Miki's system

[Miki]

Finally we've done it. We have been talking about it for ages, have been collecting things like pump, gravel etc a while back and this past weekend put most things into place.

We've used an old light (in weight that is) bath tub which was lying around unused. This we have put on an old workbench which we have covered with a small tarp under which are a few planks to keep the bath off the bench and to keep the bench dry. We have a 12V pump to get the water onto the gravel through tubing and the water goes back into our old fish pond (converted wine barrel) by gravity.

Because we had to move the fish pond into the shade house the two goldfish were temporarily moved into a large bucket with the intention of putting them back as soon as the water settled/cleared. The water from the fish pond was transported too and has been recirculating through the system for a few days now.

Nothing has prepared us for the enjoyment and the enthousiasm one gets into as soon as a system has been set up. I have raided the veggie patch and the bath is full of mostly lettuce, broccoli and silverbeat which had been struggling but still were healthy. The fish will now have to wait a few more days while we are setting up an extension of the system - the pond has been moved out of the corner where it appeared convenient before and a metal table frame (found lying around) is now forming a second level with an old feed trough which has holes in the bottom (side of). This way the bath tub will release the water into the trough after which the water returns to the pond. First we have to get some more gravel.

[GaryD]

Whoo Hooo!

Congratulations on the launch of your new project.

Your first challenge, having got your system operating, is to get it to cycle......to get the beneficial bacteria to begin converting the ammonia and (eventually) nitrites into nitrates (plant food).

Let me know if you need help.

Gary

[Miki]

Thanks, Gary,
I'm hoping that the pond water we have used will be sufficient to get those bacteria working. The water is pumped around a few times a day and the the bath tub never completely empties.
Just one question, we've put some broadbean seeds (presoaked) into the gravel in the hope it will grow - we'll be putting up some support so that it can grow around the shadehouse (thats the plan). Will the system support this?

[Jonty]

Miki,
Congratulations on getting there. Can't see why broadbeans would not grow okay. Bush beans do and I have snow peas in that are doing fine. There is only one real way to find out - give it a go.

Only problem may be that you have left your run too late for the broadbeans as they do prefer the cold weather.
Regards
Jonty

[anniefish]

Hi Miki,
Congratulations, looking forward to hearing how everything goes. The only thing I can think of with broad beans is that they grow tall and may need support in windy areas. Also it is late for them unless you are in a cold area ( I checked the Yates garden guide) my garden Bible. I can't wait for our system - the Naked Kneck chooks got into my garden and ploughed up all my peas:mad: might have chook for dinner tomorrow:). I also have wallabies eating some shrubs.:mad::mad: Poor things survive on a dribble of water then they come in and eat them. Planted a walnut, a quince and a pecan the other day, must be mad but I've been waiting for the drought to break for 12 years now, if I wait I'll be in my wheelchair trying to plant trees.:) Hope to plant more trees on the weekend.
Cheer Anniefish.

[nick]

broadbeans will definately grow in brisbane in an aquaponic system

Ta da

[Miki]

Thanks all you. I live in Northern NSW so probably am a bit late for the broadbeans but still want to give them a go, I'm having too much fun trying all these things out.
Annie, I know how you feel! its as if those chooks are waiting for the right moment to settle on the veggie patch. Going AP is my way around that even though I'll be keeping the veggie patch for the potatoes, corn and anything else which won't fit in the gravel (pumpkins, courgette's, banana's, passionfruits, etc. and anything else which is established in soil).
I've just had my parents over from WA and I think they are catching the AP bug and taking it back with them!

[Miki]

As you all say, rightly, we also have to report our failures...

we've been away for a couple of weeks and on return found that someone or something has eaten all of the plants! only bits and pieces have survived, just. I'm ready to blame the chooks or the ducks but there are no feathers at all in the shade house so they are off the hook.

No worries, I'm actually looking forward to re-planting. The sad thing is that the 'normal' veggie patch which I was ready to discard is thriving! the left over brocolli, carrots, onions and others have grown heaps and nearly ready to harvest which just goes to show that its always good to have some sort of backup.

[Murray]

That is a bit sad Miki. I have a lot of trouble with birds eating my veggies. Magpies and wild ducks. As soon as anything gets colour they are at it. The wild ducks can decimate a lettuce patch in no time.

My new greenhouse will have all round covering to keep the "wild ones" out.

[fishfood]

Wild duck very nice [almost as good as garys quail]

[Miki]

I had hoped that the small entrance we had would keep out all scavengers but it does look like that it will have to be hermetically sealed, will be done this weekend.

Has anyone had any experience growing corn aquaponically?

ps. I will post some pictures soon

[Miki]

I was just about to make new photos of my system, all redone and set up and doing wonderfully and now, overnight, have been hit again by scavengers. Everything is gone!!!!!! tomato plants, cabbage, lettuce etc. so I am very very upset! even more so because the 'normal' veggie patch is coming along nicely (I was wanting to compare the two) which is great that there is a backup of veggies, etc.

