Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

My experience also
too many tomatoes = eggplants, cucs, capsicums didn't grow well (newish system)

Another thing I found was feeding the fish lots of worms. The small wigglers go in the GB's and the large night crawlers get fed to the fish. Careful though....they will spike your system. They have all the goodies packed in them. I get a couple dozen every time I turn the compost pile over. I also lay pieces of old carpet on the weeds/grass and it's easy pickings every morning until they go deep from the heat.

Sounds easy enough, have plenty around these parts.

I am currently using night crawlers in the grow beds. Assuming that is acceptable?

IMO night crawlers can't take the water and don't break stuff down like red wigglers. I find crawlers near the top where it's not under water when planting or pulling. The wigglers seem to disappear. I found them near the bottom when I re worked my GG's. Same with fishing...crawlers go limp faster. Wigglers are more geared with teeth I've read also.

Cant say I know where to get some red wigglers around here. Most bait shops only carry the night crawlers

Also having trouble finding a couple plecos. Has anyone ever used snails in the system for algae clean up?

Don't put snails in you will regret that. I got my red wigglers online, but can't remember where.

You can usually buy compost worms from hardware type outlets, they come in a box. Also try online worm farms. Failing that you will find that they just turn up eventually, intoduced with nursery seedlings etc.

I have some water snails that have turned up out of no where - they are in the blue barrel RFF

Well looks like these will work

given I have 3 grow beds, each around 75-100 gal, how many would y'all recommend? There are different quantities you can order

http://www.amazon.com/Uncle-Jims-Worm-F ... gler+worms

They will multiply in the growbeds over time.

I transferred about 3 handfuls to each bed in my system.

Every time I pull out a plant there are eggs and worms in the roots.

now... in a handful of worms?

Thank you, I will order some

I found red wiggelers at walmart. 30 is not a handful. You probably want a pound.
Love those peppers, mine are not that big yet.

Nice harvest East!

Love your setup, especially the slanted PVC along the wall for lettuce. seems to be an easy way to make the most of vertical space along a wall, especially if you can work it all the way to ground level (or into fish tank) then only have to pump the water back up to the highest point.
And nice buck! Mine was bigger though

Buck....did someone say BBD. I had to call the neighbor to load him. Pushing 270 lbs undressed...muzzy kill


This one was 253 undressed...bow kill. 145 pope