Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

[font=Times New Roman] [/font] The info on Black Soldier Flies posted by Dave Donley on Johnnie7au topic Fish/alternate feed has changed my life (a little anyway).
I will research them (thanks for the /brazil link Dave). Then I need someone to supply me with a starter batch. Here in Michigan, I think our winters are too much for the BSF. I will raise them in my greenhouse under the grow beds.
This was the missing link for me. I will raise Blue Gill, Yellow Perch, and Channel Catfish. A nice source of protein was needed. Then you tell me about BSF Maybe I can keep them happy on grass clippings and kitchen scrap until I get chickens (several years from now probably).
I will combine this with vermaculture.
This seems like the role of bacteria in the aquaponics. It will make me more self sufficient and lower the feed bill

Seeing I am going to do this, I really wanted a forum topic for it.
The main idea originated here, among many good ideas I get here. So I will post my progress, ask questions, and facts I find as I research the subject.

As usual, it is almost always harder to do it in a cold climate. You aussies are so lucky You do not mind being called Aussies I mean it with the greatest respect. Never met an Aussie I did not like.
I had an Aussie guide in Africa (great guy) and an Aussie army sargeant companion on a trek thru Hawaian islands (great lass)

Anyway, Steve, the BSF concept will live at least in my little world.

Oh damn! The poll is missing the 'not planned' option.
People should have the right not to raise BSF.
I do not know how to edit a poll; can an administrator add the option for me? It would be appreciated.

Hi Doug:

I threw some fruit in my compost bin hoping to get some BSF larvae last Summer, but I think if any were laid that the crickets probably got them (a lot of crickets in the compost bin).

Hmmm. If I raise bugs for my fish, they aren't going to be the kind that fly or can otherwise escape and survive on their own. Anything I'm doing is in the sunroom, and that's right off the family room. The door between the rooms is just interior grade, with airspace underneath. I'll stick with sprouting grains for now, thanks!

I do not want the soldier flies in my greenhouse. It is not attached to my house, but it is attached to my shop. I would want to collect the larvae as they leave the bin through the tube to the collection jar (jar sealed). Then use some larvae as fish food and put some in an aquarium (sealed with cloth cover) to change to the flies. Hopefully the flies can lay eggs in the aquarium and die. Then the maggot eggs can go to the bin again.

So my ideal situation would be to keep all stages of BSF contained. No flies buzzing around. I've done a lot of back country trips and insects buzzing around my head is one of the BIG negatives in the bush. Always try to do better at home!

Dave, you are in a cold climate like me. Do you expect BSF to survive PA winters? They may not be native where there is snow and freezing. Can we get some from Florida or Texas members? Hope so.

I'm sure I have BSF in my worm farm. I must take a picture and get Dave to confirm identification for me.

Well, the holidays gave me a chance to research Black Soldier Flies.

They do not look good for my circumstances.

First, I found the flies need about 4 meters vertical flying to mate. I planned to let them mate in a closed aquarium. I do not want them flying around my greenhouse. So, the fly stage is not convenient to keep.

Second, I found a project in North Australia trying to irradicate BSF in the wild. Why? Because they eat roots of the forage in pastures in competition with the commercial animals. They are trying to lower their numbers to near extinction. Hope this does not go like the Cane Frog introduction. In Michigan, they probably can not live outdoors over the winters.

In any case, I will not use them.

Now I will check out meal worms and vermiculture. I am trying to find something to eat vegetables and supply meat for my blue gill and perch.

Perch love guppie meat!

Hey Doug, I am very keen on BSF for my scenario, in our greenhouse.
I am still trying to find accurate info on whether they are polinators or not. Some sources say they do not eat anything as an adult, another says they consume pollen. If they have benefits to pollenation, then I am a go on raising them in the greenhouse. They usually appear to use wooded areas for mating, though it sounds like greenhouse environments will be adequate.
My problem is finding eggs.
I have put it out there in many places to find them but none seem to be presenting themselves to me.

Doug, coming up next Tuesday at the CDC in Brooks, Nick Savidov will be hosting a meeting on implimentation on aquaponics in Alberta.
One aspect of the discussion will be organic certification, which he is confident they will achieve this year!
This is a major step in commercial aquaponics technology for Canada.

So back to BSF. If I find a source of eggs, I will put it out there.
They seem ideal.

A little off topic but i have found the ants and their larve are great for the fish. I just set out some pvc in the garden and they start filling it up after a week i just drop it in the tank the fish love it.

I found a source for BSF. At http://www.wormman.com/pd_phoenix.cfm they call BSF 'Phoenix worms' Larvae of BSF. They charge $9.95US per cup of larvae. A couple of cups should get a good colony going!

What does 'raimiuso' stand for? I have a hard time remembering this for correspondence. Keep me informed about any work you do with these.

Dr. Savidov will get organic status for aquaponics, I'm sure. And that will help with the same happening in various States in the USA. Bravo!

John
That is an interesting idea. I have a 100 gallon sump and a 20 gallon aquarium. I could raise a small feeder fish to feed the perch and blue gill. I think guppies would be excellent. Easy to raise and prolific. Are you doing a large amount for your perch?

It was occuring to me that if I had a breeding set of tilapia, I could alternate growing out tilapia and yellow perch. When I was growing out the yellow perch, the tilapia fry could become perch food.

Why alternate? Set up a bigger system and do both!

Unfortunately, Doug, there is no reference for you. Raimiuso was a random creation of my mind to use as a user name.
I will try to remember to put my name at the bottom of my posts to you as such:

Hayden



P.S. Thanks for locating the source of BSF eggs. Perhaps they will have more information pertaining to the adult fly's habits.