Our newest integrated garden

[Caca]

It is a basic principle in cold climates, avoid using ammonia based ferts in the soil because the nitrification process is too slow and the ammonia can build to toxic levels if it is constantly applied, so in winter and cold climates farmers use nitrogen nitrate based ferts because you don't have to worry about converting the ammonia to nitrate. Which can be limiting in aquaponic beds without prior bio filtration

I'm in moderate climate, with cold winters, and hot, humid summers with well distributed rainfall patterns.

Tha't why I choose Common Carp ( or River Rabbit, in Australia, lol ) in my AP. No fish poop for 6 months because I stop feeding at 12 C and at 7-8 C the Carp is hibernating.
Earhan bed is one of solution for me regarding winter plants growing (green leaf plants).
Any suggestions?

[Earthan Group]

Thanks for taking the time to share your woork so widely and open.

I think the aqua tanks would be subject to some high grade safety requirementes here in Norway, do to the close interaction with the public, specialy old(dement) and/or children, such as fences (glas or other) do to the depth, any man made BOW deeper than 20cm have to undergo a risk analasys on the matter.
Often you have to put in a latter or a shalow zone to make a easy evacuation even iff toataly fenced. (same as with fountains,pools,jacuzi.......)

cheers

Very true. We discussed this with them and suggested a nice pool type fence around the area. They checked with council and their advice was it was not required. I still think it would not hurt anything but the dollar to put something around it.

A nice vine encouraging fence would look great with a variety of flowering jasmin and the like would be a great inclusion.

We did this at one of the schools to create a green canope above the fish tank. The passionfruit have been very slow to take up but they are shooting off now and the fabric cover will be removed and replaced with wire mesh to support the green roof.

So is loose balls hehe http://www.euro-matic.com/hollow.html
It could be a collorfull decorative and cheap($) way to solve winter temp and predation in the pond in some climate zones

Cheers

Are they used to insulate the water during cold seasons and do they come in colors?

I'm in moderate climate, with cold winters, and hot, humid summers with well distributed rainfall patterns.

Tha't why I choose Common Carp ( or River Rabbit, in Australia, lol ) in my AP. No fish poop for 6 months because I stop feeding at 12 C and at 7-8 C the Carp is hibernating.
Earhan bed is one of solution for me regarding winter plants growing (green leaf plants).
Any suggestions?

Grass carp? I would be looking at storing concentrate nutrient from the growing season. Difficulty would be to keep it well aerated but not so much to gas off nutrient. Then you can bring that on line for your garden while the fish are dormant?

This is a practice with those trialing commercial aquaponics.

[ande]

Are they used to insulate the water during cold seasons and do they come in colors?

thats a duble yes I don't know iff there is isues with the colored (playpen balls) in a aquaculture aplication.
I'w only seen the airport pond bird and playpen balls in real life, the link provides a good lot of info

cheers

[Earthan Group]

Hi

The lovely lasses down there sent me a couple of photos of what they have been planting lately (in all this scorching heat and rain and wind. Looking like they are nearly all planted out and the growth is looking great.

10 gold fish and 4 yabbies (lost one)

Enjoy

[Earthan Group]

Some good news:

• There is a paper being submitted to NZ Occupational Therapy Conference this year. The title is interesting...
  Something fishy's going on : Exploring how the aquaponics garden at the Basin View Masonic Village is promoting resident participation through occupation and community and social involvement.
  
  
• A short article is being considered for inclusion in the professional magazine, Landscape Architecture Australia - on how occupational therapy/science can contribute to design of healthy spaces/places
  
  
• A talk will be presented on the garden at the next meeting for the Australian Association of Gerontology
  
  
• An application has been submitted to to the University of Canberra, Faculty of Education for a student inthe Social and Community Studies program who is interested in the project exploring factors that influence successful and sustainable outcomes in a community-based project, using the Basin View garden as a case study.
  
  
• Is being considered for the BLOOMS exhibition, Healthy Spaces Exhibition 2012 at the Canberra Gallery of Australian Design (GAD)

To me this examples not so much the work we do but the results of the efforts from all of those involved in the project and continue to support it. Community programs are difficult to get off the ground and often they take years and many fail to reach their full potential.

We spent a huge amount of time building community support for this project and it shows in how it is leaping ahead and having an affect on a much wider community.

There is a strong push for many avenues of research with the project and I am grateful to be part of its growth in the people and the community.

What most people do not know we (Earthan Group Pty Ltd), more specifically I personally donated my time to designed and build this project free of charge because we believe collaboration is the key to successful sustainable community projects where all participants contribute for one single goal; in this case improving the quality of life. I am happy to say, the brief has been met and continues to grow.

Garden Feb 3 005.jpg

[GaryD]

Hi Paul,

Congratulations......a good outcome.....and mounting acknowledgment of the value of your work.

Perhaps, over time, you'll overcome your reputation as an "aquaculturist" in the minds of your critics.

Gary

[ande]

Hi EG
I'm thrilled to hear these news, on you'r behalf .

cheers

[Earthan Group]

Thanks guys allthough it is not me doing all that work.

lol Gary, I know it is a hard thing to accept I wear Aquaculture goggles... Better than wearing none at all and trying to pick up a pair off the street.. lol

[GaryD]

Better than wearing none at all and trying to pick up a pair off the street...

Indeed!

Gary

[Earthan Group]

Wow having read a few threads with comments about soil being no good for aquaponics like the ones below out of one thread with only a few replies. It seems the general consensus from these posters is it does not work or it is no good...

• I don't think a soil system would work.
• Sorry Im just not convinced that it is worth it compared to a larger media.
• and a couple feet deep of soil will be heavy like gravel and will be equally a PITA to move.
• Basically... you'd probably have to have a "sterile" soil...
• soil just seems to go to mud..lol

I wonder if they have ever used soil, because it seems this thread, this system is evidence to the contrary.

I was speaking with the guys down there yesterday (planing an official opening) and I asked how the fish and crayfish were doing in the system considering the massive amount of rain they have had down there.

The answer is, "they are fine".

I also asked how does the water look and... "Aside from a little algae on the walls of the fish tanks, perfectly clear, lovely."

Amazing, stuff when you consider the rain has been pouring through the Earthan Beds and into the system..... Check out the water laying about on the ground in the picture below. Damn that soil in aquaponics is dangerous stuff.

Garden Feb 3 013.jpg