Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I don't know whether to make an Ictalurus Garfieldius joke or a "Manx Catfish" joke

Rick

Clever Rick!

We have had a lot of rain lately. Yesterday some wind took the top of the tank and as far as I can tell just one escapee. At least I can stop brining in water. The system is all topped up and I have about 50-70 gallons of water in reserve.

Picked a couple eggplants yesterday and still have one cucumber we have not eaten yet. As temps start to cool, I hope to get to work on the GH system and perhaps rework this one a bit.

hey DV hows your system going?

System is still chugging a long. The tilapia are just big enough to harvest. My parents are coming into town, so we will eat what we can and freeze the rest either Sunday or Monday. I'll put some pictures up then. We were giving away eggplants and cucumbers left and right, but both have slowed to a crawl as the temps start to change. I put some peas in and they are growing well. Sometime next week, I'll pull most everything out and put in some winter veggies. The 10 catfish in there should power it through the winter ok.

Water has been a big issue for me. Not much rain here, so I was topping up with tap water and hoping or the best. We finally got some rain the otherday which filled the sump and gave me 60 or so gallons in reserve.

I have all of next week off work, so I hope to make some real progress on a variety of projects...stay tuned for pics!

Moon phase says... time to toss in lettuce and cabbage seeds!

That rain was very very welcome... my sump pump was about to start suckin' air!

Rick

Rick, You want to swing by and try the tilapia with us?

That'd be a Yes, I do want to. Let me check on my availability though...
Thanks!

So today we harvested 14 tilapia and one catfish. All the tilapia went into the freezer as we still have a ton of turkey and ham we need to get through. The catfish on the otherhand went home with the mother in-law (payment for killing and gutting the fish). She reported back just minutes ago that it was "outstanding". So while I still have not tried any of the fish out of the system, the one report I have is GOOD!

It has been getting pretty cold here, and frankly I think it was a bit cruel keeping the tilapia as long as I did in these temps, but to tell you the truth that was nothing to what they endoured at the hands on my mother in-law. I wanted to keep the heads on so they could be fried whole, so she just gutted them. The flipped and flopped for what seemed liked forever (without any insides) until I finally put them in an ice bath. One was still twitching a bit, even after the ice bath) during the photo shoot. So - how do you all prep your fish?

Yeah! 1st fish harvest how exciting

As for the fish, maybe a heavy blunt object to send them on there way? I know here in Oz the Fishing tackle shops sell them so you can knock your fish on the head if you want to keep it.

Can not wait to see the photos!

Iki Jimi (spike) or just cut the throat (behind gills) and bend the head back breaking the neck, it's over real quick and the heart can still pump out excess blood.

good thing my GF isnt on here, i think she'd faint from reading something like this

well done on the first fish harvest DV
any plans for fish over winter?? and any pics

A few pictures...

All packed and ready to go into the freezer.


This is the catfish grandma took home with her.


and I added some video to my youtube channel...

http://www.youtube.com/user/mkan38?feature=mhsn

Way to go Deja...