Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Mine smells strong of ammonia also, must be loaded with nitrates!

Once you have the system established, do they keep breeding year round, or do you need to re-start each summer?

Still no BSF in my bio pod may need to get someone to send me some to get things going, anyone got some near to me?

If some one ships you larva ask them to tape the shipping box very very very very well or the works will be crawling out of the box on the way and the post office does not like that to much, lol.

They restart as the chemical odor attracts them in again. Mine actually never completely stopped. We had a little snow and they just slow down in activity/growth with the weather. I believe the compost keeps them warm enough in our mild winters to keep from dieing.

You can put foam around the container and lay a piece on top and their activity will keep them warm, but they will not grow or produce much, if any, when it gets cold, but they will keep. I just dumped all mine out to the chickens at the end of summer because they stank so much when fed cow dung, but now they have not come back

Well, I had half gallon of larva, but my crappie were too small still to eat them, so I fed them to the chickens. MAN! They were happy!

They are multiplying like crazy!
I found a problem with my design. The larva climb right over the hose I put in there to guide them to the hole, but they still have quite a few falling in the container.
Tomorrow, I will just take the hose out and extend the exot hole up to the edge. The larva will hit the top and turn and fall into the hole. This is much simpler to make and the larva can climb up angles steeper that 45 degrees, at least some can.

Mine were making almost verticle climbs but I think is was because they were nasty/sticky. My composter/harvester worked well last year but I should have cleaned it before restarting this year. Taking the hit now but before refilling I may make a few changes on the ramp.

Did you say they dissapeared after you cleared it out?
I may have to let a couple go free avery day or so, so they can transmortify and lay more eggs.

They didn't dissappear, they are the pile of muck next to the composter. I will use some to reseed the composter.

man BSF larvae love Trout

http://www.eawag.ch/organisation/abteil ... e/index_EN

Hi All.

Well my Bio Pod isn't doing too well.

1 . It stinks and looks a hideous mess

2. The blowies are all in there laying maggots

Thinking of emptying it out, washing it an starting again.

Would anybody please give me a few key tips and pointers to make the Pod work properly as I have really lucked out on my first attempt

HELP PLEASE

Are these crawling critters younge BSF or blowfly maggots..they keep crawling into the catchment bucket

Thats the real deal. BSF larva, just the young ones. I think there is a lot to be said about cleaning out before spring though. If the compost is too mucky try adding some dry lawn clippings or leaves to sop it up a bit. The larva will come out cleaner and with a lot less ook all over them! But I will clean before spring for now on. Right now I'm considering breaking down and purchasing a real deal bio-pod because I think they will require less attention.