Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

He, im in an Ed Qld house... they would mind. But I have a undercovered area to the side of the house with a greenhouse cover over it. And its been sitting there for a year...

bout 2.5 metres * 5 - 7 metres... sand on floor, and its just sitting there with nothing in it...

Now to quote me wife... "Honey if you want to do it now, go right ahead so our food bill isnt so large..."

Now does that sound waving a red flag in front of a bull? :-p

go, go, GO!!!!!!

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Hi .. regarding your worm farm question I am running three of these at school made from old wheelie bins.

http://backyardaquaponics.com/forum/vie ... ht=wheelie

I am also using wheelie bins as "ponds" for Tilapia and Goldfish and Koi.

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My other hobby is making music. www.mp3.com.au/johnniemorris

The work farm would be great because we are a green and healthy school. We went cold turkey here and stopped selling softdrinks overnight and all the other "code red" foods.

So I might get the manual arts dept to come up with a design for a "green bin" that encourages kids to put their green wastes into including breads, but not cans etc. Make them fairlly small and nice pretty picture and worm over it... That would be cool!

Talking to a deputy Princ and he liked that idea!

Yes, good old manual arts department.... they will just about drop anything to do stuff for us, where I work... As long as I keep Counter Strike on the network for them... Its good because I've got my own little workshop at work. too.

My own opinion it would be fantastic to have separated wastes at school, but when none of the rubbish even makes it to the bins it makes it hard. They employ a person to walk around and pick up rubbish, the students have the opinion of "Someone else will pick it up"... its appalling...

MCPHRO, If you wanted to get your engineering kids involved, get them to design the bins in such a way that they are a three tray system, and all you have to do every 3 to 5 days is remove the bottom tray and cycle it to the top. You'd be amazed how quickly the correct density of worms will chew through scraps!

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Thats cool, I like the 3 tray idea system.

At our school if a kids area gets too dirty we have a card system. A yellow plank of wood (neatly is screwed to the area and the kids have a day or 2 to clean it up and every lunch hour. After that, they get a red card and that group is banned by the deputies to sit in that area for a while.

When other kids move in, well you know kids.... they tend to like "their area's".

Yes - this is the sort of penalty system required on this forum as some members habitually go off topic :downtown:

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Do it - like 'Ell!

Couple of interesting things...
I spoke to Water board today and they are happy to donate us the 30 or 40 fingerlings when we want to get started.

Also a teacher experienced with Redclaw is coming to our school next year.

But then you would keep being red carded

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We care enough to help everybody with AP

I think Ive come up with what we would like to aim for if we got the chance...

700 Ltr fish tank
1400 Ltr growbed ( 2 or 3 growbeds)
30-40 Fish or we may have to go red claw.

Where do we buy:

* Growbed material
* Bacteria

Also, what order should we start the system. I know weve got to get the bacteria started fisrt, but how do we do that?

And, I imagine starting the system because its not in balence yet is probably the best time that things can go wrong. What should we look out for in the initial start?

growbed material - do you want to use gravel (cheap), or expanded clay balls (lighter but more $$), perlite (light), the list is long.
Gravel is easy. Call the local garden supply/landscape supply place and ask for their cheapest 10-15mm gravel. It will probably be screened gravel (leftover from creek/river sand) (about $15-20 a bobcat scoop)($45-$60m3). Creek gravel is usually rounded - nicer on hands and plastic tubs. Metal is usually fairly jagged and rough, possibly more $ than screened.
Expanded clay is usually from hydroponics shops. I think prices were about $50 for a bag (not sure on size)
No idea on the price of perlite.

Bacteria - do you know anyone with a freshwater aquarium at home or work? Ask them for some water and the gunge out of their filter.

Steve has also listed the basic steps on the Portal page of this site. I think he gives the order (roughly) to go in.

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I was able to get a 50L bag of expanded clay for US$25. But i had to sweet-talk the shop owner.

Your initial start should be with no plants and very few fish fed very lightly. Monitor water quality closely with one of those 5-in-1 Master Tests, especially ammonia and nitrite. You will see ammonia first, then ammonia and nitrite, then ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. Keep ammonia and nitrite below toxic levels for the fish by doing partial water changes if you have to. Eventually you will see no ammonia and nitrite, but rising nitrates. Add plants.

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Rules are for the obedience of the ignorant and the guidance of the wise.

Down here in Bris a decent brand of expanded clay ball can be obtained for $35 per 50 litres if you know where to go. Perlite $30 per 50 litres.

I don't like either for various reasons. Gravel is good - but of course the problem is weight.

Am keenly following muzzas trials with his media. Besides i think the "tea" colour look nice. One of the rivers in ireland we stopped past ( i made a point of taking every back road track while driving around there, so much diversity and beauty) was crystal clear yet a deep brown colour. Beautiful.

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