Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Thanks Gnash
Its slowly evolving spent a lot of time when I first moved to the block obtaining manure and mulch. I get the local gardeners to drop of their green waste and over the years have probably had about 20 tons of mulch delivered, also borrow a mates tipper and bring in 11 tons of broken down cow shit every year. With this years great rainfall the fertility is really starting to happen and all the hard work is starting to pay off.
I always get a smile when I read your signature statement about giving a free puppy and expresso to unattended children, it's a good one!. My partner has a soap and candle shop and we have a sign that says "unattended children will be used for scientific experiments"
Cheers

or....

"unattended children will be sold as bait"

and quit impressive stuff there. thanks for sharing

Well the desertrat hasn't posted for sometime been busy starting a new job etc etc
My system has been ticking along smoothly. Veggies are all doing well and no fish deaths to report. I have made a few changes to the system with a few more ready to be implemented within the next month I'll write about these changes and post some pics shortly.
The longer I become involved with AP the more I realise systems are not just a sterile mechanical/engineered way of producing food but slowly become infested with all sorts of creatures from the natural world. Had a friend take a few macro shots of some of these creatures found lurking in the top of the siphon pipes. Perhaps someone may know what they are and something about their life cycle etc. Amazing how such aquatic bugs can establish and live in a desert environment. There's also a small egg type creature lurking amongst all those bugs.

Most of the creatures are about 2 mm long
The water beetle would only be approx 1mm

I think they are way cool Desertrat, thanks for sharing

I'm curious to know what they are and if anyone else has these creatures lurking in their systems.
To get an appreciation of the shots those coloured bits in the background are from a white pizza box obviuosly using recycled cardboard

Wow, amazing. Not sure what that is...wonder what eats it? wonder what it eats?

If I find it amongst the wikipedia files I'll let you know...I'm going browsing there now, to try to identify it.

later,

jeff c

Thats them...... Those weird barnicle/squid looking things.... See them everywhere, in pretty much every single system... I have no idea what they are.....

Great pics DR......

It would certainly be interesting to know how they get into a system, where they originate from and the life cycle. (I suspect birds play a part in spreading them)
Just imagine what could be seen with a good microscope Im sure there are creatures living on those creatures who in turn have other creatures living on them.
I'm sure the SP enjoy eating the odd squid looking thingy!
Hope you find some info OJ38

The second to last one might be a chironomid larvae but usually they build really neat tubes that they live in.

My guess is that if you totally submerged the ones that look like they have tentacles that they would come out and be more identifyable. I wonder how big hydras get?

I think the "predator" had babies in your garden???

Weirdest looking thing ever.... so cool!

One word: Cloverfield.

Are they some kind of sea anemone? Their tentacles kind of look like that, that's why I say so...but I thought Sea Anemones were saltwater? Maybe the babies can grow in freshwater systems...

???

Jeff C

Nice theory but we are 2500 klm from the sea