Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Your up late Roz welcome to the dribble fest

Not for much longer mate... got stuff to do tomorrow...

Need to get a couple of swirl filters online... to cope with all the trout that will be arriving shortly....

Yes, Dr Leonard did address the worm growth issue but they still produce casting and the
net weight will be equal

ie fish waste plus other = worm casting plus worm weight

Also he addresses the issue of mineralisation in that it does not all break down.

He also confirmed this with Dr James Rakocy who said these are known as refractory compounds

that do not break down.


The advantage of Dr Leonards work is that he has researched it thoroughly and correctly.

When he studied for his PhD he researched aquaculture/hydroponics/wetlands and combined

all this knowledge.

What I see on these forums is people continually trying to reinvent the wheel.

For instance:

http://www.aquaponic.com.au/Media%20bed ... design.pdf pg 10

he states that Correctly sized wetlands only have a life span of 7-10 years before they become

clogged, even though they have worms in them.

Not everything will break down.


These other disiplines such as aquaculture/hydroponics/wetlands and waste water management

have spent millions of dollars in proper research, I just think we should learn from them.

I agree trout... Perhaps when someone notices imbalances in their system it would be time to give it a clean and start again but it seems many media based grow beds have been running for a long time without any issues. Or people could install a swirl filter... personal preference I suppose.

This is probably another reason to stock appropriately.

What exactly is the stuff that is left over that can not be broken down? Not because of time constraints but the stuff that is left over after the bacteria have completed their job or that the bacteria just can not break down.

The weight would be almost equal because the worms also expend energy but the worms are not considered waste so we can subtract their weight. So by having worms it should be possible to reduce unwanted waste. (I think)

Not exactly certain, probably need to look at waste water management research.

I have a large container of water that I throw weeds into and let it rot down and use the water

as a fertilizer. The weeds don't completely dissolve, I still have a fibrous sludge at the bottom.

So I have no problems believing Dr Leonard and Dr Rakocy.





Now, you're going to get me into trouble....


When people see my system, the first question they ask is HOW MANY FISH CAN I GROW?

And to be honest the fish is why I got into aquaponics, not the vegetables

I can grow vegetables far more easily and cheaply using wicking beds or the garden.


So, if by getting rid of the majority of the fish waste I can grow more fish, I'm all for it.

I receive updates from Earthan Group via email regularly.

His latest email that I opened this morning had a youtube clip that directly related

to this topic.






I think this totally answers the question.

ie: Mineralisation does not completely clean the growbeds.


As I have mentioned on this forum and Murray's forum before I do not keep fish in my system

over summer. ( I used powerfeed this summer, on special at Bunnings).

Over winter I run trout.



Unlike the Youtube clip I clean all plants before planting in the beds, so no soil is ever introduced

to my system.

So, if mineralisation keeps the growbeds clean by the end of summer mine should be spotless.


They are not.


cheers Lou

And I've previously posted a similar occurrence... where I had no fish in the system... and no pumping...for months...

But the system continued to "mineralise"... and successfully produce brassicas through winter....

Come the summer... if the argument was true.... there should have been nothing left in the beds....

It wasn't true... the beds had the same amount.. and type... of sludge... as if the system had been operating...

How do all these old systems getting around manage to keep fish alive with all this 'end product' built up in the beds?

How is this 'end product'... which is basically a 'sand' cause any problems when it is basically just that... sand.

Anyways, excuse me for a minute, I have to run out back and pull my beds apart before all my fish die

Apparently there is a bacteria that uses sulfur as an energy source.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sulfur-reducing_bacteria

I really want to know what is left that can not be broken down any further. Maybe it's fine particles of Gold!

During summer we have the strong easterlies, and no rain; according to my vacuum cleaner, the car and everything else dust blows in from east of Charlie then follows on to the west of Charlie. So Charlie gets the first crap then we get Charlies and the wheatbelt belt crap.

Maybe this stainless steel micron screen that is designed to fit on 55 gallon drums could be used to filter out solids. (If filtering out solids is what you want to do)

It comes in 800, 600, 400, 177 and 74 microns.

Made from 304 stainless steel.

Although I'm not sure what the lower frame section is made from.

http://www.utahbiodieselsupply.com/filt ... ssdrum.php

I reckon all you guys think too much

No I just have to deal with too much crap.