Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I`ve just spent two hours drifting over the net looking for a safe way to get rid of the bugs that are eating my vegies in the ap system
I don`t know if I`m lousey at looking for stuff, or if it`s just that there is not much info on the subject out there BUT I did come away with two recipies that may work well.
Garlic Spray, Soak 1 bulb of fine chopped garlic in paraffin for 3 days.
Dissolve 2 cups of soap flakes in 1 liter of water and add to garlic mix.
Stand mix for 2 days and then strain.
Dilute 1/2 cup of mix with 4 liters of water before application.
Eucalyptus Spray, 1 teaspoon eucalyptus oil.
500ml of soapy water,mix both and use straight away.
(2% of eucalyptus oil in water is apparently considerd a good general pourpose insect spray)Use every 3 days.

can anybody please tell me if they have tryed these methods as they look good in theory, but will the ingredients be somewhat lethal to the fish

Hi Gnash,
What kind of bugs?

I would hesitate to mix soap or eucalyptus oil with fish. I would consider:

Flying bugs: yellow sticky traps.
caterpillars and chewing bugs: BT (Dipel) or diatomaceaous earth.
Soft-bodied bugs: Diatomaceous Earth
Big bugs: hand removal and drop them in vegetable oil. Feed them to the chooks?
Little squishy bugs: Squish 'em
Little bugs: spray off with water.

Would steer cleart of the eucalyptus. Is quite poisonous and I imagine would have a detrimental effect on fish (probably death). I also don't like the idea of soap or paraffin going into the system.

Garlic sprays can be made by just soaking garlic in water. Be aware though that garlic will kill the beneficial insects also. Chilli is another good organic ingredient to add to sprays (garlic and chilli works well).

For caterpillers, give BT a go. You can buy it from yates as DIPEL. The active ingredient of Dipel is Bacillus Thuringiensis (BT). It should pose no harm to the fish.

Eventhough I am wary of adding oil to the system, I think a home made white oil (blending vegetable oil with water) may be worth a go for insects controlled by white oil - though you would want to be carfull not to spray too much on, thereby limiting the amount of oil that could end up in the system. I remember AA saying that vitamin b (or was it c) added to the system will break down the fat that is left from the pellets. I wonder if it would also help with any oil residue resulting from use of home made white oil.

Hate it when that happens! Not quick enough with the typing.

I have used a mixture of chilli and garlic, boiled and soaked, to spray onto plants - it had a limited effect...

Dipel it is then.I`m mainly having trouble with caterpillers atm so I`ll go with that

it was vit c

Also whenusing these natural alternatives, be aware that detergent is NOT soap Neither is the "soap" you buy from the supermarket.

Is it called castille? the one that i'm thinking of, made the old fashioned way, with lye (caustic soada) and animal fat.

Was interested in this question myself, anyone tried pyrethrum?
Or more specifically beat-a-bug (organic garlic, chille and pyrethrum spray) http://www.greenharvest.com.au/pestcont ... _prod.html

Somehow 'Fight Club' springs to mind when you mention soap making Steve...

Gnash, hand removal of bugs can also mean an extra feed for the fish. Our sacrificial fish love termites and green ants.

LOL, i had to think for a second................Any one know of any lipo clinics around melbourne

royale, had a look at pryethrum, natural and synthetic and both labels said the it was not to be used near river systems or fish as it is harmful to them.

jaymie,I can`t seem to find the little buggers, they must visit early in the mornings.I`ve been out at night getting rid of the snails(there were heaps) and have never seen the bugs/caterpillers feeding but see all poo they leave behind,especially in the lettuce cups

hehehe - would you like to borrow my glasses

might just give up the rum