Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

c'mon jim don't make me beg for a description

Steve the original filter was leaving small bits of styrene in the tank.
replacement one is 150mm pvc pipe with fine nylon mesh and filter foam rolled up inside nutes enter in center of one end and discharges out of the 25mm holes around the pipe .
jim.

Have just fed the redfin with prawn heads and bits left over from christmas they loved it just like a 3rd world war in the tank.they also like snails and any thing that wriggles. Yabbies letuce plants that have gone to seed and especialy carrot pealings.
Jim.

coolness

Jim,

Your system looks great, and very neat. The photos and info you supply has help me with a number of design difficulties, and I thankyou. I'd better get a move on with my system ! I will be starting a thread soon (I have sealed my main fish tank 3,000L, and have 3 bath tubs (540L three to come to total 900L) and a fingerling tank (400L), but haven't got the money for the plumbing yet).

Where do you source your redfin from, or is it a closely guarded secret? I have a spot out where I live (Woady Yalloak River, Scarsdale Crossing), But due to the drought it is slowly drying up. Caught 2 X 30cm+ reddies the other day following the New Years Eve rains .

Hi asitis yes i think you are looking in the right place.a few fish early but since the real dry spell nothing,but since the rain and if the creeks rise they should be back on the bite.
Jim.

Jim you're a bloody legend!

Hi Aqua went to north island for a work conference toured around had a great time and just wondered what you can catch in that great river that runs along the hiway for miles.
jim.

Ah the mighty Waikato.

Well....

It's the foremost (pretty much the only) source for glass eels for industry here. It has large schools of mullet, good trout fishing at the dams, rainbow and brown trout, giant and banded kokopu, inanga, perch, koi, brown bullhead catfish, other carp species stupidly introduced.

Some eels in dams get so big the divers are scared of them. Maori folklore speak of the Taniwha, a river devil type creature that is a giant eel with horns on it's head. They exist. We caught some in a tributary (Waipa river) many years ago. Huge eels (2 metres and round as a large mans thigh) with bone nubs on the head.

One time we went fishing off Karapiro dam with a fencing wire spool, wire reinforced bailing twine, a shark hook and ham hock for bait. Something bit and myself and girlfriend raised it with massive effort about three feet then it just pulled it back and snap, broken line. Doesn't stop me swimming in it, but diving? No way!

Legend also has it there is a South island river with koura (yabbies) 30 cm long. It's actually true, I know a conservation guy who's worked there, it's kept very secret for obvious reasons.

He says it's because it is pristine, and the rivers were all legendary fishing spots many many moons ago.

Yabby food letuce gone to seed or contaminated with wite fly and aphid,tried garlick spray home brew worked for a small time but i think it made them breed, so yabbies get greens plus some protein.
Jim.

Happy Yabbies some in hides and some out, stopped fighting and are living in peace for the moment.
jim.

Anybody know where you can get yellow insect sticky traps.
jim.

Exellent system Jim obviously your hydro experiences have helped heaps.

I do like those yabbies! Turns out that I can get Australian Redclaw here. Hmmmm....

Red Claw are illegal in Illinois

I'm assuming I can get away with having one tank of them though. That is the plan. You can get them from some Texan farms. I'll see if I can find that link...
Well, here are a few Red Claw links I've found helpful:
http://www.ca.uky.edu/wkrec/AustralianRedClaw.pdf <--Some nice info on farming
http://www.agrifoodasia.com/English/pro ... desc/1.htm <--Profitability potential
http://atlaspub.20m.com/rcfarm1.htm <-- Successful Florida Red Claw farm. Also a supplier of juvies at US$2/each (50 to a box)

I'll be calling to see if they'll even ship to IL.