Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

seems like the youngins are having more luck at finding old posts and linking to them than us!

The third and final grow bed is in! Now I'm just trying to get the timers set correctly so the beds don't overlap too much when they run.

Neat set up! And the kids just look soooo happy

nice

Coming together really nicely Janet - see you have marked out a grid on the floor, this for the chainsaw cuts? :sunny:

Tip: use a holesaw 1st, makes for a neater cut

That looks fantastic! I hope mine will be as neat and tidy. I hope to move the dreaded entertainment center to reveal a nice set of floor-to-ceiling windows, if the wife will let me
Are those "hydro" planters you're using there as GB, or rather, what are those? They look great. I'm gonna start with Rubbermaid (i think), as I've said elsewhere, but those might be worth a look!
What fish do you have in there? I thought you'd have your new tilapia going, but those look more colorful than any I've seen.
Being that you have a heater in the tank, however, I'd have to figure it is the tilapia, but I digress...

Looking good, How many fish do you plan to use to feed them grow beds?

bhsx I think its the goldies Janet salvaged from her frozen pond

Hi All!
- The growbeds are 50gal (189 liter) Rubbermaid Stock Tanks. The main fish tank is a 150gal (570 liter) Rubbermaid. bhxs, just go with the Rubbermaid! Easy, cheap, and the quality can't be beat.

- The fish in the pics are Sarasa Comets (long tails) and 2nd generation feeders (short tails) on holiday from the pond outdoors. They are really enjoying their tropical vacation.

- Plans are for 40-50 male tilapia to grow to eating size. I can handle 35 pounds (16kg) of fish, and can probably start eating them when they reach .75 - 1 pound (.3kg - .4kg). I suspect I won't be getting tilapia until after the holidays. The students that I am going to get them from are busy selling holiday pointsettas right now.

- No chainsaws right now. I do keep eyeing the cathedral ceiling, wondering how many skylights I could put on the south slope.

I have planted seeds. The lettuce, spinach and bok choy are up and have their first true leaves. They are a little hungry for light, but I think they'll be OK. The basil is up and seems fine. The radishes sprouted after 24 hours. I also planted some seeds for tuberous begonias. I think the center bed will start off in flowers to cheer me up during the long winter. Wasabi plants are still doing well, although a few aphids came along with them. I've been smushing the aphids I can get to, and have used a few small squirts of insecticidal soap in the crowns of the plants. It's biodegradeable, and I've decided that very judicious use of it will be fine. The goldfish are still happy.

Janet, they make bug sprays that are made from clove oil. Safer to eat and lethal for bugs. (like Raid earth options). Other things that may help are cloves, pennyroyal, peppermint, and a biodegradable soap - (keeps insects from grabbing onto the plants.)

Be careful of clove oil, it acts as an anesthetic on fish in even very small quantities. Most commercial operations use it to "stun" the fish for harvest

if you use the clove oil, how long will the fish be anesthitized?

I've been doing organic dirt-gardening for years. My preferred methods of attack are hand-squishing/removal, diatomaceous earth, BT, and insecticidal soap. The nice thing about the soap is that it dribbles down into the crowns of the plants where I cannot reach. I do consider it to be the most hazardous of my methods, though. If the aphids re-appear, maybe I'll try a sprinkle of diatomaceous earth instead.

Basically sedates the fish for as long as in the "oiled" water, once they're placed into clean well oxygenated water it revives them almost immediately

I know we have an artis or two here, can some one draw me up a picture of a life sized bug that been cut to shreds and is severly bleeding due to DE? LOL mi wan't to give it to janet for christmas I LOVED your description of "how DE works"