Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Thought I'd share a couple of photos from inside:

Plus all four beds are now planted:

Last bed



Plus two dirt beds with some flowers:



I

Possibly going to open this week with coffee and cakes. Getting close!

Looks amazing! Fingers crossed for a smooth opening process :-)


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Thanks Kat!

http://youtu.be/ofrCFrkdnwc

Hi everyone! Was hoping to be open this weekend, but had some issues with coffee machine, not happy enough with product to open unfortunately, which is poo.

Question for those that have had perch, is it an issue that I have a fairly dominant one? As you can see from video, three mainly sit in corner, and one gives them a bit of grief, including some love bites. Though I can't see any damage. Remnants of Ich still there, but clearing up with salting of tank.

On salting, I'm using a strawberry as my "Canary in the mine shaft", so I know when to stop dousing. Will it die off or just get sickly. I would have said I'd put enough in to be at least 3ppt, but it still seems to be kicking.

Thanks!


Would you like some basil and Jade Perch with that latte sir?

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Get a refractometer for the salt. Guessing isn't the best idea.

The strawberries will take a few days to see signs of salting, then they'll cark it.

Why are you salting?

When I put big fish in they had signs of fin rot/fungus/etc. mostly cleared up but not gone


Would you like some basil and Jade Perch with that latte sir?

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What you have done here is really especially cool. I hope this pans out for you, it looks like it could be a very inspiring place for young and old alike. I would have love to have been introduced to AP this way. Instead I have been taking crash courses on Aussy words here at BYAP

Looking good

Thanks guys, been a bit slack, you'll have to forgive me, been a bit busy opening (huzzah!).

Have done a soft opening, opening up for coffee and light snacks, whilst I await some equipment and council issues. The corporate publican in me isn't happy opening "half assed", but the locals were screaming for me to open, and it gives me a chance to do the meet and greet a lot more then would be possible if I was doing a full menu as well. Because I have so much going on (mainly aquaponics!), I find myself doing mini "tours" and talking all about it, so very happy in the end with the opening process I chose to follow! Now some pics!




Would you like some basil and Jade Perch with that latte sir?

Build thread- viewtopic.php?f=18&t=21974&start=75

Would you like some basil and Jade Perch with that latte sir?

Build thread- viewtopic.php?f=18&t=21974&start=75

Still having issues with one "bully" silver keeping the other three in a corner. Unsure what to do, as I would like to get some fingerlings, and am worried he/she may bully them to death :/.

Also who "owns" the forum? Is it Earthbound? I just thought I better drop them a PM and make sure they are ok with the line of this thread, hence it is technically a business. I don't believe I've crossed any boundaries as I'm not touting or directly promoting, but want to keep inside with the powers that be, as the forum is tops!


Would you like some basil and Jade Perch with that latte sir?

Build thread- viewtopic.php?f=18&t=21974&start=75

Glad to see an update... the photos are always key to me. I would go out of my way to visit a place like that.... other then crossing oceans at least.

About "who owns BYAP?"
Good question... I don't know either however, I have seen several commercial ventures here that, like you, can talk about their concepts without aggressively promoting them.

Monetizing what you are passionate about is ok in my opinion, but also I think it would be good to know that you have some kind of background interest in at the very least your home soil tomato garden or a fish tank before you found AP and opened a business. But even if that were the case it doesn't mean you can't still pull this off. With respect I am still learning myself and I don't even have fish yet, but from what I can tell as "the new guy", it looks like you're doing great!

If I walked into to your place, imagine I am greeted by your least knowledgeable AP staff person on site. And I am going to say

"Wow... tell me EVERYTHING!"

Obviously some people just want a coffee and and food then its just a relaxing place to go listen to the water flow and enjoy the awesome setting you have. But for the nerdy guy like me who is going to ask a million questions like a 4 year old kid, that is your chance to give back.

If you handle it with some kind of standard. So with that said have documentation, maybe another mural showing the nitrate cycle, or use your wifi to provide a learning experience like they would do in a modern science center. Maybe even use that projector to run a display of some sort for photos as you find them in your own research.

1) Cite the University studies! Personally I know of 2 that keep coming up, one from Virgin Islands and one from Hawaii. There are probably more, in fact I would like to see a list myself if anyone can add to this.

2) Discuss the open source aspects, families can do this, you have the support of places like backyardaquaponics.com. Make them understand the community following rivals the University studies and has produced inventions such as siphons and valves and grow media and wicking experimentation around the world to include some very off the grid locations. (AP is public domain, Monsantos doesn't own it)

3) Discuss the history (even noble blood has farmers!), rice farmers, the Aztecs maybe (still sorting it out myself) and more recently island countries and places with irrigation or drought issues. Talk about how the IBC container changed everything and is universal around the globe today.

4) Discuss the science! Use the words poop and pee (your aussy words are so much better I'm sure) next to the chemistry formulas showing the cycles. Discuss the alternative of man's best efforts to use questionable chemicals to manipulate nature and its affects. (Get that artist to come back for more) use the projector for access to documents as you learn. Maybe even discuss pressure and psychics using examples of how valves work there is a ton of science in AP!

5) Discuss the future motives and implications such as drought, population, pollution, self sustainability and all that good stuff. But also that we are learning as a world population to work with nature instead of against it and the study of biospheres (I may have the wrong word there) and natural cycles may have had the answers all along.

6) Finally.... you personally don't need this advise at all from what I have seen... but to my American friends, stay humble. Admit that we are all still learning even the best are still making revisions and testing new theories. In fact maybe that is a good time to show them the wild concepts such as plastic bottle caps for grow bed media. Or some of the towers made of old soda bottles? Or discuss the scientific process, control group testing, and deductive reasoning. Again another time to point out the community effort and places like this gem of a forum. Consider yourself an educator and a service to the community but yet equally a part of it who is still learning as well. I believe your public will respect that.

Big thumbs up for the sign but I think it could be even BIGGER!!!