Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Thanks VB

A little update everyone. Today was one of those oh wait crap no days. I was going to go buy a new pond pump at Ace (they have a 250W submersible 10500L/hr 7m head) but they say it is not rated for 24 hour work so i decided to wait a while to buy it. Good idea as on my way to pick up my wife some guy in a truck pulled out in front of me. I slammed on the breaks and because it was wet from the rain wnet for a ride. Now 11 hours later i sit picking away at the computer one hand in a cast and covered in road rash. Oh well the bright side to this is is:

A i am still alive
B more Ap time as i am grounded (on wifes orders)
C i just have to tell the kids what to do as i have the cast and am pretty much a lump for the next 3 weeks.

So all in all good minus a decrepit typing hand.

you poor thing. how many bones? I did both bones in my left wrist a couple of years ago. They didn't heal straight, I can make interesting shapes now with that arm!

i dont know actually they were all talking in indo and i was not in a mood to understand i will have to ask my wife and look at the xray

So I am back on the mend. And got the system runnig. The problem I am know seeing is thta my water may get to warm (have yet to find a thermometer that will work well). I put my hand in it the other day and it was easily lukewarm bath water.. Does anyone haven any ideas to keep the temps down. I am thinking hooking up some shade cloth. And also when the plants get going they should shade the rocks.

The bare growbeds filled with rocks act as a big water heater. Can you possibly put shadecloth over your growbeds?

Agree! Shade is key. Also consider painting anything that doesn't move white to reflect sun/heat. Make sure there is good airflow in the area so you don't build up pockets of heat. Give the fish little iced drinks and parasols.

--Janet.

Shade cloth is what i am looking at right now though i can only find 90 and 70 percent and would like something a little less than that. As for air flow i put the system on the roof so it get a whole lot of wind. But those ice drinks with the parasols sound good too i will have to try one for my self.

Jonathan, we've 70% over the fish tank. I keep remembering how sunny it is here and wondering whether I'll have to shade the growbeds too. Time will tell I suppose.

Jonathan, how is the arm coming along? Out of the cast yet? Make sure you do any exercises they give you. I broke my wrist 2 years ago and I still have to do the exercises (prolly forever )

Is the shade helping your tank?

I broke my wrist in year 11, and still have hassels with it from time to time - and that is 14 years later

Jtjf... apparently if you use a hot air gun and a stick to push while hot you could put some nice pockets into the cast .... bit of washed metal...
toss up between flood and drain or continuous flow.... few strawberries and you're laughing LOL

Get better fellow APer

ROFLMAO!

Well the cast has been off for a few weeks but i am still in a brace as a motorcycle in bali is not the most confortable form of trasportation exspecially on the wrist. I should have told the doctor i wanted to keep the cast could have made a great mini tower!! As for Exercises? They never gave me any (Indonesian doctors). Thought a police oficer told i should try massages . I have beem trying to find a squish ball though to work on the strength. As for continuing pain I am right there in the boat. My thumb is always throbing.


The main reason I havn't been on much is i was in Maylasia for a week doing a visa run. Its nice to be back though now we have christmas parties to plan and attend and about 50 kids to buy gift for so i am still pretty busy.

As for the system. I have to make a few modifications as the barrels were not supported properly and started bend into weird shapes. A few meters of rope foxed that problem and now all is up and running. I have seven chilli plants sprouting in one of the beds and am getting 80 Red Tilapia on thursday. They are selling me the fish for about a 1.10 Aussie for all 80. I almost hit the floor when they said the price. I had to ask twice to make sure i heard it and translated right. So looks like The system is on the way to production full time.

I also have strated up a rabbit project jere at the home. The kids are learning to rear bunnies for food and the boys are really liking it. For the girls its still hard to convince them to eat the fuzzy cute bunnies.

FISH FISH FISH. Well I went a got myself about 110 Red Tilpia yesterday and added them in with the 10 other fish that have been powering the system. Woke up this morning and the layer of duckweed covering the tank for the last 3 weeks was gone. Got some hungry little ones here. The kids really love it and are wanting to feed the fis all the time so i have to lock away the feed or end up with really fat bloated fish. Tommorow my job is to get some coco peat and then some bulk fish food as these guys are sucking it back.

Wonderful! We want pictures of the fishies and the kids! Be careful of an ammonia spike with the large addition of fish. Feed conservatively at first until the bacteria can catch up.