Well, I pulled everything out. To cold without a greenhouse. Will keep the water circulating until spring to keep the fish alive. Hope to get the plastic tank pulled and line the box with rubber liner. Fish are doing very well.
This blog will be dedicated to the day to day trials and tribulations of my Aquaponics backyard system. Aquaponics in Arizona will prove to be a challenge with the heat. By starting the system now I hope to get the garden and tank well established by summer, and work out any bugs. Of which I expect many. Aquaponics:"Aquaponics is the farming of fish and plants together in a constructed, re-circulating ecosystem utilizing natural bacterial cycles to convert fish wastes to plant nutrients.
Aquaponics
Friday, December 2, 2011
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Lost th Bok Choy
Lost the Bok Choy. not sure if it was the organic bug spray from Home Depot or cool nights. Thinking it was the bug spray. The Egg plant starting to look a little under the weather.
Thursday, October 27, 2011
White flies
10-26-2011
Plants are still doing well. However I notice little white bugs are infesting the Bok Choy. Two tomato plants I found coming up under the tree (that’s where I tossed a few tomatoes last spring) They are now doing very well. Also I tossed in a dozen lettuce seeds. I plan on setting up another system this coming weekend.
Friday, October 21, 2011
10.20.2011
Fish and plants seem to like the new system. Still can’t believe how fast the plants grow. I tossed in 6 Marigold seeds from two or three years ago on Sunday. Well yesterday they shot up thought the rock. Granted Marigolds are glorified weeds, but still. I heard of people just starting with seed in the rock now I am a believer. Hope to gather 6-10 crawdads this weekend and start a new system
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
10.18.11
Ok simple fix for the algae. Took the pond out of the loop added a 20 gallon gray tote underneath the grow bed. This eliminated the sun stimulating algae growth. I now have a new plan. Rig up 3 systems like this
Needed to add an elbow on the down spout to generate the siphon. Now empties in 45 sec.
The only difference will be I plan on eliminating the clear plastic container for a growbed with and use a pond
liner to get the full space of the wood box frame. My wife wants Tilapia in one, Catfish in another and crawdads in the third
Monday, October 17, 2011
ALGAE
Fish are doing great and the plants are growing like weeds. Algae is also starting to grow, any help out there. Trying to keep the sun off but was hoping for a fish or water creature that like algae. HELP
Friday, October 14, 2011
Day three
Day 3
Ok just about ready, just need to add sand around plastic grow bed to keep sides for buckling. By the way if you decide to set your grow bed in a similar box, put plastic down before adding sand for support. Or you end up with a funky hour glass. I had 1 x 6’s butted together, but not close enough.
Added the river rock, and a little plumbing and we’re off and running.
To get started I put in 10 gold fish. Keep in mind I have had this
pond for almost 2 years and I wanted to make better use of it. (so its well seasoned.),
Turned the pump on and filled the grow bed, held my breath and
TaDA
Siphoned started just as the water got to 1” below the surface of the rock.
Empted down to about 1 ½” from the bottom, siphon ended and
grow bed refilled. Its completing this cycle about every 7 ½ minutes.
As you can see the bell siphon is working very well.
Sorry, but its really exciting to see this system at work.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Day two
Day two
Did a little research on bell siphons (that’s a lie sorry, did a lot of research) as I wanted to use the flood and drain method. Took advice from two sources and it worked the first time. I am still amazed every time it starts and stops.
The bell auto siphon consists of 1. A vertical standpipe inside the growbed extending through the base of the growbed, 2. A larger pipe (siphon pipe) placed over the standpipe. The siphon pipe is freestanding and taller than the standpipe, and is fitted with an end cap. Additionally, the base has pieces cut out to allow free movement of water. 3. Two or three slots cut into the pipe to assist in breaking the siphon when the water level has dropped low enough.
Water flows up between the walls of both pipes then down the inside of the stand pipe, creating the siphon. When the water level drops to the intake end of the air tube, the siphon is broken.
This a length of 4” black pipe that will serve as a media guard, and allow the Bell siphon to do its job.
Here it is all put together. Very simple and reliable.
Did a test run and was amazed that it worked the first time. None of the tweaking I had anticipated.
Day two
Did a little research on bell siphons (that’s a lie sorry, did a lot of research) as I wanted to use the flood and drain method. Took advice from two sources and it worked the first time. I am still amazed every time it starts and stops.
The bell auto siphon consists of 1. A vertical standpipe inside the growbed extending through the base of the growbed, 2. A larger pipe (siphon pipe) placed over the standpipe. The siphon pipe is freestanding and taller than the standpipe, and is fitted with an end cap. Additionally, the base has pieces cut out to allow free movement of water. 3. Two or three slots cut into the pipe to assist in breaking the siphon when the water level has dropped low enough.
Water flows up between the walls of both pipes then down the inside of the stand pipe, creating the siphon. When the water level drops to the intake end of the air tube, the siphon is broken.
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Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Day one was deciding what I was going to do with our 90 gallon pond. Heard of Aquaponics before and put in a little Google time. Now my family thinks me just a little nuts as the question among them is “what the heck is he up to now?” Ha
Well I had most of the basic components to start a small system and completing it would require only a small investment. 20.00 of fittings and pipe from Lowes, 14.00 for a plastic tub to fit in a free standing sand box for the grand kids (sorry kidos).
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