Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Wow, that looked like fun. Welcome and enjoy the addiction.

The flood tank adjustment worked well. I used the water out of the pool to start the system and I guess the growbeds cleaned up the water. I haven't tested the water yet but I think the grow beds may be handling the amonia but I know not the nitrites/nitrates yet. No plants to speak of. I purchased 20 feeder gold fish because the bluegills are such messy eaters, I figured the goldfish woud eat the broken particles. I'm feeding them game fish food. I didn't think their mouths were big enough to eat the goldfish but aparently they are, at least the larger ones. They lasted 24 hours. When they figured out they were eatable two hours later I looked and they were gone!. That was kind of a waste. I didn't get to work on my systems much this weekend, but the girls have a swimming pool that is clean and clear. Swimming pools are too much work, but fish tanks are easy!

I'm still working on getting more greens growing but everything seems to be going smoothly. The tomatoes are growing good but the seedlings are taking a while to get started. I plugged in a small inexpensive bug zapper above the fish tank and didn't realize there were so many bugs in my backyard!!! I may not need to feed the fish at the rate I'm seeing tonight. The bluegills are hitting the top of the water like piranha! I just hope the Japanese beetles don't plug up the pump suction. I will try feeding them a little feed in the morning just to see if they are hungry. I got to get rid of that stuff anyway (weevils). I also built and added a self harvesting BSF compost container to the system, hope it works! It is similar to the commercial one but has Gary's walk the plank added to it. I put some black drainage pipe over the plank for darkness, and will start adding compost and order me some phoenix worms soon.
I have some photos I will upload tomorrow.

Well when I got up this morning the fish tank was full of beetles, both swimming and Japanese beetles, over 3 dozen at least. I have no idea how many were consumed overnight. When I got home from work this evening there were only about a dozen left, but the tank was a soup of legs and wings floating all over. I think I am only going to turn on the bug zapper every other day until the June bug season is over. Although I could start saving the Japanese beetles in a cricket cage or freeze them until they start playing out. The fish obviously love them. Well here are a few pics of my bug zapper and the self harvesting BSF compost bucket I built. Like I said still trying to get some greens going.

Here are a couple more pics of my barrel system.

Oh yes, I plan on building a better stand for the composter

Love the self harvesting BSF bucket Bill.... take it the zapper is solar powered??

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No I wish, Its just a cheap $20., 15watt bug zapper. I would love to power up totally on a solar system, but haven't given it much thought yet. Fish are fine so far just trying to get my little grow beds to lush up for now. Thanks for the complement on my composter. I started putting table scraps in it today and may order some larva or just see if nature will provide, we have plenty bugs in south Louisiana with all the marsh and swamps.

As long as the bug zapper doesnt become a fish zapper / brb zapper

I love the DIY BSF bucket!!!

I must admit I have not made mine yet

Last year we had BSF but this year we have none! Do your have a source to order BSF larva?

I could probably send you a handfull of what is in my worm bin if you want to pay shipping.

oh! Did you provide drainage in the bottom of the soldier fly composter? Make sure you do. You can use a synthetic material like pillow stuffing to keep the worms in and let the juice out.

I still need my butt kicked for not build mine already!

Love the bug zapper June bug legs and wings, etc. story BRB!

Near Tragedy!!!

The bug zapper absolutely isn’t going to work without a suction strainer or pre-filter!!! The pump suction plugged with bug parts and must have lost flow early today. The fish were at the top of the tank gasping for air and were totally drained of the energy these blue gills normally have plenty of. I got the pump cleared tonight and added a double aquarium aerator for insurance. I’ll check in the a.m. if I lost any. There is still bug parts in suspension that will eventually end up in the pump. I put the pump inlet too low in the tank to put the little $15. pump suction filter without some fancy in tank plumbing. I may try to find me a Y strainer to put before the pump that I can easily back-flush, may have to be brass though.
I’m not a mass fish murderer yet but came close!

Thanks for the comments on my DYI BSF composter, I did drill some 1/8" holes in the bucket but I like Dan's suggestion of synthetic material to line the bottom of it with. I think I am going to modify if for a juice collection jar, may be good for starting seedlings with. I have this link for the worm man for the pheonix worms, http://www.wormman.com/pd_phoenix.cfm
I haven't ordered any yet I'm going to let Nature try first and hope the smell doesn't get too bad!

BRB, not sure if you are doing this but you might want to gather some of the BSF larvae so that it can hatch and keep the supply flowing, rather than have all of them falling into the fish chain...maybe catch and release every 3rd day