Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Aww, your too kind, Dasboot. Im no god, the AP does its own thing





Little growth update because Im bored. Beans coming on, nectarines coming along nicely, the artichoke looks like its going to take over the world and I think it will end up towering over and shading everything so see how we go. The usual stuff is growing nicely with the warmer weather here. Thinking I might harvest the trout this weekend because we have a few hot ones on the way.

Few pics for record keeping..

Looking great there Charlie

Looking good alright, and yes that artichoke will cover the whole bed, last one I grew was easily 1.5x1.5 m in size, next comes the art of cutting out the heart. Have fun.

I actually had no idea what artichoke looked like when I planted it. After a bit of a youtube adventure last weekend it dawned on me that it is going to be an issue.

Some great growth there Charlie, looking good

Great growth Charlie. Your system is looking awesome.

How many Trout you stocking? Just wondering how much processing time you're going to need this weekend. I reckon a see a stubby or two on your horizon.

What will replace the trout?

Regards, Martin.

Charlie,question for you,the pic of the roots from your dwc,now my nft which wasn't it was half dwc half nft,now corrected,the roots on my lettuce looked like that then suddenly rotted off half way and discoloured to a light brown colour,but the upper growth wasnt effected. So I dropped the level,in fact redid it nft,small film,light flow good run. The roots have now changed colour and really thickened up similar to your pics,but the upper growth has slowed,this batch of lettuce are smaller.......???? Any ideals ??

Ive had about half a bottle of mead so bare with me...

@Martin - I started with 20 trout this season but only ended up with 3 after a series of fatalities. You might say thats an easy harvest..which it would be if they were in a tank of their own hehe... but they are in with about 15-20 SP. I head off on holidays next week so Im weighing up whether to risk leaving the trout as the weather warms up while Im away or cull them on the weekend and be done with it.

Because Im leaving town early next year I wont be adding any more fish to the system. I have a few catfish in my overwintering tank that Ill move into the big tank when I get home but thats about it. Ill just start eating them slowly until its time to shut her down in January.




@Dasboot - without going back though your thread for details, I do remember your blue NFT pipes. NFT isnt as forgiving as DWC because you are running a film of water rather than a body of water. Becuase of that reason you need some really heavy filtering or bio-digestion before the NFT or the roots just simply clog up with fine wastes and rob the roots/plant of oxygen. DWC gives you a little more room to move but as you can see even though Im using a 2 stage filter I am no where close to filtering what is needed for optimum plant health. Im not sure what you use for pre-filtering so Im only spit balling but Id say thats where the answer lays. And possibly temperature being in your tropical climate.


Hope I helped

Charlie, you want to leave the trout in don't you? You know they're going to die don't you?

I think you should make it more sporting and use a speargun.

Ive got a speargun

You'll be needing a patch kit also then.

Lol, that's true Skeg.

I think this is something I need to change,the water for the tubes is pumped straight from the sump and yes I was getting particles in the bottom of the tubes,I help this by increasing the height at the input end,but as the root systems get bigger they act as there own mini filters,extra filtration I think before the tubes.

Cheers Charlie.

Little harvest from the system today..














All produce going to the local aged care centre.