After the last time this happened (I thought it was birds 'catching the early worm' so to say and had the old bathtub covered in mesh with much smaller holes. So maybe I'm looking at mice or even snails or slugs but any of these would leave telltale marks and I have found none.

HELP!

[Murray]

That is a hard one Miki, I cant imagine what it could be. I have a problem with Magpies getting my tomatoes. Could it be Possums ? It is very upsetting when such things happen........

[daniel]

I would guess possums as well. Especially with the low rainfall lately. They have nothing to eat.

I have an electric fence around my veggie patch. It doesn't work 100% of the time, but it definitely makes a difference.

[anniefish]

Oh Mikki,
How sad, I know what you are feeling. I've had years of animals getting into my garden, even when you think it is like Fort Knox. I don't know how we do it, but we just keep on planting and sometimes we get lucky and between the kids and the beasties (is there a difference!!??) we get some food. I hope you work out what it is. There is an electric mesh available to keep chooks in an area, if you were desperate it might do the deed. I think it is aveilable in Aus just Google.
Commiserations, Anniefish

[Miki]

Thank you all for your messages. Its great knowing you are all out there to share the ups and downs of this wonderful system of Aquaponics.

Today I have started over again, thinning out plants in the 'normal' veggie patch and replanting in the old bathtub. This time a large amount of shade cloth covers this all and is tied down by elastic. Whatever is getting in will have to be very small or very smart to get in.

Wish me luck!:)

[Miki]

News flash..... we have rats! the shadecloth covering the new plants keeps them out at night which is great. Next step is to get rid of these beasties. any tips?

[Murray]

Bush rats can be a real problem. Come to think of it I had that problem for a while last spring . I used those hard Tanlon bates. They have a hole in the middle and I wired one here and there to the tomato stakes. I carefully placed plastic sheeting below to catch any crumbs that might be generated. I did not want that stuff to get down into my grow beds.
It only took a couple of weeks to get rid of the rats.
They sure consumed some baits. It was hard to keep up the supply for the first few days.
Every morning there would just be the piece of wire hanging there, and no crumbs on the plastic sheeting below where the bait had been set.

[Miki]

Thanks for the warning Murray, the rats loved the baits!!! I had wired them to the AP tablelegs and they disappeared every night. We are now finding dead or dying rats (5 is the last count). I had already covered the AP beds with shade cloth so I at least have the plants I planted but it has been a hassle getting to the system and as a consequence it hasn't been growing very quickly, not as quickly as when I first started out. So if I can just confirm with you how often I need to set the timer so that it all gets enough water....

But with a system like this, when its working as you want it to, its hard keeping away and now with these minor problems it will be a challenge working them out and getting back on track.
ps. I keep on trying to find the picture which is somewhere in the forum showing cucumbers hanging down from a pergola.... who'se system is that again?

[Murray]

Hi Miki,

Here is the post with the pix attached. Laurie is the member who posted those pix
Laurie is a very experienced Hydroponic and Aquaponic gardener
http://www.aquaponicshq.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1814#post1814

[Miki]

Thanks for that, isn't that a gorgeous sight with all those cues hanging down?

Murray, please help me with the frequencies for the pump, I still can't get it right apparently, that plus the fact that I seem to be drowning the plants as the 15 mins the timer does is too long/drainage not fast enough - the latter I hope to get straightened out shortly with an extra outlet just above the gravel - still not having a sump pool the poor fish are getting shortchanged.

Another note on the rat front: since the last attack on my AP plants I've had a shade cloth tied to the bath. Every night since we've found rat poo ontop of that but last night was the first night it stayed clean, hopefully we've seen the last of them.

[Murray]

It is difficult to get a good timer. They are a bit erratic, 15 minutes this time and perhaps 18 or 12 minutes the next. Perhaps you need to have a tap on the outlet from the pump and throttle the output back a little to slow the water output down a little.
The smaller the system the more difficult it can become to regulate everything.

[Miki]

that was a quick answer! and I thought I was the only one online at this time of night.

You're right about the timer, maybe should go the way of programming the power points as read previously ....

Anyway, I'm hanging to get this system working properly.

[GaryD]

Hi,

Accurate timers are available but they cost a lot more than the cheap ones that most people use to drive their systems.

I've been able to achieve a very acceptable level of reliability in my flood and drain cycles using cheap timers and adjustments to the inflow and drain rates.

Prior to using the timers, I used float switches and I found them problematic in small tanks......particularly since my grow beds drain back into the fish tank rather than through a sump tank.

Gary

[Miki]

thanks for your answers. Having put some more time into the system I've raised the gravel, solving the cheap pump problem. We now reckon we need more fish to keep the plants growing! so in the meantime have been diluting fish emulsion - i think its called that, its in a brown bottle (the rats have eaten the sticker) - and spraying with that.