Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Great question , I would be interested in the answer as well .

Cheers Moe, was good to meet you. I've read a few posts here on worms to do exactly that (get into the old roots etc). Pulled the remainder of the lettuce and spinach recently and there are definitely heaps of roots etc in the gravel left. going on a worm hunt again this weekend...

Seems to work fine for all those who've reported trying it. I like it when removing something that has a massive root system (like my 4cm diameter tomato vine) that would otherwise turn over all my gravel. One simply uses pruning shears or a saw to remove the top, then pull the rest when the stump is fairly easy to pull.

I would think that, if anything, the decay of the roots would probably suck nitrogen rather than release it as roots are generally low protein. Slow release, anyway, compared to the large emissions from the fish.

damn weather! almost got the raised pond done today. On top of that my drill died

haha ah well, time to get a new drill. What do people think of Makita drills?

My pond liner arrived yesterday as well. Put some insulation in the bottom of the main fish tank. I built a mini-system herb bed out of stuff off the side of the road. Powered by gold fish. I'll take a photo when i get my girlfriends camera.

Anyway hope to get a new drill soon so i can get this sucker done!

I have several brocholi plants in my small system, i harvested a bunch from one plant but left the plant to suck up nitrates, another plant i cut off right at the gravel, maybe 5cm above the hydroton, did this a couple weeks ago, and the one i just cut the bunch off of is creating new (i expected this) but the one that i cut off at the base is starting to grow again! i wanted to make room for some other plants, it looks like the only way to get rid of the broch is to pull it out roots and all

[quote="moekuc"]damn weather! almost got the raised pond done today. On top of that my drill died

haha ah well, time to get a new drill. What do people think of Makita drills?

quote]

You get what you pay for with Makita. I bought the green china made hammer/drill for $70ish and it has recently turned into a hammer only drill, still it was 4 years good befoire then. The tradie quality Makitas are awesome if you have the $$.

Keep pushing with the system - nearly there!

The entry level tradie quality makitas are really good. I have 2; both corded, one with a keyless chuck that I buggered up years later while installing our timber flooring (too much concrete dust). I bought a second one with a normal chuck to replace it, need to take the first one in for a service.
They both cost around $180 from big B. Pay more again for cordless if you want a good one. Remember that (like anything) you get what you pay for!

Heres an update.

Raised pond is coming along. The guys at the timber yard gave me the wrong pieces of merbu so i couldn't fully finish it. Im going to put them up around the edges to make it look nice. Pond is fairly filled. Bought a new drill, a Hitachi. Go to total tools if you want a new tool they have a lot on special at the moment!



Heres the little system I made. Very ghetto. It was made from all stuff i pulled from the side of the road. It ain't pretty but it was free.

raised pond done finally.



going to trim back the rest of the liner when its full.

Are you going to use the pond as a fish tank or sump?

sump

Looking good!

Gotta love the chook yard