Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

So, has anybody been able to get a strawberry tower working?

F&F - but his are really wide, the width of a beer keg.

VB - They just look like kegs

That's what I said

Someday I'd like to try making a curtain with pockets in it for the plants, wrapped around into a cylinder with netting in the interior, to grow strawberries etc. in. Haven't put one together yet though.

Like these small round shower curtains:
http://image.restorationhardware.com/is ... 90012?$PD$

I think Synaptoman (sp?) had plans to make some big hanging walls with pockets similar to what you are speaking of DD. I like the idea and making them into a circular shape for this type of application, is a great one.

Gutter guard may be worth a go, cheap as and unlikely to get clogged. Used it on 6 pot nft systems to spread the flow.
Damned usless for keeping leaves out of gutters.

F&F gave up on his strawberries too.

This company does planted curtains/walls:

http://www.valcent.net/s/HDVGS.asp

Food & Fish is calling in next week and his comments will be interesting.

I started out with three plans to build a tower. I was aware of the failures others have had.
The first was a failure and is now in the scrap heap.
The 2nd tower is going like a charm at the moment and I will be very suprised if it clogs up.
I am about to build to my third plan and hope to have it up and going before F&F gets here.

I will keep progress reports and pics coming and let you all know if any are a success.
Alex

The water in the Trout tank got up to 25o Wed & Thur middays but is back to 22 today Friday 14/11/08.
They stopped feeding at 24o but went into a frenzy this AM at 22o.

We tried using an old milk cooler to bring the temp down. It did not work. We would need a very small pump to make it work. The pump we were using even throttled right down was still putting to much water through. The water needs to go very slowly through the exchanger to be effective.

We have 150 SPs and 10 Catfish coming first week in Dec. We have another 1500lt FT for these and when the Trout have been consumed will size grade the SPs into that 1500lt tank. We will have (with no losses) 160 fish in 3000Lts of water. The sump holds a further 1000lts with about 150 yabbies. With only 3000lts of GBs we will have to get more GBs going.

Mr & Mrs Food & Fish called in on Friday for lunch. We had a very pleasant three or four hours.

The weather here today is horrendous very high winds and cool.
Water in FTs at 13o and the Trout are loving it. They are now plate size around 400gms ready to eat.
Alex

Yes a most enjoyable day was had you have all seen alex s photos what you see is only part of it and the plans for the future big time look out obo your system mite just get pipped his neighbour came and looked at the system next thing he was driving in the gate with a tractor frontend loader with a stainless steel milk vat on board [here you mite need this] you all reckon i pick up a lot of stuff well all i can say its a good job alex doesent live near here there would be nothing left for me
as for smoking stuff i counted 5 or 6 different smokers in the sheds one big mother you need a car to tow it 60 trout easy
once again thanks for the day [ps i left my hat there so now i will hav to go back ]

I'll just have to dig my trout tank hole bigger

Don't bother OBO I doubt that this old fellow can keep up with you.
please note OBO:-

I have taken the towers down and have designed another system that requires no media.
Again this may meet up with some problems, it is flood and drain, the water is direct from the sump and returns back to the sump.
The problem with the towers was that the pump was pushing the water too fast past the take off point for the towers.
Result was that the strawbs were only watered approx every third or forth pump cycle. The GBs on the end of the line were getting a massive injection of air from the venturi effect as the water passed the tower take off point.

This could have been corrected but taking your advice on board I made this new system which I will gladly share with everyone if it is a success.
If not you will hear nothing about it.

If it works Dave D, Sleepe and VB it will be of interest to you all as your comments put me on this track.
Alex