Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

have you looked into automatic or on demand fish feeders?

It's been on the list for awhile, been trying to get the back-up system sorted 1st.
Almost have it finished now, Just need to get a good battery charger and a box to put it all in.

Once that's done will turn my attention to an auto feeder.

Finally had almost a full day at home today. So managed to get a video shot of the system and put the new air pump in.

Will do a video shortly of the new pump working.

The SP's have slowed eating with the water now down to 14˚c but the gold fish continue to eat as much as they can!!!

A busy day yesterday trying to get the gardens cleaned up. I did manage to clean the AP bed and plant up some new seedlings.

Didn't get to far with the dig garden, if the fog clears this morning will try to get back into it.





I hope everyone is having a safe Easter and please stay safe on the roads.

Nice vid
matt

Nearly had a HSM yesterday.
Decided to flood the GB to try and find the last of the grubs eating the plants, so put in a extra long stand pipe to allow for the extra water height.
Then on the way to the timer to turn it on the wife asked me a question about something and that was it. Distracted and forgot all about it.

Was in side just about to sit down with the baby for her afternoon nap when I realized what I was doing earlier, just as I bolted out the door the timer kicked in for the next cycle.

Too close for comfort!

4 Grubs floated to to the top, but I think there is more in there, will give it another flood today. This time I will NOT get distracted!

Yep I keep telling myself that.... hang on BRB....

Not sure if you have seen the movie "UP"?

There is a dog in the movie and half way through a conversation he looks to his side and says "Squirrel!!" Well that's me most of the time.





Must work on that!

Last weekend had a group come past as part of a Aquaponics workshop run by CERES in Brunswick (http://www.ceres.org.au/) they spent about 45 minutes asking questions having a look over everything.
Was good to see a fresh batch of recruits to Aquaponics!

They then headed off to another system in Northcote so I tagged along. Annette was part of the workshop and they were going to look her system, so I tagged along.

I had no idea of what Annette had set-up, but it wasn't what I was expecting!







Turns out at about the same time I was setting mine up Annette and her sister had bought a family system form BYAP and had it sent to Melbourne.

They have done a great job setting it up with a heap of very healthy looking plants. In the sump tank they had 100 very small Sp fingerling and in the 3000l main tank 100 gold fish.

I was suggested they add some trout for winter, so Annette is looking into that now.
I look forward to keeping in touch and seeing their system grow!

On Tuesday I put a new video up on youtube.




Let me know what you think?

beer traps work really well on my system to get rid of the slugs
only first used it last week and over 2 nights i caught at lease 40 - 50 slugs. I'll try and get a photo.

Regards
Matt

=1 beer traps. the old torch and feed them to the fish works too i must have pulled hundereds of my system this way

Thanks will give that a try tomorrow.

Might even wander out with the torch after dinner.

Just been out with the torch, no slugs or snails just one pesky grub who is now fish food!

Heading off the CERES tomorrow to look at the aquaponics system they have built there http://www.ceres.org.au/greentech/aquaponics I'm going to take the video camera and if Stephen is happy will take some footage.

Not sure if the vermicast I added to the system is already making a difference (doubt it?) or the goldfish are doing their job but the plants are looking pretty good.

The silvers have definitely stopped eating, my water temp has come back up to 12˚c after a few days at 17˚c, won't stay there for long as we are looking at 14˚c days for most of this week.

Also planted some seeds in vermicast balls and placed them into plastic takeaway container hot houses. Once they shoot I plan to put the whole lot into the GB. Something I read in issue 10 of BYAP magazine.