost most fry, but that still gives me lots of fish.

That photo is a couple of years old. Now have 1800 gal of water storage behind pump and additional solar panels. The large cactus are called "Joshua trees" This is the largest area of them in the country. They only grow from 3000 to 4500 ft. elevation in dessert. Just shot up a roll of more photos will have digitized when back in town next week. Town is 50 miles away and even making our own fuel, and getting 30 mpg dont go often.

I never heard of anyone feeding red worms on meat scraps of any kind with any success. All the vermiculture resources say that's a no-no. Are they breeding well? The reproduction rate of manure worm in good conditions and proper bedding & feeding techniques make it a great source of fish food as once you reach that magic number they will produce faster than you can use them.

I suggest off the meat scraps and put your worms under the rabbit hutches as they will do much better on the rabbit poo. They don't like urine so we used to put a nylon screen under the hutch fastened on three corners with one corner hanging down. This lets the urine go straight through while the pellets roll off the screen and either go in a bucket to dump on the worm beds or make the worm bed off to the side of the rabbit hutch so to keep out of the urine hot spots.

Charlie,
I suspect the reason most people say meat is a no-no in a worm bin is because it can cause odor and pest issues with the worm bin, not that it will actually hurt the worms. There could also be pathogen issues if you wind up with a huge fly infestation from the rotting meat in a worm bin.

Heck, "they" usually say no meat, dairy, pet or human manure in a backyard compost bin too but as a humanure composter I know all of that can be done just fine in a properly managed compost bin. It also saves a huge amount of water not to use the flusher.

Feeding the worms on the rabit poo is a good idea though!

Sorry for the Hijack.

Actually the worms do fine and will eventually eat their way thru all the meat hides etc. and leave only bones. The problem is the length of time it takes. I had a pot bellied sow die last fall and rather than load in the pick up and take her to the land fill I cut her open and cfound her liver disiesed so hucked into worm bin. Covered with a little dirt and a layer of hay, there is little stink. Flys do come around and gather on the decomposing hay. After reading about BSF larvae here I set up a bin with rabbit poo on top of the vented worm bin. Lots of flys there but after a week have had no larvae. By the way there are no earthworms native to this desert. Even after mulching here for eight years, no worms. I brought in soil for the raised bed gardens and have seeded them with worms and they are doing well but where I placed them in the enriched native soil they are gone in one season. Perhaps it is to dry but I water the gardens. Perhaps there is to little organic matterial to feed them but I plant those areas and mulch off season.
The rabbit poo has a higher purpose than feed ing worms. It with the urine go on garden pots, as mulch. During fallow times it protects the soil from sun and wind, and adds somewhat to the organic matter and nitrogern levels. I will try using it and the gleanings from my Biolet toilet in an anerobic digester in the future. First I need finish the AP system, Then the emergency generator.
I shall try passing the skin and guts of meat animals thru BSF larvae poduction first and then feed the remains to the worms as a speedier and more efficent process. Thereby gaining an additional sources of protein for fish and chickens. I am waiting for after the last expected frost to order some BSF larvae to seed the process.

under construction

painting in progress

more pics

and more pics

This is Listeroid made in India water cooled to heat green house will drive a 2200 watt AC alternater. Will live in rear of green house in its own room and burn WVO after starting on biodiesel

What is WVO?
Is it a stirling motor?
I'd like to see how you are going to adapt it.
How do you do your biodiesel, pure old oil or a mix between methanol and oil.

Some sort of Fan system blowing over the top of the tank in summer will help lower the temps to something the bluegill will stand. Evaporation is a wonderful thing.

You may also want to raise mealworms for fish feed they are super simple to raise fish and chickens love them

waste vegetable oil.

sometimes mixed with diesel or used as SVO straight vegetable oil