Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hahahah
i see we have successfully hijack Fodders thread..
it is ok it needs to be done...
... all part of the BYAP initiation...
The MOON man hey as in loony moony

hi guys,

HIjack away, i dont mind.

Ok, so the seeds are not very big, why dont they wash away?
(the water is only and inch or so from the top, how deep do you plant them?)

DON'T plant them... just scatter over the surface, they will fall into the crevices
and find their own height to grow at.
So long as they have water and sunshine the husk will have enough stored energy to germinate the seed and grow a bit.
You need to find out which species will work for you at this time of the year.
Check the link F&F posted 'gardengate' ^^^

Hi everyone.

wow, that humonia doesn't take long to work!
Rites:5.0
Rates:40
AMM:0.25
PH:7.8

One day form zero to this......
I think i will add 150ml next time. it looks like 300ml was too much.
I will have to add 150ml more often, but it might be better.
Comments?

Creative,
thanks for that i will have a read and see what is going on.

Semi daily testing

Rites:5.0
Rates: 20
PH: 8.0
Amm: 0.50 (amm looks darker today)

this cycling process is really interesting. Esp when you test most every day.
You can watch the process happen. I will probably keep testing every day for another week or so just to see the time it takes for the amm to be used up.
Then i will start cutting it back to every couple of days.

Also this weekend i am putting up a better shade structure. Currently the shade sail is too close to teh plants and i think they are cooking. either way it need to be done.

Also i am considering for next summer getting some of those "mist" nozzels. they are used heaps up here and do bring the temp down. bit late for this year we are on the downward stretch for summer

CH

Well i missed the last couple of days testing due to being slack.....

Rites: 0
Rates: 0 - 5.0
PH 8.0
Amm: 0

adding another hit of Hummoina.

G'Day Creative1

Hi all,

Called Broome Tafe today regarding getting some Barra. It seems that they did a spawn today and everything looks good for the moment. I still have yet to speak to Anthony (hatchery manager) regarding my order.

no testing yet still at work.

Daily-ish tests

Rites:0
Rates: 0
PH: 8
Amm: 0

I had to add a heap of water last night due to evap and i think this might have wrecked the reading. Either way i will add another hit of hummonia, the test tomorrow.

CH

Hi Fodder

I won't be buying any Barra from this batch . Reason being, my fish didn't eat very well last year around the cooler months, and they where quiet large by that stage.

I think it will Be too much hard work and probably heart ache, if I do.

So my thinking is, I will hold off from this batch of Barra, and wait unt il, August or the comming months Anyway that is my Game plane. Wishing you the best of luck

Hi Helen,

I have emailed him asking for a price for 30 barra fingerlings (small number, hopefully he will do it. Also i am a bit worried about getting them now coming into winter. but we will see.)

I saw that you lost you fish stocks a while back and was wondering how you were keeping it going.
Currently i only have about 4 plants growing in the bed. two are seedlings that were put in straight away and 2 others are some seeds that we through in on the full moon cycle thing.

I really have not pushed the plantings as it was cycling and then we could not get the Barra, so i am keeping it going with humoina. Growth rates are really SLLLLLOOOOOOWWWW! From when i started the cycling to now i have two plants that stand no more than 10cm (and they were seedlings). I will get a pic soon.

Ohh well its an adventure. I guess when/if i get the Barra i will have to encourage more plant growth, but for the moment trying to keep it going with just Humionia any more plants and i would not be able to keep up!!!!

I would still love to come down and have a look at your setup sometime.


CH

Hey Fodder,

Have you taken the shade off yet ??? IMHO the slow growth of the plants is due to not enough sun. would love to see a pic too...

Hi guys,

Sorry about the time between posts, there has been a bit going on. Cant say too much just yet.

Also i managed to, finally, get a hold of the Broome tafe and book some fish!!!
i have also been talking with Jessie and have started using UREA instead of Humonia, all seems to be going well.
Still trying to figure out correct dose, looks to be somewhere between 10 and 15 ml every couple of days.

Below you can see some growth pictures. Not that impressive. Also out of the seeds i scattered in the bed ( and there was a lot....) i only got 2 or 3 to germinate.

and a close up


the big ones are the seedlings and the were planted on or around the 12 of Feb. ( i lost lot due to the shade not being ready for a couple of days) also the water is a little bit green and there is a bit of alge on the walls.

We have a minor HSM the other day as i had left the hose in the FT after topping up and Jen (wife) unplugged the hose from the tap end to fill the dogs water bucket. We then went out to Karratha and back. I went out side to find water everywhere over the patio and to see the FT 3/4 empty. Lucky there was no fish.
I filled it back up, but now have a PH of 8.8. I will have to try and bring that down a bit over the next couple of weeks.

I did try and remove the shade cloth for a couple of days (its 90% btw), but the tips of the plants started to burn.

so its still going, just.

Hey Fodder, you might want to change the shade cloth to white.

Theory is that plants are green because that is the part of the light spectrum they don't want, so reflect (get rid of) it. Your green shade cloth is absorbing all those good blue and red rays and passing on to your plant the spectrum your plant doesn't want.

As you've noticed you've gotta protect the plants from the intense heat, and sometimes some wind and hail, so some shade cloth is a good idea. Green looks clean but white is right.

Well it looks like the last gasp of summer has hit. I got a big bout of hay-fever and that means the seasons have changed.

It also looks like i have lost at least one of the bigger plants (the one in the picture) We had a day or two of strong HOT winds and it has knocked that plant for a six.
I am still feeding etc and it might comeback. Just have to wait & see i guess.

Lessons Learned (Pilbara Style)
Shade cloth needs to be higher of the bed, 1-2 m at least.(the obviousness of that statement is stupid, right)
You really need to protect the plants from the HOT wind. Something like shade cloth on 3 sides. (another obviously stupid statement )
Those "mist" spray gadgets that are out now ( http://www.mrmister.com.au/) would be great idea to lower the temp around the plants.

But now the good news!
Winter is here and i can start to grow some real stuff! + fish will be ready soon.
I have been told that the water temp will get as low as 20-22 up here over winter so the barra might not grow to well. I might be better off feeding with era and potash over the winter.

Chris