Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I'd never grown beetroot since I thought it was too long to wait for harvest.
Then I discovered beetroot greens and decided to grow some to stir fry and I'm surprised that some of them are already pretty plump. Even with me harvesting their leaves. Heaps more scrawny ones than there are impressive ones but I'm sure you can guess which ones I photographed.

Bear in mind that they're still only baby beets at this stage but I'm still well chuffed.

Nice Bodgy, good to see your mini-upgrades in place. Nice growth too.

Always good to hear from The Dude.
Thanks for the kind words, hope NZ is treating you and yours well.

I'm a bit annoyed it took me so long to start to pretty up the system, the materials have been there since the start. Really should have done the cladding before I filled it but I was in a rush to get the cycling started and got impatient with it. It looks so much better than it did wrapped with loose sisalation flapping in the breeze, as half arsed as the level of finish is. (Didn't do the best job cutting or fixing the sheets and timber to be honest, there's going to be a bit of plastering to come yet I'm sure. )

AP is like a contagious disease, for every one of us that get started a few more see what's happening and join in on the fun. A couple of friends are keen to get a system started now, looking forward to helping them out if they do take the plunge.

I had some more time on my hands today so I decided to rough out my IBC net and see if it works alright.

I used part of the frame from an old bimini top I had lying around.
Ripped off the vinyl and cut down the frame to a suitable width.
Attached some fairly smooth shadecloth with zip ties, trying to make the net deeper at the end than at the handle end so the bream can sit in some water when the net is lifted.
It's full width of the tank and taller so it scoops the entire FT. Bream do jump though, so it turns out that they can clear the net when I'm pulling it up/back to me. Works quite well and cleans leaves out well too as a bonus.
I'm hoping it is less stressful than chasing fish around for minutes at a time and can keep them in water if I choose.

Shadecloth worries me a little though, that it might damage the fish. But generally I'd only net them out for consumption so it shouldn't be an issue.

Lovin those baby beets, i love pickled beetroot, my mum use to make it all the time,great in salads and after a few beers cheese and pickled beetroot sandwiches with doorstop bread,pepper and maybe spring onions on the side,strange some of the things i miss now living in the land of smiles,decent beer for one...
Shade cloth is not to bad for fish in its wet state,will tend to catch fins with spines though.

Thanks for the info dasboot, I picked the smoothest cloth they had in stock but it isn't utterly smooth.
Nice to know it shouldn't be a problem.

I was worried I'd stressed the fish and just tried feeding them. They're a little more shy than normal but they did eat so they must be happy enough.
Glad I did too, since I noticed that I'd forgotten to plug the pump back in. I'd turned it off and lifted it from the tank to try the net, replaced it but neglected to turn it on again.
That might have been a problem, glad I have air in the FT in case I do that again.

As for the beer, are home brew concentrates available there? Not that any of us need too many more hobbies...

Believe it or not home brewing here in Thailand requires a licence... so there are no kits,brew shops anything,i did try making pineapple cider,the mountains around me are covered in the things i paid 10uk pence per kilo,but by the time i had got all the juice from them it wasn’t worth the effort,still it tasted ok.I have made a sort of wine from 100% fruit cordial,that didn’t come out to bad,the trouble is now i have no yeast left and apart from having it sent over thats it.

If honey is available then I reckon mead can be your saviour!
I'd be happy to post you some wine or beer yeast sachets and recipes to get you started if you're half interested.
Might possibly get around the brewing laws if they refer to beer specifically.

Many years ago here, beer and wine had different laws and it was only permitted to make 'light' low alcohol beer.
All the good guides dutifully informed people not to add an extra kilo of sugar to the brew or they would get full strength beer.

Bodgy i will take you up on your offer,but how do i pay you ? we need to pm....

Hi Dasboot
I too am a fan of the honey liqueur, we call mead.
My recipe;
6 jars of honey
1 lemon ( half for a softer taste)
a handful of raisons
1 sachet of yeast
Boil 6 and a half pints of water. As it cools add the honey lemons and raison.
When hand warm add the yeast
I use a heating pad (UK) under the 1 gallon demi john with airlock
Fermentation takes about 1 month.
I am told it improves with age. Never had any last long enough!
I will gladly send you some yeast etc if you send me (PM) your postal address.
It will cost you a pint of 6X next time you are in Wiltshire.
BUT I am intrigued by your pineapple reference.
Why not treat like cider apples.
Chop crush drain. Leave open. Let natural yeasts do their work.
If it fails you end up with vinegar.
Pine apple vinegar! That’s a thought.
Titus

The naming of beverages fermented with honey can get rather specific.

Honey and fruit (Lemon) brewed together is often called Melomel but when brewed with grapes (raisins) Pyment.

Either way the inclusion of the lemon and/or the raisins means that its not mead

Hi Stuart
Thank you.
And I had you down as a beer drinker!
What I forgot to mention was the inclusion of 1 cup of hot water and a tea bag!
Increase in tannin.

Titus

I am a beer drinker just not just a beer drinker.

Although at the moment I'm not. I've given up alcohol for the moment so I guess I'm not really a drinker at all for the moment.

Oh and I'm in a Medieval reinactment group so of course I drink mead