Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

As I would say when I was still at school: "Har har clonk." That would be me laughing my head off.


That sounds like a good method.

Regards, Martin.

Damn it I thought I had heaps of seedlings coming up. Stupid slugs in my IBC got em didn't they. The slugs are congregating around the ginger. Need to put out beer traps again. Just a couple of lonely Bok Choy to give the ginger company. I thinne dout the toms, fruit easy to get to now, but far less of it. Note to self, keep plenty of plants going, just keep them in control.

Fish are going crazy. They used to wait until I left before eating their feed. Not any more. The pellets have barely hit the water before they start smashing them.

I have previously tried duck weed, but they haven't really attacked it with much venom. Noting how hard they were hitting the pellets I thought I'd give it another go. Chucking in a handfull per day. All gone by time I get home from work.

Spuds, One plant still going so will harvest the other bag now the plants have fully died away.

Thanks for the update Doc. Pity about the seedlings. I've been starting some too and not doing too well. Still learning. I had them on the windowsill but they weren't doing well and when I read an article about growing seedlings they said: "Don't put them on the windowsill!"

Hope the beer traps catch the slugs.

Thought I'd give grow bed wicking a try, put a couple of small pots filled with some good soil from my worm farm and a couple of Bean seeds in them then put them in the flood and drain grow beds to see what would happen. This is where they're at after 4 days, not sure how I will get them out of the pots now or whether I should just leave them in.

Hey, great thought. Thats some growth in less than a week! Well done. Might give that a shot. Forgot to put out beer traps last night, but have seen a heap of shoots this morning. Maybe I just need patience?

Dog was wandering around the tank like she'd lost something. Couldn't find her Kong, boys had thrown it somewhere from the pool enclosure.

Fish feeding frenzy going on.

Whats that red thing in the bottom of the tank.

Stupid dog dropped her kong in while watching fish feeding.

Got only a few spuds (1/2 kg) from the 3 plants that only lived 2 months. Other bag has still got one plant growing, so keeping the water up. Its another 4 weeks older now than the other bag. Should get a few from it. Have a few more spuds go off in the cupboard, so will plant them out.

Ginger growing well.

Have espailed (spelling?) the Mullberry bush in preperation of planting in its own tub. Do I plant it in AP or go wicking bed, or traditional. Like the thought of AP with a few vegies or herbs around its base. Even some fruit on it already.

Hi Doc, it is "espalier" or in this case I assume it would be "espaliered".

http://landscaping.about.com/cs/lazylandscaping/g/espalier.htm

(Not that I know how to do it.)

Same Beans nearly two weeks later. look to be doing OK.

Went skiing on a mates dam on the weekend. He had camped out there for the weekend and caught 20kg of marron. They went off to the wholesaler, and we got a feed of yabbies after we had packed up all the gear. They are so nice . He had only purged them for one night, and they were so sweet. Better than most of the prawns, lobster you get around the place. Brought home about 5 kgs which we then had to peel. Had a yabbie sandwich for lunch, and more for dinner tonight.

Had a HSM this week. The power was off in Autralind for a few hours on Wed night. I had a big meeting on Wed and was stuffed. Didn't check the system till 4:30 the next day. I didn't realise the pump had stopped until the fish didn't hammer their food. Pump had been off for about 24 hrs. Plants a bit limp, and fish not active. Got the pump going again with a bit of a bump, but it must be time to get a newby. Tested it a few times, and each time it needed a bump. Definatly time for a newby.

Brochilli are coming to head, boy they take up some room in an IBC. More spuds planted in bags, Basil going biserk. Heirloom toms.. well, they are taking up space and nutrients I guess. Heaps of flowers, but not coming out with fruit. Have even tried by hand, but not working this time. Zuccinni flowering, waiting for fruit too.

Nice one Doc. Sounds like a great trip. Any photos of you skiing with the wind blowing dramatically in your hair with Chariots of Fire playing in the background?

I'm sure there are photos of my fail. First time skiing in 21 years. Tried single ski start, after just one run on two. I am nursing my first ever Hamstring injury. Leg still works but, oh f$%K, the pain. Almost wetting my self when ever I move. Have changed recovery method since uni days, where the beer was on ice and hang the consequences, this time, the leg went on ice, and left the beer in the esky. Can almost walk today, but when I sit it feels like I have a bowling ball under my leg.

There sure was some wind, and it was great, til I crashed. Tried to shake off the injury and have another go, but couldn't make the turns. Had to put out the white flag. Except for the sound of the motor, it was quiet, with just the sound of Black Cockatoos to break up the peace. Was a great day. Boys all slept in this morning.

Lol. That post really made me laugh. Never been on a water ski so I can only guess how much fun it is, looks great.

Did my hammy once in a rugby match so I know what you mean about the pain.

My hamstring injury was also pretty spectacular. During the match somehow I got left behind near our tryline, I think I was slow getting up or something. But once I was up the opposition kicked the ball downfield. I was the only one in our 22 so was running cross field to get to the ball while one of their racing snakes was chasing the ball. About 10 meters from the ball my hammy went, I couldn't bring my leg forward so I basically face planted and plowed a furrow while their winger picked up the ball and trotted in for a try. It was one of the few games I played with the whole school watching. Was a real treat.

Thanks for your thoughts. Hopefully the body repairs its self and there are more skiing opportunities.

I had a very fortunate rugby career. I made my debut at uni in the under 19's and after a few weeks was playing games in all three grades, U19's, reserves and off the bench for A grade. In my first year I broke a thumb, my nose and a rib, but then played for five more years for Uni and RAN and suffered barely a scratch. Worst was playing on the coral pitches of the Pacific Islands, Fiji I think, and coming up with infections on every part of my body that touched the ground when their man mountains pummelled us. Their legs where like telegraph poles, and they could run. A little 70kg winger stood no chance.

Rugby was a great way of meeting people and getting a bit of excersize in between time at sea.

Sounds awesome. Unfortunately I didn't have a long career. I played at school and then half a season after when I picked up a bad knee injury and ankle injury at the same time and didn't go back to it. I play touch rugby now, also a great sport.

Your comments about Fijians made me laugh. Wouldn't want to play against them. We had similar experiences against some of the Afrikaans schools we played against. Sometimes when lining up to run onto the field we thought they had mixed the age groups up and sent a much older team against us. Needless to say we got pummeled in those games.

They were great days. Consuming ales with them after the match was a ball. Always a great feast and heaps of laughs. We had to keep away from the karva though.

I know age has probably affected my memory, but I'm sure that even at 6ft 3", they towered above me. Loved their huge great white smiles. Most of them were like great big teddy bears after a few beers.

How about that, we got some rain (about .4mm) so far today. 90% humidity at the moment.