Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I love visiting this thread, always great growth going on, rock on Steve

Are they Tandanus Steve? I heard they were supposed to be some of the best eating fish...pity they are bland

Yeah, same here. Very interested as I have a few myself. Were they 3.5 years old Steve or were you talking about the SPs. Great to see the fish - thanks Steve.


Interesting that you say that about the taste. I've eaten them before (wild caught) and they were beautiful. However, I peeled those ones before pan-frying - simply poured boiling water over them, having headed and gutted first, leave a couple of minutes and then the skin comes off pretty easily.

"Quite OK but not exactly lip-smacking, rather bland."

Steve's words, not mine.

Yeah, sorry DrLuke - grabbed the wrong quote there !

Steve
I am interested in the evolution of your Blue Barrel design. Do you have a simple diagram or photo of the preferred blue barrel growbed. I cant make out the complete drain configuration ie. whether you had a length of slotted pipe laying on the bottom of the drum or a vertical holed pipe at the drain point.
I am sorry if my question doesnt make sense, but I have yet to start and would like to take advantage of your experience.

Home again, for a day, just to see if everything’s OK, get some tools and material
and Wednesday early morning back to my younger daughter’s new home.
Been very busy last three weeks, since she got key to it.

Last week had to pull out all the cuks and b/beans.
Infested and decimated by aphids beyond remedy.

Two months ago got something at the T&T Sunday market that tasted interesting
but the very agreeable young lady knew only its Vietnamese name
and by her hand signes I could gather that it needs a lot of water.
Found out to be Rice Paddy Herb (Ngo Om).
Cuttings from it in the small (Green Barrel) unit are going nicely despite temperature
going down to 7°C lately while the potted one is just surviving, mostly due to lack of care.
No picks at hand right now.

Thanks Abdul

Re the cats (T. tandanus), @ DrLuke, chilidude
I never yet tried wild caught ones but I would expect them to be leaner and tastier. Mine had a lot of fat.
Also the preparation, baked in alumfoil may not have been the best method to cook it.

Darbo, all my barrel GBs are practically the same.
The loop siphon is taken from the bottom of the GB.
And each GB does have an overflow with protected intake to prevent gravel being sucked in.

Whats the latest steve

Had rather busy few months, first landscaping the younger daughters new home front,
then her wedding and with relatives from Eu here for nearly two months, my AP setup was left unattended for most of the time,
did loose four silvers but otherwise all OK.

Last three weeks was catching up on the work.
Have emptied and washed all the GBs a and the gravel.
First half the GBs of each unit, one GB at a time, then doing other work around the house
and now have finished with the rest of the GBs.

Each refilled GB was first filled up with water and run to waste if I didn’t need to top up the wash tub.

Needless to say, t’was a “gumboots only” access and operation.
Finished yesterday, on FD. Didn’t say no when asked to open one of my treasured bottles.
A very nice drop indeed.

thats a lot of gunk steve. thanks for the update

That's an interesting bottle... I haven't read the whole thread but where did you get czech wine from? Also how was it?

Its from Southern Moravia, I did study there and my BIL has his family in the region.
Brought back some bottles from the last visit in 2010.

Dry, very nice, note the %.

Greaat minds think alike eh Steve,,, spent Fathers Day cleaning a couple of beds, distribution grids, and sump pumps my self... (Bamarang facility)

Looking great Steve! The local catfish cooking here in South Africa involves spicy marinades. Perhaps the solution to the bland catfish issue...