Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Idle thought: these are flood plain mussels. Had anybody considered them in a GB? would they handle that? or is the flood just a little too short lived and frequent?

Might work in a continuous flow or DWC system Kuda.... but don't think they'd like a flood and drain system..... maybe... maybe if it was continuously pumped..... but I wouldn't.

they would probably bury themselves right down to the point that there is always water, maybe last few inches?

Humm now we need to take the thought further... Is there any advantage...

I wouldn't think so, thinking on it, as they would more easily clean in the tanks or sump.
Breeding would be cut to nil I imagine.

But on the pros, perhaps they would move around, and clean up any anaerobic pockets that might form in the bed.

I doubt they would have much fun moving through 20mm scoria like I have though...

Only other advantage I can think of, is that they may stir up some of the fine silt that builds up in the bottom of the GB, and allow it to siphon.

Any other thoughts?
Forgive me if I'm rambling, but there's nothing on TV

you obviously dont have abc2 - "scrapheap challenge"

That's on now??? Damnit. Almost worth getting out of the bath for then... didn't see it before when I scanned Foxtel

Of course: the wife's working tonight, and she has full control of the remote until she leaves... Home & Away and Neighbours were enough to drive me away.

god bless free to air

I saw Neighbors on TV in Ireland and it is by far the crappiest show ever made.

So..didn't get to see Home and Away then?

Would have to admit ... I've NEVER been able to sit through an entire episode of either...

Totally beyond me why they're still on air.... but then again some people have sat through hundreds of episodes of Lost... watching people carrying their suitcases back and forth up a beach and running through a jungle....

Actually just thought..... you don't need to sit through an entire episode or season of any of them.....

Just wonder past twice an episode and you'll get the gist of what's (not) happening anyway

Riveting bullocks..... not

Having them in a sump is probably a good idea, but they wont breed in a sump, as they need host fish for a few days, as has been explained earlier in this thread, in my tank they just sit and suck water and blow it out, if they live in your sump, I suppose you would have a nice clean sump.
After almost a week the difference in water color is unbelievable so in my limited experience the tank is the spot, a mate is going to put a hundred in a dam so see how this goes, could be good profit in breeding, as see a market for farm dams and home ponic systems, I have one in the goldfish tank inside, and it has buried itself half way, they will bury and extend their tubes so they can still suck water, but no water and they can't survive more than 10 days, if the dam empties they will follow the water level down, and then who knows, here dams rarely empty fully, but I realize in some area's they do

Sure, I get that, however I get mosquitos too, so I have fish in my sump, not many mind, and not big, but then that is why I'm still trying to find out how big the fish needs to be to support them. I'm assuming as the seem to be microscopic, that they will breed on 30mm long fish (White Clouds)
So I'm hoping they will breed all the same.

I'm getting 100, so that makes 10 in my FT inside, 10 per sump (30), 10 per tank (30) and 30 in the pond.
I'm sure SOME will breed :-) and that the pumps may pump the juveniles into all different sectors to get bigger.

I just wish I had them already

I'd expect the spores released would circulate through the system and eventually find there way to the fish tank (hence fish) from pumping back from the sump though surely ????

Rupe,
According to the documents I have read, the mussels will grow in the female, and the female will 'squirt' them onto fish as they pass, or even attempt to entice carnivorous fish closer, so they can be applied directly. I don't believe mussels will be able to breed using fish in a different tank.

order placed for vic mob. sorry to vrssbt1, i couldn't fit any more in for the freight charge, unless you want to beg 20 from Kuda