Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Post subject: Re: Eco fungicidePosted: Nov 28th, '13, 22:09

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At the rate we use for deficiency I think probably not... it's one level teaspoon per 1000L... it's even less for buffering, I've found about a 1/4 teaspoon in 500L brings it up 0.3, so half a teaspoon in 1000L.

The recommended rate for foliar application as a fungicide is much, much higher than that, I can't remember the exact rate, but it's substantial.

_________________
Mr Damage - a.k.a: Yabbies

I'm not sure what to make of that. For foliar spray applications when dealing with powdery mildew, recommended rate is one of the small supplied spoons to a litre, ie about 3-4g/litre. I don't use it for buffering due to its 6% detergent component, I use KOH (+ Ca(OH)2 ) instead, which is a much stronger base, not a buffer.
As you can see on my graph, additions of 50% solution of 50-90g typically raise the pH by 0.1 or less- that is heaps of teaspoons full, in 6000l of water.

Ca(OH)2 only sort of works as a buffer due to its low solubility, it takes some time to dissolve, unlike CaCO3, which is a buffer, and only dissolves when the water is sufficiently acid, sitting there doing nothing when the water is alkaline.

Thanks for that Gordon. Great scope there for a business, selling prepackaged buffer for an AP system containing the right ratios. Time poor peeps would love it.

Problem is the "right ratios" are rather dependent on things that the average business person isn't going to know about the customer's systems. (Basically, what exactly is deficient and how much buffering is needed) Since these things are going to vary drastically depending on Source water, Media, fish feed, plants being grown and what other supplements have been used.

Some one living on a small pacific island might not really need to add much potassium to their system but I know I sure as heck need to!!!!!!

Talk about a monumental stuff-up...doing a slight rearrangement of cables and extension cords and then forgetting to turn it all back on before getting tied up with other stuff, only to realise 3 hours later that the fish have no air and no water circulation.
The 3rd 29-30C day in a row, with water only getting to ~21-22C max in the afternoons, the trout had been doing quite well, but my stuff-up has resulted in a 50% mortality. I was planning to start harvesting in a couple of days anyway, but this brought things forward before I was quite ready. I managed to revive a few that were looking pretty bad by holding them in the aeration bubbles until they were able to swim away, and I jetted the hose with cool water into the FT for a fair while to stir up the water and add Oxygen. A few hours later there don't appear to be any more dead ones, but I'll have to harvest them on the weekend anyway, due to being away most of next week.
It sure made catching them easier, but not in a way I wanted to do it.

One of these days I'll scrape together the cash for a decent battery for an anti stuff-up backup system!

Anyway, they are mostly in the freezer now, apart from a couple in the fridge and one fried and eaten tonight.
I was happy with the weights, a couple over 600g, the one below the largest out of 38, not too shabby since I only put them in on 9th June. Most were in the 400-600g range, with only 11 below 400g, with 2 tiddlers about 160g, and I dont think there are any small ones left in the FT.



In the mad rush to get them gutted and into the fridge late this arvo, I forgot to clean the blood out of the spinal column for the first few... not sure what effect that might have on them once they are thawed out. (Its been a very long time since I was involved in any fish dismemberment)

Wow, that is a nice looking trout, Gunagulla!

Regarding the spinal column (apparently that is the trout's kidney - posted by Mr Damage, I think), it would be prudent to use those fish first, if you can tell which ones they are. I suspect that enzyme action will commence and slowly advance from that area into the fish's flesh, which may cause it to deteriorate at a slightly more advanced rate than the properly cleaned fish. Having said that, I'm sure that many people don't bother with it and enjoy their frozen fish just the same.

Thanks PLJ I know which packs they are, and figured I should start on them first.

One thing i forgot to mention last night, the Breville vacuum sealer often required several attemps to make it seal the bags. I think the moisture being sucked out with the air prevented the heater getting hot enough to melt the phasic. That wasted a fair bit of time.

Oh no I'm so sorry to hear that Gordon! I know exactly how you feel having done it myself.

Good to read about removing the blood too I had no idea.

I have a Maxkon brand vacuum sealer which did the same on one occasion. I haven't had a problem since I changed my procedure to include a quick wipe down of the fish with a paper towel before it goes into the bag for sealing.
I am delighted by the way the fish are presented using this method - so much better than just using freezer bags, as I always used to do.

Been there done that as well. At least they were harvest size. Mine were only 120g so they went to the dog. My vac sealer does that sometimes. I wipe excess moisture and turn top of bag inside out while putting contents in.
Not done it for fish, but for wet blanched beans I part freeze them before vac sealing as they have lots of blanch water under the skin of the bean.

Hi Gordon

After having done the same a year ago I rigged a system with a few switches and a delay timer. If the mains and the solar system is not working for more than 20 minutes, it sets of a battery powered alarm that will wake lazarus. Gives me a bit more protection.

Good idea Gabe, thanks If it's a bit windy or I have the house closed up on a hot day, I can't hear the water splashing back into FT and ST, so a more urgent reminder would be very handy! The system is about 30m from the house and it is usually pretty quiet here, way out of town on a dead end road.

Forecast temps of up to 37 over the next week around here, I'm not looking forward to that. I'll harvest the remainder of the trout tomorrow or Monday, and send them to a much cooler location, then it's a wait until after xmas for the Murray Cod.

What are you going to do to keep yr bacterial pop chugging along in the meantime? I have the same issue.

I've been thinking about that... a decline in the population wont be a problem, so long as it isn't too large. The cod wll have a much lower mass than the ~40kg of trout I've half removed, and be eating much less, so wont need as large a colony to process the ammonia.
However, depending on my ST inspection this arvo, I think I'll just leave the handfull of feed pellets they didn't eat yesterday or today, which (I hope) will decompose to produce some ammonia, and maybe a dose of pee ponics on Tuesday.
If there is still some fish poo in the ST hooked up in the biofilm, I probably wont need to do anything at all to get the colony over the 2 weeks in reasonable shape, so will leave it as is.

I've been pulling out most of the gone to seed celery (1 plant will be a lifetime supply of seed!) and also the leaves off the broccoli to feed to the chooks, and will pull them out to free up a lot more space soon, to plant some rockmelons and more corn.
I'll be into tomato preserving soon too, there are heaps on the bushes, some of which are out of control. I may need a machete to fight my way in

I have got the curcubits in and hope they will be happy to trail down over the edge and grow on the floor. How have you staked yr tomatoes? Don't think my GB is deep enough to drive a stake in the conventional way.

I have been carefully adding my KOH, 10 tsp in a small bucket of water was so exothermic it nearly melted the bucket. But the change in growth of my plants has been phenomenal. Can't wait to use that water in a fruit tree wicking bed situation.

Can't wait to hear how yr cod go, I am sticking with SP this season for ease.