Macca's system

MCPHRO

Well, I havent lost any fish lately.. my water when we had a cold snap got down to 12 degrees - the jades sat on the bottom and didnt do much...

But now they have gotten more active again. Plants are going strong.. whats that stuff we need to use to get rid of yellow leaves again?

Chleted iron?

Also in one of my growbeds, a blackish muck has appeared almost like an oil slick on top of the rocks. Ill try to get a couple of pics, but ne1 had anything simlar? It only happens in 1 bed.

Plant update - the grubs are getting bigger, picking them off and into the water they go... I get a black spot on the tomatoes like a fungus perhaps? I might thin them out a bit... I now have a couple of Zucchini’s around 7 cm long and everything still looks healthy....

Jobs to do:
Make a solar water heater for the water to try to make it a bit warmer... to do this im going to get a flat board, and wrap it in alfoil or paint in black... next wrap in a circlar fashion, black thin polytube so as water goes in, hopefully by the time it comes out, it will come out warmer.. thats the idea anyway...

Has anybody else out there had much success making their own water heater?

:rr:

EllKayBee

Quote:

Has anybody else out there had much success making their own water heater?

It's on my priority list :rr:

but keeps getting shuffled down a slot at times :oops:

Chelated iron is the stuff...I got mine from "B"

Outbackozzie

MCH - what is the water level flooding too in that bed? Slime usually caused by flooding too high. Quite a few posts on water heating this time of year - use the search

Chealted iron from waldecks also. Can be added to the water if the ph is low enough, or sprayed on leaves if ph is too high.

Chappo

Yeh,,a lot of water heating discussions,,,,some bloody people just won't listen,,,ooops that's me :roll:

wdyasq

Water heating: http://www.builditsolar.com/index.htm

(that will keep one busy a day)

Ron

gemmell

MCPHRO wrote:

Has anybody else out there had much success making their own water heater?

:rr:

Yup. Simple & effective. Check it:

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Its a small volume of water, 1000L pump, and it heats up the water quite well.

MCPHRO

Just an update, Photos coming soon.

Had an iron deficency - Added Cheleted Iron and now everthing looks 200%

The lettuce are around 15-20 cm in the centre, and the most healthy Lettuce ive ever seen. Even though my tomato plants are smallish, they have 22 tomatos on 6 plants and more coming on...

Ive defeated the cabbage moths, and even though my cabbage are a little holey, they have grown to around 30 cm high, very deep and healthy green with depth in the leaves and proceding to "go off". They are doing well.

My peas started to flower and no ive got peas visbile. Some upto 2.5 inches long. Ive put mint into the system, but I will be taking it out and putting it into the ground and using the valuabe space.

I can not rationalise my system and when I collect the veggies off of it and replant, ill will be doing:

1 * Growbed of (6 Cabbage, 6 Brochalli)
1 * Growbed of Tomatoes (try for 12 plants spaced out)
1 * Growbed of Lettuce (12 plants)
1 * Growbed of other, but (2 * cucumber, 2 zuchini, and 1/2 growbed to experminet with.

Future - I am going to build 1 more growbed and place it on top of the system on wooded boards at some stage. It might be a herb bed. I was thinking about actually getting a larger hydroponics shallow bed for that perhaps.

Pictures to follow...

:rr:

MCPHRO

Ok here are the pictures as promised...

MCPHRO

More...

MCPHRO

This is my problem child...

ITs a bean plant aqnd its been flowering for 2 months. But no beans... Do I...

1. Have a gender plant problem with no males...
2. Have a polination problem (and need to install red lights, poles and a pimp to get my beans)
3. I have no idea...

Guys what could be the problem... any suggestions?

RupertofOZ

I'll have to research the bean problem :rr:

..... but mightly impressed with the iceburg lettuce hearting up.... generally a problem plant for hydro... and I would have thought you'd be too warm up your way to stop them "bolting".... even in winter....

Outbackozzie

My broad beans (thats what yours are?), havnt got to flowering stage yet, so cant help you...certaintly looks like enough there to pollinate.

RupertofOZ

Macca my notes suggest that broad beans are as much self-pollinating as bee-pollinated...

And that it's not until the flower wilts that the seed pods form.... bit like pumpkin, zucchini....

Also found notes suggesting that as bee numbers are often down in cooler winter months ... the old pollinate with a toothbrush trick (ala tomatoes, zucchini etc) will increase your yield substantially....

Here's a reference for you ... http://www.beeculturemagazine.com/conte ... broad.html

EllKayBee

Quote:

...and a pimp to get my beans

...as one famous polly once said "Please explain" :shock:

EllKayBee

along with the quote on having a pollination problem...it gets more hilarious :rr:

Backyard Aquaponics
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Macca's system

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Backyard Aquaponics A place to discuss aquaponics

Macca's system

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Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics