Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I caught a monitor lizard once. I used to catch all kinds of things on the farm and put them in cages.

My room was called "The Lab" by my family. It was only 30cm long but it latched onto the end of my index finger and wouldn't let go. I ended up walking home with a monitor lizard hanging from my hand.

I got it off eventually but had grooves in my fingernail from it's teeth when I pulled it off. If it hit me with it's tail it was like being hit with a whip. It was nasty. I let it go after a while. It was a fun pet but it never became tame so I released it.

Cool, that would have been my concern too. Nasty critters!

Well, the temps have risen since christmas and plants have either gone to seed or died off. Got a few more mulberries, and only getting a handful of toms a week. Have pulled all but one plant. Planted some more basil, can never have enough, and put some shade over the little fella's raised garden bed. Just bunkering down to get through to Autumn now.

Water level starting to get lower, so might try and catch me some fish this coming weekend.

Looking forward and starting to plan our NZ family adventure in April. 4 weeks, 5 people in a camper van. 2 weeks North Island & 2 weeks south.

Hey Doc, don't forget I'm in Auckland! If you need any help with logistics or something let me know. Also hoping to get together for a beer! Martin.

Thanks for the heads up. Looking forward to trying many beers on our trip. Shame my boy isn't old enough to drive, but atr least if we have a few too many we already have accom sorted no matter where we are. Boys may have to sort out there own catering.

Fortunately the wife enjoys a taste and doesn't over indulge (mostly) so all good there actually.

Cool. Just give me a shout closer to the time.

Thought it was time to thin out the population a bit before the upcoming trip away.

I caught 3 silvers total weight 1.7 kgs, avg length 36cm. Filleted and skinned this lot and used the recipe suggested by FuzzyMonkey last week. The whole family loved it. Prior to the catch the missus wasn't keen, but I may have got her back on track now.

The biggest one was nice and chunky, the others a bit slender. I was worried that after 4 years in the tank, the flesh would be tough, but, no, pretty normal. Put all the carcasses deep in the compost. No smells! I put all my prawn shells in there normally, but never tried fish carcasses.

Nice Doc. Great looking fish.

What's your timeline looking like for your trip to NZ?

Some one now has fish breath, and a shiney coat after helping dispose of the guts and a head.

Nice fish dr bee, well done.
Am I really going to have to wait another 3 years to try my silver perch??? And I thought cycling taught patience!
Does perch flesh get tougher with age?

I have gone so easy on the system.

I did put in an extra 12 fish after 2 years, so I know that if I over feed, I will have problems. I am often away and want to know that they will survive for a few days if it goes to shit, although I could probably go harder when the temps drop. I just love being able to walk out and look at them. I should be able to eat 6 per year at the rate I feed and replace.

My littlest guys are all over 6 inches, but the larger ones are 30cm +. So another good feed due around end of footy season, around the sme time I will need to get more from Gavin.

They were not at all tough, and tasted like fresh fish, only fresh, real fresh. Only in the fridge for about an hour before they were cooked. There was little to no fat in their gut fed at the ratios I feed them, but i am sure you could go alot harder with the feed, and maybe put them on a diet for the last month to thin them down a bit.

Feed em up if you are around or have systems in place to deal with power outages. I don't, so I go easy.

I need to go to bed now as I have meetings in the morning, but being on Perth time, I don't feel tired. Now watching replay of the soccer and sipping on a glass of wine in a hotel in Melbourne.

Been back in Aus for a week now.

Got back from our holidays. NZ is a fantastic place to visit, but four weeks is not enough time to see both Islands. Had a ball with the five of us all in a camper-van. I did a fair bit of research before our trip on all the things I wanted to see and do, but plans got messed up before we even left Perth, with the airport closed for a few hours because of "cyclonic" conditions. on the first night when we found the top bed was soaking wet. Made it thorough that night with a whole lot of plastic over the mattress, and a call to the hire company in the morning would sort us out. Unfortunately it would not be until the pm of day three until we had the new van and were able to really start our trip, meaning we lost a day and a half before we had started.

Anyway, with a few deletions, we were able to do most of what we wanted to do, but if ever doing anything like that again, probably one week shorter, so we can spend more money each day and not worry about budgets so much, but only do half the distance, meaning we could spend more time in each place.

Highlights: Auckland zoo, body surfing and soaking sore limbs at hot water beach at sunset, Hobbiton, climbing to the summit of Mount Ruapehu (which I believe now has warnings due to volcanic activity), Rotourua Luge, Jet boating at Toupo, Te Papa Museum in Wellington (best ever Gallipoli Display with make up and scenes by Weta - special effects team out of Wellington for Hobbit, Lord of the Rings and other movies), Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre near Blenheim (Weta team again for displays of vintage fighter planes, and a massive display of artifacts of the Baron), Anzac day at Hanmar Springs, Glow worms of Te Anu, LEAP tampolne centre in Dunedin, and finally Lake Tekapo, (which was probably the highlight). Set up the camper-van looking out over the lake. Clear sky, cold night, had the blinds open so we could see out all night. Best scenery ever, and what a way to finish the trip. Sun went behind mountain at 2pm whilst we were sitting in the hot pools. There is normally an ice skating rink in winter but there had been a power outage the previous night, so it had to be relaid, bummer, still we had an excellent relax in the baths before sitting out and watchinig the colours change while sipping on one of the many craft brews that I sampled over the month. In fact, even though I was there for a month, drinking a few beers each night, I never bought the same beer twice!

We also saw the recently released film 'Hunt for the wilderpeople" - a great NZ film starring Sam Neill in a theater in Dunedin. A nice movie, and we drank beers while we watched for $10/person. Was great seeing all the scenery in the movie and thinking, "we went there" including Horopito motors, near Mount Ruapehu.

Got home, and found the pumps still running (I put in my spare, just in case one failed), fish still swimming (a bit hungrier than normal). Tomato plants, basil and Rhubarb had all gone wild. Fed the fish pulled the tomatoes, and harvested a shit load of Basil and Rhubarb. Made some Pesto, and some rhubarb pie. Firkin snails had smashed my potatoes, and only one carrot survived the onslaught. Must have been some rain while we were away ... snail activity and the pool was full!

What a great trip tanks for the update Doc.

Didn't make to your side of Auckland. Got lost around Eden Park (stupid Nav Man), what lovely old stately homes there., otherwise closest was when we went to the zoo. Spent a day at Devonport reminiscing about old Navy Days.

I haven't been around Eden Park much but went up Mount Eden and could see it, very good looking stadium.

Devonport is really pretty. Been on a walk there around North Head was beautiful.



You will see - it's trips like that that will stay with your kids for their whole life. My best memories of my family is when we went camping when I was a kid. The adventure and excitement was something else.