Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

This might interest you both........


Huge difference!

A lovely site.... http://admin.sun.ac.za/kie/unistel/aqua ... /aquastel/

You think Stellenbosch Uni might tell us how they did it? How do you get sex reversal without hormones?

I bread a few fish this way, but Im not impressed with the offspring in terms of size or shape. Not sure I have the best super fish though..

Both my male and female broodstock are sourced from this facility and I am not sure if this program is still in place. Interesting that the all-male image is called gmt.jpg What could this stand for?

Give Me Them.......ah I am an aussie..please forgive

GMT - genetically male tilapia. How do they do this Synaptoman? Says no hormones used. Sounds like they are using O. honorum or some such. Know anyone there I could ask? I would like to know if still active program.

Synapto, I know yours come from Stellenbosch, but they are not superfish right? Would it be possible for you to contact them and sk if they have super males for sale?
It would be intresting to know how it is done....I have serious reserves regarding gen modification...so I am not so sure if these are the right way to go.....

The new head of this department is Laurens De Wet (ex Aquanutro) Phone him on his cell +27-82-8881232 and ask him directly.

Super guy. Very helpful. You are right Synaptoman. Not an active program now. Out-dated. He invited me to contact him in the new year when he is back in the office. Appreciate the contact. Thanks so much.

A very Happy 2009 from Synaptoman and his Tribe to all at BYAP. The Child Bride and I were debating what three wishes we could send to our family and friends and eventually decided on,

Health
Peace
Happiness

,and we also sincerely wish these for you and yours.

As mentioned in previous posts, I have converted my home Aquaponic system into a small Tilapia Hatchery and I have spent the last few months stripping eggs, hatching them, cleaning tanks, pampering brood fish etc. and totally neglecting the plant aspect of the system.

With 3 good batches of fingerlings produced in December and the system nicely settled down, I have now turned my attention to the poor growbeds.

Here is a list of what I have done since the 1st.

* Removed mint from two growbeds.

* Repaired two leaking growbeds.

* Unclogged all pipe-within-pipe drains and adjusted flow.

* Removed nasturtions and squash (waste of time).

* Cleaned up under all bushes.

* Trimmed back gooseberry bushes.

* Planted tomatoes in seed trays (Roma and Money Maker varieties)

* Planted 3 types of chilli and capsicums in seed trays.

* Planted Swiss Chard and sundry chilli seeds directly into gravel.

* Generally tidied up the area.

I am trying seeds in seed trays this year and I am using a soil mix of 2/3 compost and 1/3 river sand as a potting mix. I then mix 5ml of Seagro in 1L of water and add to the mix.

I have placed the seed trays on the floor of my greenhouse next to pond #1 (brood pond) and am irrigating morning and night with water from the pond.

Making so many changes at the same time (and removing so much plant matter) is risky as my water quality and clarity is perfect at the moment. I am worried that a balanced system like this will suffer from excess Nitrates if you remove too much plant matter. What sometimes happens (and if the ponds aren’t properly shaded) is that algae forms and takes up the excess Nitrates. I am going to have to keep a close eye on water test results until all the seedlings are up and planted.

I've never been able to keep enough algae in stock for the hungry tilapia. I don't know if they actually filter it out of the water, but I've heard so.

Hi Snappy, you said nasturtiums are waste of time - is this because there is no market? I had some that grew so fast that I got scared and ripped it out

Ditto. Also, they seemed to be an absolute aphid-trap and I needed the room, and I didn't have a market for them and.....

That Frank Sinatra music must have worked. My brood tank has exploded into an orgy of activity. We hatched over 2500 Tilapia fry today. These will be sex-reversed to fast-growing males and moved out to the commercial farms in 2-3 weeks time. Attached an image. We still have about 300 eggs to hatch.

OMG
Bet your pretty stoked with that lot

Yep, my son looks at the fry tank and says, "Look, my College Fund."

These little buggers (after sex-reversal, and about 30% mortality) sell for R4 each (about AUS$ 0.60)

Cheers