Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Well after a number of weeks being totaly absorbed by this aquaponics thing, bordering on obsession every thing I see now looks like a FT or GB, I set up a small test system with a large pot I had hanging around.

Its a flood and drain with an Affnan siphon and pump running 24/7. I started with 6 mullet but am now down to 1 thanks I think to not having the paitence to wait for the test kit to arrive before getting everything running so I could monitor the readings. I have since added a number of small guppies dont know how many it was just a couple of scoop fulls from a friends pond.

I have grown veggies in the dirt for a cople of years now and realy enjoy getting fresh fruit and veggie from the garden not like the stuff we get in the shops here in darwin, it has to travell 3000km before it gets here, you bring home one of those bags of lettuce and open it and it smells like a bad fart...the mangoes they sell in the stores here are purchased from here then frieghted all the way down south and then the D...heads frieght it all the way back to sell it to us...go figure.

Any way as we are coming into our wet season with very high heat and humidity not a lot of veggies will grow this time of year I went and raided what was left in the dirt veggie garden and planted some Kang Kong a lettuce and a marigold.

Well talk about awesome after 1 week the Kang Kong that I just cut from the plant and stuck in the GB had roots, the Marigold I just washed the dirt off the roots and stuck in the GB it was throwing new flowers and the little old lettuce was struggling with the heat but I could see it will rock when we get our dry season.

The system has been going for about 5 weeks now and I have since pulled up the lettuce and the Marigold (it was taking over) and planted a corn and a cutting from my thai basil. I am still in awe at how well things grow, I have allready got a 1000ltr FT and 2 x 400ltr GB to set up the next system.....

Some update pics, corn and Kang Koong are going along nicely and my Thai Basil seems to be taking very well but my Parsley seems to be not all that happy, I wonder if its to wet for it?

lookin good, be fair to say the concept has been proven, time to go full scale!

Yes it has gazza, I have a 1000ltr FT and 2 x 400ltr GB ready to go I just have to wait for a little bit of earth works to be done. I'm chomping at the bit I have the pump aireator evry thing, even the Barra fingerlings are all most ready size that I have ordered from the hatchery.....

It may be worth considering putting a sheet of builders plastic over the system during the wet to stop the system overflowing all the time and losing nutients. This may also help in keeping mould away a bit longer as well if the leaves are not actually wet.

Now, just go for it!

Pay attention to what that Kang Kong is saying. It is saying "I want to take over the world but will settle for an AP bed." I use it as a tasty ground cover in Cairns that dies off in the dry but reshoots from all over around now as the wet comes on. It is a permanent feature of the yard now.
That corn looks awesome- I might try some popcorn from Eden seeds.