Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Seems like there's not much fun being had in any states of Australia at the moment.

Thanks Tristrin,

Actually I think it might have gone past us - my folks are on the next pipeline system down from us and its starting to pass them now. Considering what went in today - we are definitely back to the tannin stage

Had the pegs ready for our noses when we turned on the hose but surprisingly there was no smell so the stagnant water is clearing the system too

Am curious about whether the tannins in the water will be filtered by the system eventually or not? I know that in an older healthy system the water does turn the colour of weak tea - so Im guessing that the system processes wont remove the colour as its not from suspended solids that can be caught by plants & gravel etc?

Not phased by it tho as long as the waters healthy and does what its supposed to... think I just got used to looking at the tanks full of rainwater.


Hope you wont have to wish you had one this time Tristrin

PS EB...have heard that you guys in WA are in the firing line for rain for the next few months while we cop dry and hotter than average weather ...hope that cyclone near you doesnt get too close... we wish you all the best.



This pick is after the waters had mixed in the sump - still pretty brown

Had a pretty full day yesterday...

Firstly,,, had a prob with the spider valve not working properly - wasnt switching over... cleaned it out and its working again, so think until the sediment clears we may have to do that fairly often - if we have any more probs tho, I will give you a ring Rupe.

Then, had a visit from Snakes... an awesome 'first contact' with an APer - Hi Jos!

Then we threw our first lot of seeds in the first 6 beds

We have left a spot for some corn but both packs I have are coated with 'thiram' . How toxic is this stuff? Can it be washed off?

DO I HAVE BSF???

Found about 6 of them buzzing around the new worm farm trying to get in. A couple of them have parked themselves with their back-ends touching where the two layers of the farm stack onto each other like they are trying to lay eggs (hope that makes sense!)

Put a beer cap there for perspective

There is another possibility tho... the Ag Dept near us has apparently just released a heap of preditary wasps to try and reduce Gall wasp numbers. Apparently they look like a cross between a fly and wasp - not much help seeing as BSF do too!

I thought perhaps size might help someone identify them for me...please!

Sure looks like it. Way to go!

Yay!!!
thanks jdphish!

They looked right but were WAY bigger than I was expecting!


Gonna answer my own question so no one else has to ... found Tristrins thread about treated seeds. We had soaked them overnight then cleaned off as much of the pink stuff as we could...which by the sounds of it is the right thing to do if your going to risk using them.

check out this link about using seeds coated with thiram
viewtopic.php?f=14&t=8835

Hi Neta,
Can't quite tell from the photos, ours are usually black whereas your flies seem to have brown wings. The legs as I know them would be striped black and white. They fly slowly too. But yours do seem to be in the right place, I suggest that you leave a little opening so they can get in.
The ones we had here loved the corrugations in the moist cardboard so I would add it to the worm farm, if they are them you are generally sure to find the maggots in the layers of cardboard. Bread soaked in milk is also supposed to attract them, lay it on top of the worm farm.

so you beat me! was just posting that thread

Only just, Tristrin...thanks for posting it anyway tho

Thanks for the info Faye, will give what you suggested a go and see what happens, might just be our version perhaps? (need a fingers crossed smiley for here )

Hi Naz
Just wondering what the water situation is like around you? Have seen some interesting photos of some 'waterfront properties' after Mildura's huge downfall. We have been lucky this time; have had some flooding but nowhere near as bad as in January.

Glad to hear that Tristrin - yeah we had a LOT of rain... not sure if it topped you last time or not tho. Mildura had had 108mm in 2 hours and I was stuck in town with a flat battery for most of that time with a massive lightening storm going off around me and more rain than Ive ever seen. It was actually cool sitting in a car watching it, but unfortunately I had put my lights on to see through the wall of water on the way to the plant store and forgotten to turn them off... I was there, believe it or not, to buy duckweed! By the time they put on gumboots and raincoats and waited for about 15 mins looking out the window to see if the rain would stop so they wouldnt get wet, and then got around to serving me, the battery was well and truly dead.

About 10 mins the other side of Mildura to us (Red Cliffs) someone got 170mm, But we didnt get that much... was a bit over 110mm I think but will check with hubby.

Did have a bit of a disaster tho...massive amounts of water on plastic roof = BAD.

Thinking of laserlite-ing this 1/4 section then will do the rest when we can afford it.

Oh dear

Ouch. I wish you a speedy recovery.

Unconfirmed reports of 150mm where we are. Although news is saying 100% in 1 day, 95% of our rainfall for the year fell in 12 hours.

Hubby is gutted as he had been up till 2.30am pushing water off the roof and checking on everything, so when it happened at 8.30am he blamed himself for sleeping in.

On the bright side... we now have duckweed