Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hey Rodney,
Yabbies will eat the same food as you give the fish, just not as much. They will also clean up the bottom of the tank and like to play with other fish if they come near. If you have hides in the tank it gives them a place to shelter from predation when they moult. If they breed, and they do, wrap an onion bag and weight down with a brick for the young to hide and feed in. We have just discovered lots living in the underbed yabby tanks at the shop. Good luck.
Faye

Hi Everyone, time for an update - May 2011.
I decided to combine the yabbies with the duckweed factory, the concept being that a cover of duckweed will stop the light and oxygenate the water, and the yabbies will feed the duckweed, then I went that extra step and added a strawberry garden.

Beside my main growbed was a non productive ledge, so I cut a section out of 100mm PVC, and filled it with road metal. Dug some strawberry runners from the garden and put them in little seedling pots filled with vermiculite, and placed them into the road metal bed. I run a little pump 12 hours on 12 hours off at the present, draining straight back into the yabbie/duckweed tank.
So we will see what happens later in the season.
All the other winter veg have now been planted, the silvers and catties are looking really good and will be on the plate soon. Brilliant system, all going better than I ever anticipated.
cheers
Rodney

Wow, twelve months has passed. I guess the yabbies thing must have worked, well done. System looks good, and happy to see you back

Yeah, good to see you back Rodney... looking good..