Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Yay,

Found a tomato! Mulberries failed to ripen, but 2 of three still growing strong. Protected by all the other vegetation, I don't think they know its winter. All leaves fell off one at front. Hoping its still alive.

Thanks to Charlies update, I have remembered that I have some beetroot planted under all that greenery somewhere back right corner. Will check it out tonight.

Chillies are growing at the back left. I forgot I had planted them too. They looked (to me anyway) like tomatoes, butnow they are bigger I see the leaves are different.

It would be interesting if you tasted one of those tiny little red fruit thinking they're tomatoes. He he he.

Pre seasoned. Oh yeah! Now that would be funny.

Kids asked if they could try some chillies the other week when I was cooking up my favourite Prawn Choo Chee. I said, sure but they are hot and they will burn, and keep burning. They tried them, they burnt, and they kept on burning. Dad didn't lie. Now maybe they will believe their dad in the future. Not F%$#!g Likely!!

Lol. Yes, my son (8) is the same. He was naughty yesterday so he was banned from TV and the iPad. So he fired up the Wii. When I saw that I shut that down too. He was stunned and couldn't accept my explanation that the point of his punishment was not for him to find another avenue of fun but to reflect on what he had done. I sound so much like my parents these days it's rather depressing.

Wife and kids enjoyed a reasonable sized head of brochilli the other night, but now there is an expectation of one every night.

I think I have got an excuse to upsize. Can I get that through the boss, or will it be a case of just putting it in and dealing with the consequences. Whats the saying, better to get in trouble and ask for forgiveness...

Anyway, the fish are getting heaps of caterpillers. We pulled about 20 off on the wekend. None left an hour later!

Still haven't remembered to look for the beetroot. Heaps of green tomatoes growing. Planted some seed potatoes in bags on the weekend. At least this time of year they will stay moist.

Have harvested a fair bit of water this last few days. Hopefully will have the FT full, and maybe even the blue barrel with the next lot of rain.

Will be building a shed over the next few weeks, and I will design down pipes to allow collection of rain water.

Great work Doc.

I thought the saying was: "It's easier to get forgiveness than it is to get permission."

But I am no expert!

Martin,

Yep thats it.

After 20 years of marriage, I still can't get it right!!

Had a huge feed of brochilli last night.

Silvers had a good feed of caterpillers, none made it through to the table.

Basil has been smothered so need to plant some more once I get some space in the growbed.

Haven't had much time in the last few weeks to pay any attention to the system, but the fish survive on the occasional feed, and what ever falls in. The tank is full, can start filling up my blue barrel now until time comes to make it 2 x halves. Been building a shed, and running kids around. Building on the pool fence line, and have had the fence up and down three times as the building has progressed. I think it is in its final position now. Will have some building materials left over once I have finished, and plan to beautify the system.

Finished off the all the brochilli, enough for another feed. Have pulled the last bits out as they are long and spindley. I must remember to thin out after they sprout next time.

Got a small bowl full of snow peas and sugar snap peas.They are just hanging over the side of the GB, looking afetr themselves as well. A tangle of vines, but lovely pods coming off.

Have chucked insome basil seeds and chinese cabage seeds into the vacant spots until I get time to sort out the mess. Heaps of green toms on the vines, They all need support, but havent done any of that so they are just spreading out.

The three mulberry clippings are just two. The exposed one didn't make it, but the other two are looking healthy, and have started sprouting new growth. I put in another couple of long cuttings about 2' long. We'll see how they go.

G'day Dr Bee
Marticulus here from Mindalong Heights in Bunbury. Been reading your blog - great! I would like to catch up with u as I recently bought a courtyard system off BYAP. It is up and running except no fish (will meet Gavin this weeked). I want to accellerate my learning curve and would appreciate us meeting. my phone no is 0418138649. I amkeen is meetign any other Bunbury region AP's.
Marticulus

Welcome aboard Marticulus. You will find Gavin is a genuine guy. I got my silvers almost two years ago now, and they are still going strong. Unfortunatly my mates forgot the fundemental rule of never leaving the garden hose on and in the FT and walking away. Their fish enjoyed a few seconds of freedom, but then found it didn't work well for them on the grass and paving.

Would love to share my experiences with you at some stage. This month is pretty mad, but hopefully with kids sport finishing up at the end of the month I can have a breather and have you around for a tour of my system. That will take about 3 minutes I recon, then enough time for a sherbet or two....

magic.
The chap at the pet shop where I bought some air tubing and air stones for the fish transport advised I take ice to cool down the trout to lower their metabolic rate to quieten them down for the road trip - less stress = less likely hood of losses. Seems like a good idea.
ps I no longer work Fridays so am free any Friday to catch up (transition to retirement)
Marticulus

Hmm, found the new mulberry clipping out of the bed last night. Birds? wind? Anyways, seperated the stones and put it back in. See how it goes.

Got another icecream container of peas and beans last night. Keeping the stir fries and salads going off just eight plants. Had to fight off a few snails as the plants have gone to ground. A mass of flowers still coming thorugh, so a few more weeks of crops.

Tomatoes are starting to go red. Yay. Didn't think that would hapen. a bird has got in and put some holes in a few of the red ones, so will put up some netting one the sides. Don't want to stop what ever is pollenating the flowers. Its not me this year.

Couldn't find the beetroot. Must have died with all the tomato plants going biserk.

A few of the fish have grown a decent size. I had to put some vegie scraps int he worm farm the other night, and had the torch with me. I shone the torch up the back of the tank, and drew all the fish to the nearside. Had a good look at the fish. Some must be over a foot long. Going to be a good feed this summer. Will have to get some little ones from Gavin this spring to get a cycle going.

HI Dr Bee

Do you know of anywhere in Bunbury or surrounding areas that supplies aquaponic equipment or do we have to travel to perth?