Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Good day today. Worked on student systems and planted tomatoes.


More free rocks


5 student are building a chift pist system for Yarragon community gardens - they started today cleaning IBC fishtank


This is a novel idea. Have to research the bath tub material and appropriateness for fish tank. The two boys are excited. We are going to build wooden supports for barrels and the bath will be strengthened with wood stand


A group of four student working in this single IBC system - a little behind ..... In the background another student duo's T-Barrel system and some blue barrels that a student is going to make into wicking pots and sell.


A solo girl originally from W.A. (AP spirit) working on two growbed system - she is going to have fish tank in one side and sump on other side bridged at top with a pipe


The leading student duo nearly finished



System powering along



Heritage tomato grow out - students picked and researched one variety from my list

_________________
current system build
IBC system retired
Barrels&IBC in the greenhouse system retired

_________________
current system build
IBC system retired
Barrels&IBC in the greenhouse system retired

Today we worked on various projects and then we found that the ammonia was 4-8ppm and about 3ppm nitrite - on dear no feeding for rest of week and water top up to dilute - the ph is 6 so not bad for ammonia TAN chart - will keep a close eye on them..... Meanwhile students worked on systems, potted up tomatoes, made a pipe NFT, plumbed a 40mm pump t'ed off to fish tank with spreader and 25mm tap ready for pipe NFT.

_________________
current system build
IBC system retired
Barrels&IBC in the greenhouse system retired

Ammonia has pretty much disappeared, I added lime and PH is up to 7.5, nitrite is hanging around at .5

_________________
current system build
IBC system retired
Barrels&IBC in the greenhouse system retired

_________________
current system build
IBC system retired
Barrels&IBC in the greenhouse system retired

Water has cleared up to crystal

The side angle of the inlet to fishtank has made the fish swim in a vortex.

I'm impressed with the RFF - getting really mucky in there and I'm cleaning more regularly.

_________________
current system build
IBC system retired
Barrels&IBC in the greenhouse system retired

There u still about 6ppm ammonia but no nitrite or nitrate ????? 6 or below PH - maybe bacteria crash ?? Added lime
Expansion in place


Student duo - cladding fish tank


4 students - finished pipe work, standpipe and gravel guard - ready for rocks and pump


This group finally worked okay today finishing: standpipe and wooden edging ready for cladding


Bathtub duet working on bathtub stand

Yarragon sustainability group: cut bladder GBs and cages - cleaned and scrubbed


The WA girl is in the lead with system up and running - she worked hard as she wanted it cycling before she want on three week holiday. I finished the rocks and filled up with 100% school system water so it school cycle really quick.

_________________
current system build
IBC system retired
Barrels&IBC in the greenhouse system retired

_________________
current system build
IBC system retired
Barrels&IBC in the greenhouse system retired

The cladding on the FT is pretty nice looking. I think that may be the best method to keep IBCs looking clean.

_________________
AP newb 1st build in Progress

So do you have each of them creating their own systems? (or in groups anyway).

I'm sure they are enjoying it.

_________________
My System

My Aquaponic Youtube Channel

The Black-Byron Ice Creamery Youtube Channel

Yeah the cladding is nice and gives the student a tangible easy thing to do with minimal supervision.

The students are making their own systems, yes.

_________________
current system build
IBC system retired
Barrels&IBC in the greenhouse system retired

Do they not allow the students to use power saws? We have wood shop classes here where the kids get to use saws, planers, joiners, lathes, etc. A lot of wood to cut with a hand saw. I don't think i own a hand saw anymore. lol Looks good. What a great idea to help get the next generation of AP ers Down Under going.

It tech class maybe but I'm a music teacher

Yeah should be good publicity for grow your own food and the school - planning on a presentation night and then I'll dismantle their systems and they can take them home.

_________________
current system build
IBC system retired
Barrels&IBC in the greenhouse system retired

I always find myself wondering what some of the members here do for a living. You must have the coolest job on earth. The closest I ever got to a class on AP was Oceanography as an elective credit, and spent too much time on Latin naming. As for music we had a yearly talent show where the music teacher would listen to our 90s Nirvana cover songs and then attempted to change the emphasis of vocal lines to his liking although his sounded better sometimes it was no longer a cover song but a remake, still we went along with his method and then just played it our way after rehearsal when it was the big show. Oh the good old days...

_________________
AP newb 1st build in Progress

Extension finished


1$ tomatoes ready to sell


Up and running on the student duo


Group of 4 up and running


Another group of students working relatively hard

_________________
current system build
IBC system retired
Barrels&IBC in the greenhouse system retired