Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

How is the temperature monitoring project coming along now?

The high tech Raspberry Pi project is on hold due to a couple of major things taking our time and attention. My low tech temperature measurement - 'gee my hand and wrist hurts while trying to take underwater photos' - indicates that the water is very cold!

Now for the excuses... Its been a crazy few weeks. Had to rip out the entire ensuite due to cracked shower base and long term water leaks - have piles of rubble from removing tiles and jackhammering out the slab to get the new drain box thingy inserted under the new shower base that I now have to clear out (straight after I post this ) so we can get the plumber in to do the stuff he needs to do, then we can do the rest. Also in process of buying a rural property so my social life currently revolves around plumbers, bathroom suppliers, solicitors, real estate agents, mortgage brokers, planning officers, insurance agents and accountants . Thank goodness I am still on LSL so have the time to chase it all up... Oh, and I made my 1/2 century this week too

Will update more on the property once its done and dusted. It has a large fish pond in the paved area outside kitchen/dining room, and a disused herringbone dairy shed with an undercover ~8x1.5x1 metre concrete milking pit and a 2000L stainless steel milk vat surrounded by a concreted, fenced cow yard... The things I could do . I will start a new thread and seek input when the time is right - wonder if I can get up to 25 pages like Charlie without actually posting anything on the potential/new system

Happy Birthday
Your input on the forum so far has been great, good work. Good luck with the new property but don't go awol on us though joc. And don't try to keep up with chuck, he's a machine.
Keep up the good work.

happy 50th joc

What material are those towers made of, is that sewer pipe ?

Happy burzelday

Thin walled 90mm PVC stormwater pipe. There are some photos of making them on page 1.

Thanks for the birthday wishes guys.

I will try not to go AWOL Skeggley, but life will get busy when I go back to work and we take on the new property. I am looking forward to planning out a permaculture based food production system that is functional, creative, quirky and beautiful...

Happy Birthday

How eggciting ! Look what one of my clever girls gave me for my birthday!

(Ugghhh - look at those AP hands - can't be dishpan hands 'cause there is a stack of unwashed dishes in the kitchen waiting for the good fairies to wash - better make some wirework kitchen fairies )
Now I am dreaming of scrambled eggs lightly herbed with tarragon and chives, topped with smoked trout and wilted spinach...

@joc -

+1 - Happy Birthday

What breed are those chickens? They have a really nice look about them.

Scotty, they are Gold Legbars, a true breeding cross between Leghorn and Barred Plymouth Rock developed in 1930s. The chick colours are sex linked so they can be sorted at hatching. Not a 'cuddles on the lap' chook, but good freerangers and reasonably economical on the food. And I think they are very pretty in a classic farmyard way.

even sounds beautiful

Thanks Brian. Today the postie arrived with my birthday present - Bill Mollison's Permaculture A Designers' Manual. Can't wait to read it and start planning.

Thanks Joc, got some of that stuff, its square, I give it a shot

Finally got the ladder out to check the blocked tower, which did not appear to be blocked afterall. Just one of those weird wicking leaks where the water decides to flow uphill due to surface tension . Rearranged the inflow and its all good now.

Despite a 500 litre top up the nitrates were still ~200 ppm today, so I bailed another 4-500 litres out and am topping up again (must not forget to turn off hose). That might help the Hokawase strawberries which seem more sensitive to salt than my other varieties. Will adjust pH with some wood ash solution and add some iron chelates as the new growth on the peas is quite yellowish.

Maybe trout is on the menu again tonight...

Oh, I now have 3 eggs, each day they are slightly larger, so I think it is just one of the chooks laying so far.