Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Interesting... I thought the tan tan's could go from 4 degs to 38 degs with no probs, like a super fish

Hey SA people

Nice to see some warm weather to get the water temperature up.

I have some spare seedlings that have sprouted, basil, coriander, and lots of seed in. When you start up eame002, send me a message.

I found the reciept for the fish, silver perch at $2 each for 5cm long. I will shop around to compare prices in the future, but they are only 20 min away and sell, fish food etc by the kg. Little pellets were $5 per kg. They expanded clay balls (hydro balls) are cheaper from a hydro shop.

A good hydro shop for fittings, trays, containers, balls etc is on Seacombe Rd, Brighton. Don't know much about AP, but the prices are good. They have lots of second hand gear as well, my favourite section.

They little perch have survived water as low as 8 degree's water temp and lower air temp and seem healthy and happy, a good choice for the hills unless you are going to heat the water with electricity, because i doubt it solar will cut it through winter. This is based on the performance of my solar hot water sytem (house not AP) over the winter. Its only 5 degrees outside tonight!

Hey, I just looked up Hawthorndene on the map and you are just a k or two away from me. Where are you coming from? You must know Adelaide, you picked a prime area.

Send me a message when you have time for a beer

HG

I'm actually moving from Woodcroft (renting there after selling a house in Marino, which I moved to after selling a house in Seacombe Gardens, which I moved to after renting in Bedford Park; which.....). I've lived in Adelaide since I was 18 and have rented in Hawthorndene before so I know the area. I know the Hydro shop on Seacombe road (haven't been in there).

The main issue with the cats was the possibility of fungus problems and lack of growth at low temps. Maybe I'll pay a little more and buy some silvers (although 100 at $2...)

When I get settled I'll buy some beer (any excuse)

Hey Homegrown,

Where did you get the silvers? I am looking for some to keep my 12 glodfish company. We had a frost here last night, the water in my tank got down to 10 degrees, although it was 37 last wednesday and the tank got to 26 (solar heating from a coil of pipe on the roof).

Nova

Got my Silvers from Solardome, but they cost 2 bucks each

hope oneday we can all get together and make an order to reduce the cost.

Hi everyone

Just a quick "local knowledge" question: Does anyone know where to get cheap bulky bins (or something equivelant). I'm starting to think of getting 5 bb instead of one big tank, for portability (I may have to move 12 months after I move into my new domicile, due to reasons beyond my control)

E2

Do you mean like this -
http://paramountbrowns.ihub.com.au/Desk ... ntbrownsau
I havent been there but I assume it means they also come with a wooden pallet base which is the cheeper version.

Thanks for that; for some reason I thought they were a lot more expensive at PB. 6 at 150 (who needs steel), would give me 5000 litres for fishies and 1000 for marron. Yes starting to look viable, plus I'll be able to move them individually if and when I have to move; and I'll be able to add little fishies to one and keep the older/bigger ones or even different species in others.

Of course I've got to connect them to each other (shouldn't be hard)!

Pt Augusta (well outside by about 10kms.
Still waiting for Joels package must be 4-5 days including th w/end since I ordered it
Nothing in place yet but starting to plan the shadehouse and scrounge gear. Those 1000l bulk bins any good? might have to look at buying a couple. Looks like save then a trip to Adelaide
Pete

hi Dry, the 1000L bins (the ones in the cages) are good depending on their previous life. Check carefully what has been stored in them. Everyone seems to call them IBC's on here. You'll see them mentioned a lot.

Welcome, happy planning and scrounging!

There has been talk of them weakening under intense sunlight in some threads. have a read around. may pay to shade cloth them if they are above ground (as in wrap them in it)

Hi folks. I have been reading your website avidly for about 3 weeks - still heaps to go, but you keep adding stuff faster than I can read it!

My wife and I have a 15 acre block at Monarto - about 70 Km out of Adelaide in the general direction of Murray Bridge. We are in the rain shadow of the Adelaide Hills and our normal rainfall is about 350 mm per year - this year we have had about 200 mm so although we are well down, we are not as badly off as a lot of places.

I just started building a Barrelponics system today (thanks for the detailed descriptions Travis) - have made up the wooden frame and cut one blue barrel in halves for the growbeds. I am thinking of using an autosiphon system instead of Travis's flap valve and float bottle.

We have a really nice greenhouse to put it in - we scrounged a shed frame (20 x 20 feet or 6 x 6 Meters) from some relatives and have covered it with corrugated polycarbonate sheeting (darker stuff on the roof to control the heat a bit). Must really finish closing in the Northern end one day...

We have one significant problem on our block (apart from being in drought like everyone else) - we dont have mains water. We have adequate tank water for household needs (assuming the drought will break one day), but have to cart water 500 Litres at a time from a fire plug about 7 Km away. The water is really cruddy - I think it must be straight out of the Murray with that peculiar green colour and we still have to pay full price (about $1 per 1000 Litres) for the stuff. At least it isnt chlorinated - at least I havent been able to smell any chlorine. Hopefully that means it isnt floridated as well.

The lack of water makes aquaponics a very attractive proposition out here and hopefully one day it will be able to provide us with a reasonable supply of veggies.

Keep up the good work folks - JayEm

Welcome JayEm,
get used to the reading, you need to do a lot to keep up! There are lots of people in your area who you might be able to catch up with.
You can play with siphons a lot too, just ask Les.
Enjoy!

Great to have some more crow eaters, welcome
(BTW Big Mick, I wasnt suggesting you take that eating crow bit literally!)

Hey Jay.

Be interested to hear what ph your system water is. Good one on the greenhouse. I assume your nights get pretty cool there.

Biggest piece of advice I can give is go for something like Silver Perch which can handle our climate better. I am doing Barra atm, but they will be my first and last batch. Too hard to keep the water temps up overnight. If you or anyone else in Adelaide is thinking about going silvers, I will be into a bulk shared delivery pretty soon I reckon.