Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Sorry team haven't been on much lately and didn't see replies


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I've been stung by stingray, jellyfish, and bullrout, so maybe catfish is next ahaha


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Yeah the catfish are crackers. Very tame, and very interesting. Think "monsters of the deep".

I haven't found definitive answers on DWC. Mine is lagging big time behind media beds. But I think that's my fault for two reasons. One, I haven't covered IBC's (and I'm using IBC lids to hold plants in place), so I have lots of algae growth on roots. Two I've run out of flow, so I don't think I am turning them over enough. Probably once every 4 hours. Need more water or more aeration, but isn't in budget at the moment.

Let me know if how you are going!


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Ahaha will keep this in mind! I've been told to try hot water too.


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Growth in dirt beds is good atm.







System is handling as much food as I'd thought it would with addition of RFF and Biofilter. I now have 25ish fish at around a kg, and 40-50 fish ranging from an inch to 5 inches, so I'm probably pushing stocking limits. Plus numerous guppies, freshwater prawns, and about 20-30 yabbies. So my nitrates are constantly high.

Is this an issue for fruiting plants?

I empty RFF bi-weekly, and feed it to dirt beds. Though it knocked around some strawberries and flowers in dirt beds, which I think is from the salt content, so I do have to be careful. I had an olive tree donated to me as it was on its deathbed, and after little growth with tap water, it's now really kicking with addition of AP water.

AP budget is on hold atm, things are good but tight. Going to make up some wicking beds (or just dirt beds, depending on if I can find material for free or not to make them wicking) as I have a kid "working" for me (I only pay him when I can, he's got a few learning difficulties, and struggles at school, but I'm trying to give him a leg up) who really loves making sauces, so I want to plant a heap of chillies and try and help him get a chilli sauce business going.

Also have a meeting with some local groups tomorrow re markets in the town, which is exciting as that is one of my favourite topics.

Anyway hope everyone in the AP world is well and keep on growing!


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Above is "locals" tanks with spangled perch, catfish, and barred Grunter, showcasing some of the fish in the local area.



Some signs I put up explaining AP for customers to read.


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Oh and question for the gurus, how long does it usually take for PH to start decreasing naturally? My PH has sat at 8 ish the entire time, but my system probably hasn't had a chance to "mature"' more then 4 months yet, as when it got poisoned essentially had to start again. I'm worried my gravel might be keeping it up, though I did do the vinegar test on samples, and no bubbles. I've tried some hydrochloride acid, but it didn't do anything other then crash, and then bounce back up. Which I think has something to do with hardness? That's something I haven't been able to get my head around. Might start a thread begging experienced members to help talk me thru this, as growth is good at high PH, can't wait to see it at a lower level!


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I wish I could take a photo of the catfish that shows how cool they are. I've had some cracker photos of perch, but the cat fish are way cooler. But can't get a good photo. Here's my terrible attempts!








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Oh, and one of those cool "oh yeah I keep fish" moments from the other night.

So I added about 30 of these locals the other night



Surprisingly the catfish leave these guys alone, even though they would easily be able to eat them. But a few of the new guys were sickly from transport, and it was amazing to watch a 4
Inch spangled perch swallow a 2 inch barbed grunter. If you'd asked me beforehand o would have said it would have been impossible for it to fit it inside its body, but it didn't hesitate. Pretty impressive!


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I've got a kid doing work experience here, who has difficulties with school, and really wants to work here, but isn't in the budget at the moment.

Instead of work, I'm attempting to get him to do up some sauces/jams/pickling etc, under my supervision, to sell in the cafe, and possibly elsewhere.

It's making me think outside the square when doing up menu cards, as he doesn't have the strongest reading skills, but it's fun passing on some love of food.



From left to right

Sweet Chilli Sauce, Dilly Tomatoes (pickled cherry tomatoes), Pickled Onions, Hot Chilli Sauce, and Mint Sauce.

All the veg and herbs were grown on site excepting the onions.

If anyone has some recipes that are worth a shot let me know! Preferably stuff that can be canned and not refrigerated, as that is where I am pushing him.


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Fantastic looking project at this stage - makes me want to eat under that new shade cloth and red signs

Thanks Jay!

Unfortunately moving slowly atm as budget is reigned in on AP.

Love all of your projects, don't know how you find the time!


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I'm so happy you were able to rebound and even stoke your enthusiasm. I love the catfish too

Thanks Brian!




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Pretty boring photos, but like to keep everyone up to date.

Bought two "Bell Chillis" and a passion fruit today from a road side stall with a honesty box for $5, pretty happy with country life!

I haven't had much luck with capsicums/Chillis/peppers (depending upon what you want to call them), but have recently found that one bed seems to be a better grower then others for them, so am now trying to put all of them in there. Unsure why they grow better there, as everything else in their actually grows less then three other beds. It's he last F&D bed, as I was told by someone in the know that in order to combat my constant low ammonia, to run beds CF. But my rose tree which is an "original" plant and was gifted to me by a nursery as it was "dead" doesn't like CF, so I keep this bed constant flow. This bed seems to get more solids come thru, and it is the first bed of the run. It probably gets slightly less sun. The tomatoes I had in their didn't kick on at all, and silver beet growth was slower then other beds. Don't know what's happening here.

Because I was lazy (but also impatient) I have also tried some of the peppers in root pouches with soil, and essentially having them wick water by having them only touch an inch of the water, as I have read a fair few post by members that chillis(etc) struggle in first year of AP. I'm going to trial this as a versus with one being in growbed with gravel, and the other in soil wicking from same growbed. Plants are next to each other, and approximately the same size. Though all of this might be useless as I might lose them over winter ahaha.

I'm shattered so hopefully that ramble makes some sense. Anyway some pics (boring ones anyways) as promised.



Above is new addition to my trickle filter. I've picked up a heap of free off cuts of shade cloth, to try and help combat my ammonia issue. Truckle filter is probably full to about 180lt worth of a combination of K1, bottle caps, netting and shade cloth, and hopefully this brings down my ammonia.



One of the new pepper trees, plus an existing one which is going well.



Inside of a root pouch that was in AP, with a poor performing tomatoe plant. Outside had some roots, but very fine, so I think they are going to work well at slowing down tomatoes clogging up my beds, which was an issue previously.


Hope everyone is well!


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