Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

yep have to say we learnt the hard way.....

Meh, over this way we've got maxes 26 and min's of 14, manageable!

it has been a little while since we have last posted anything.
our system pretty much takes care of itself now days.
here are a couple of photos from January 2011.

the one thing we are most certainly are good at growing, is a very large crop of white flys. This year with the mild summer and humidity, we seem to have them worse than ever. As soon as you brush up against the tomato bushes there is a rush of white fluff.

The plan is to put up a flywire screen door before next spring, include an airflow vent at the other end and purchase some preditors.

Ok, it is now that time of the year where we get ready for the next lot of trout.
In the process of cleaning the biofilter this morning. Now......we always have the issue of do we clean the tank. I usually loose out and have to clean the tank.

Is there any issue with leaving the tank as it is (algae film on the walls) for the next lot of fish or should we clean it off as we have in the past. Advice would be greatfully accepted.

We never clean the tanks between fish or even when they are in there. If you want to clean them up a little, why not chuck in some yabbies?
Yeah, the white fly, never seen them like I have this year.
I am breeding my own bugs- parasitic wasps, encarsia formosa, I think.

thanks Faye

Yep, don't think I've cleaned a tank yet..... I like biofilm and really don't understand why people would remove it. Ok perhaps between fish crops, but I've seen people recommend that it's done on a regular basis. I've also seen people loose all their fish not long after scrubbing all the biofilm from the side of their tank..

We have a fair few white fly in a couple of our systems here at the moment, have been hanging sticky traps, hope they work....

I broomed the side of my large fish tank once in the early stages. Then I stood back and watched the fish swimming through the water taking the suspended bits through their gills, I thought to myself "that does not seem like a smart thing to do." Never had a good reason to do it again, the biofilm is natural after all and harbours micro organisms. Why mess with nature, we are trying to create a natural environment, not a sterile environment. That is what I love about aquaponics.

Me never well not for 4 years

Not me either... never....

Only in aquariums (visual) or if I have poorly designed something and there is a buildup of sludge, not bioslime. And sludge deposits get sucked out, not dispersed.

Thanks Guys, he has finally come round to our way of thinking. We will not be cleaning the biofilm off this year.

Also does anyone know where we might get some yabbies from? We live in Adelaide.

Come for a drive to Horsham, I will send you home with as many as you like

I like mine orange, with fresh bread and butter!

Thanks Mantis, we could do with a weekend trip.

Have to agree with you Faye, although i can take or leave the bread & butter.

Note to oneself.........do not plant tomatoes near drain pipes