Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Thanks peeps.

Scotty, those last couple of pics are of the miniature nectarine, its been in there for approx 8-10 months I think. This will be the first fruit I get from it anyways.

Jay, the lettuce ones usually come out ok but yea, the bigger plants destroy the pots. I think I paid $10 for 100 net pots so no biggy.


Cheers

Looking good Charlie

I never realized that is what a nectarine tree looked like, crazy looking. Well I guess having grown up in Michigan I don't really know what peach trees look like when flowering/fruiting either. I know what apple and cherry trees look like. Wish they would grow better down here in FL but there are so few types of apples that will produce with our minimal amount of chill hours.

System is looking good

Groovy setup Charlie!

G'Day Charlie, do you (or anyone else) by chance have a "how to" for setting up the wicking buckets . Im sure its not rocket science but no point reinventing the wheel... Cheers

Hi fivegallon, I should have taken pics to explain but its quite basic. There are some pics of someone elses on the forum somewhere I think.

Basically I used a 40mm pipe to use as a standpipe and run across the botoom of the bucket in an 'L' shape, I cut slots in the bottom pipe. I layed some shadecloth over that then fill about 1/4 with gravel. I drilled a hole through the side at the gravel level and stuffed a piece of garden hose in (this sets the water level) and then put another layer of shadecloth then fill with a compost/loam/mushroom compost mix.

There are a number of ways to do it but this is what I did. Check out some of Fish&Foods threads (wicking bed guru)

This pic might help..

What's the purpose of the horizontal pipe Charlie... (I'm sure F&F has explained somewhere)

Its probably not really needed, I suppose my thoughts were to create a void for the water disperse in case of blockages. Also allows a larger volume of water to be stored rather than just all gravel in the bottom. Bit of an overkill for a bucket but I had the stuff laying around and I enjoy a bit of a tinker.

Cheers for that Charlie!

How did you fix the poly pipe (frmopyour shade cover) to the colorbond Charlie? - Just about to do the same thing - was just thinking of screwing it, though that would flatten it - yours looks like its still got its round profile.

Like the idea of the wicking bucket toms - will knock up a few myself out of the numerous pvc fittings I've got laying about!

Hi Matty,

3 screws at each bottom section spaced about 15cm apart. Drilled larger holes in one side so I could get the drill though to screw the other side to the shed (does that make sense?), Im surprised its holding so well actually because the colour bond is so thin. There is probably a much better way of doing it but thats what I came up with. Oh, and I used big washers on the screws to give a better bracing.

They flatened out a little but because the poly was in a tight roll, it kept the round shape well. It was a bit difficult now that I remember back. It would be much easier with someone helping.

Sounds good -Might use a strip of metal instead of washers - I'm guessing you just used sheet metal self tappers?

Do you ever think you're on the inside of a wagon in a cowboy film

Yea, self tappers.

It does have a strange feel inside the rows of poly. Bees get confused by it too as there are usually a bunch of them walking around the shadecloth looking for a way out. For what seems like an intelligent bug... they arent too bright sometimes.

Bees navigate using light I think so things like greenhouses and shade cloth can really confuse them, to the point that many very large greenhouse growers will get temporary hives of things like mason bees to do the pollinating for their operations if they need bee pollination since honey bee hives may be too valuable risk confusing in such structures.

Charlie,in my opinion your just god........