Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

tomatoes are already at the roof/
that was fast when did you plant

I planted them in growbed around end of Feb. They are actually suckers from last years outdoor garden! I kept them going all winter in the greenhouse, but only in a small pot. They stayed alive obviously but didn't grow at all untill temps. warmed up and I put them in the AP system and off they go!!
This is a pic of my light fixture so you can see how close they are to the roof.

Now for a look at a few of the toms on those plants. One is a roma and the other is plum tomatoes. I have allready taken nine suckers off of these plants!

Since these guys showed up I haven't seen a single aphid!

Trying to root a strawberry runner for the first time. Does anyone know how long this should take?

Since I haven't had time yet to start working on the new GH I thought I would at least show one of the hoops.
Found an Intex pump that I forgot I had! Wonder if I could use it in my new system? I like the chift pist design by tclynx using the dwc as a sump. I could sit this on the floor at base of dwc and hook it to the bed with a fitting. It hooks directly to and ibc, but wouldn't need it that way. The coolest thing is that it has a built in timer but I believe dwc is constant flow. I think I'm in need of some guidance here. I must mention that it's a 1500 gph pump!

Now I have work to do on this future IBC tilapia home. Got all kinds of green algae at one week later. Had it sitting with water and duck weed. The duckweed took off and the algae showed up about five days later.

Great news!!!

brian

A few pics of my mozambiqe tilapia fingerlings almost ready for the ibc tote.

I live in mccaysville near blue ridge. You have to tell me what you're doing to keep plants healthy. My plants are wilting, turning yellow, or drying into crumbly flakes every time I transfer plants.

Make sure the system is balanced. All of your tests ph, amonia, nitrites and nitrates must be in range. I can tell you for me that I learned early that shade cloths are essential in this area. It is very hot and dry and the sun can be tough on these plants. From early June till end of August even my soil garden gets shaded. Tomatoes crack from the heat and then the bugs really come. How much water is in your system and what has the temps been getting up to during the day?

Hi Kevyrev,
Great to see your system is taking shape.
So far the info I have got on your question is that the larger media is better because it allows more surface area for bacteria and oxygenation between the individual media pieces, where the smaller media restricts both. So I would stay with filling the grow beds with the larger media.
Have a good one and enjoy your system.
Bryan

Smaller media provides more surface area, but restricts flow leading to possible anoxic conditions.

Good looking fish......look a bit big and fat to be fingerlings surely...all the best of luck !! Wish we could have tilapia

hey im up here floating around north georgia this week, visiting helen for a family reuinion, if ya wanna get up some time, email me at kristophtaylor@hotmail.com

Been a riduculous amout of time since my last post about my AP system! Sorry, actually hasn't been one since early last winter. Lost power to greenhouse one cold night all fish died, cleaned out everything and decided to wait for spring to start it back. Just haven't got quite to it. Soil gardens all planted, still no ap system. Well I have new plans and decided to order new fish and figured that would get me motivated to get things going. Well, fish came today and I have new blue tilapia fingerlings and I'm getting ready to get everything up and running. I have them in a temporary holding tank inside untill I get the system set up and cycled. Will be looking forward to sharring pics of what unfolds.