Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

checked the levels this afternoon, still leaking... guess what I am doing this weekend!

Got some of the capping on the right rear bed, so that one is nearly done! woohoo!

Cleaned out the two front beds and got the right front bed ready to be lined. This one is only 200mm deep, so will be 80mm gravel and 120mm soil and loamy sand. Going the cheap option on the front beds, and using 200 micron pond liner.

Having leaking liners is making me re-think the main garden plans... might try and incorporate using IBC bladders as the wicking beds along the sides, at least they are less likely to leak, and I can source them locally for a good price!

Didn't get much done, one of the kids kindly gave me a lurgy so energy levels are nil lol

Did get the front right wicking bed lined and leak tested Saturday - all good so the geotex went in today and the gravel filled to 8cm depth. Got some more dug out of the leaking left rear bed, but not quite empty yet.



Location of the long wicking beds behind the shed. They are making use of an otherwise wasted space that was a weed bed last year. Got a banana palm (sucrier, or something like that), fruit salad tree (wishful thinking, too hot here for it to do anything), and the girls (our four chooks)



The , ah-hem, helpers! Also shows the two right wicking beds, rear is done and ready to plant, the front one just needs geotex and soil and it's good to go



The war zone behind the shed. In the wicking pots are a patio lime and a dwarf mandarin. They seem to be doing a lot better here than in the full sun



The full length of the wicking beds. Apparently saying 'smile' to a three year old means laugh like a maniac! Tarp is not normally hanging there, but was 34 degrees and when the sun came out it was ferocious!



Our haven from the heat! Cover is on to stop rain water diluting the pool every few days



Another moody day in the wet season! It was blue skies five minutes ago, then this rolls in!

Finished removing all the gravel from the leaking left rear wicking bed. Found two small leaks in the bottom where water running off from rain had deposited small rocks under the liner. Put patches in, resealed around the bulkhead fitting and let it cure before filling it with water. Waters been in a few hours with no discernible loss, will leave it overnight and see how it goes.

Filled the front right bed with soil and should be able to get some plants in this coming weekend.

Success! The left rear bed held water with no discernible loss over night, so lined it with geotex (to pad between the gravel and the liner) and filled with gravel to the level of the overflow. Topped it up with water and no further water losses in the last 24 hours! Just dropped the geotex over the gravel, will top it with soil when time permits.

Picked up the timber for the capping yesterday, so I'll get the capping around the two rear beds in the next day or two, and finish off the front left bed asap and then this particular project is done!

Had a chat with SWMBO and decided that we have a nice little possy in the front corner of the yard that has full sun and is currently wasted. Plan is to remove the grass tree that is there and plant it out with banana, pawpaw, fig, rosella bushes, pineapple and a small pond at the front of it all. well, its on the to-do list so it'll get done eventually!!!

Next cab off the rank after the long wicking beds are complete is to level the old garden area, get the perimeter wicking beds in, and the hole for the 800L sump dug.

Got the two rear long wicking beds finished today with the help from the little minion (Nicholas, aged two). Planted a few seedlings to kick things off; sweet corn, red oak lettuce, and globe beetroot. In the next few days hoping to get cantelope, watermelon, tomato, butternut pumpkin, beans, snow peas, eggplant and a few other varieties in to the rear beds

Both rear beds . Still need to trim the fabric from under the capping timber

Started planting in the rear beds- red oak lettuce, eggplant, globe beetroot and corn on the left, and three varieties of tomato and a vanilla bean vine on the right. Still got plenty of room for more in both beds. Just finished lining the left front bed and got the padding layer of geotex in, so hopefully tomorrow I can finish the plumbing for it, half fill with gravel and leak test it.

Getting some fiercely hot days lately, so considering shading the whole bed with a light shade cloth to take the sting out of it.



Nothing planted in the front right bed yet, need to put the rear rail to bind the geotex and liner in place, and put the capping on too. Does it ever end? Lol

A beer, a think, an idea no it never ends but it is fun. Cheers

I reckon I'd go crazy if it did end mate! Am enjoying seeking ways to improve our little garden here. Cant wait to get the AP set up running!

Nearly finished now... Some minor trimming of the capping and plant it out fully.

As it is, I have red oak lettuce, beetroot, eggplant, cauliflower, corn, three varieties of tomato, watermelon, butternut pumpkin, garlic chives, pal choi, Lebanese cucumber, Italian parsley and vanilla beans. Still got half the beds to plant in!!

Starting to get some decent establishment as things settle in. Lost a few tomatoes to sunburn so put up some medium shade cloth over the other half of the bed.








Seedlings nearly ready to go

Another week, a bit more work completed. Between monsoon all downpours I got the small wicking bed for behind the shed finished. It's 3 metres long, 20cm high and 40cm tapering to 15cm wide.



Just need to put on the capping and it's good to go. Dropped in some climbing beans and dwarf beans, and some Lebanese zucchini, plan is to add some trellis up the back and use it for climbers like peas, beans, cucumber and zucchini

The looong beds are going well, tomatoes that are remaining are looking better now the shade is up, but pulled out the lettuce after it bolted. Corn isn't doing well in there so the chooks got it and I will replace it with something a little more shade-loving!



The long beds



Vanilla bean is going gang-busters!



These two cucumbers will get transplanted to the small bed shortly to make room for a few more tomatoes



Tomatoes are happy and starting to flower



Eggplant is happy as a clam, and also flowering.



Dwarf beans and boc choi



The two left beds..... Kicking along well!!

Having some issues with citrus leaf miner getting in to my dwarf citrus. Have pulled off the leaves that were affected but does anyone know a good fix for them?

Cheers!

Got the trellis for the back wicking bed completed, beans, peas and zucchini going bonkers!



Little bit of powdery mildew on the butternut. Watermelon making a dash for the top too!



Main beds




Lots of flowers coming through, harvested some bok choi the other night, finally a small reward for all the work!

The last week has sent the demise of a couple of tomatoes and the eggplant. I reckon now the cooler weather is in the lack of sun might have done them in. Rest of the garden is going well, a few pics will convey results better than words!


Look at that butternut go! And the watermelon up the trellis!


Yummy Roma tomatoes


Other end of the back wicking bed and trellis. Beans and peas are coming along well. Butternut and watermelon are out of control


Looking back towards the banana palm.

Starting to get lots of caterpillars now, so the chooks are getting well fed. Have they citrus leaf miner in hand now, pulled all the affected leaves off and hit it with chilli spray

Very neat.
Nice photos
I saw someone in my area growing bananas today