6 July 2011

Canberra aquaponics rig

| johnboy
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“sjgemmell” has YouTubed his extensive aquaponics setup with this note:

This is a video of my home aquaponics setup in Canberra, Australia – it is winter. I have roughly 150 trout in the big tank, 50 brook trout, 100 rainbow trout, and 4 larger rainbows in the IBC which i managed to get through the summer.

If you’re wondering what this aquaponics lark is about www.aquaponics.com.au has this to say:

This integrated system of Aquaponics has benefits not achievable when Aquaculture and Hydroponics are done separately. Aquaculture has the problem of buildup of wastes in the water, requiring filtering systems to clean the water as well as periodic releasing of waste water into the environment. Hydroponics uses chemical nutrients that eventually build up in the water and create toxic water. This water can no longer be used in the irrigation of the plants and is disposed of into the environment.

Aquaponics takes both of these problems and turns them into solutions, as the waste in the water is used to feed the plants, therefore not requiring any chemical nutrients to be added to the system, and can have no pollution of the environment by either fish wastes or chemical pollutants.

Now if he’s got a smoker for the trout he’s made in the shade.

trout

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Good work

I had one running last year growing silver perch.
Unfortunately the oxygen levels dropped and the fish died after about 6 months.

Currently Im in the process of rebuilding the system ready for more fish to arrive in October.

dungfungus said :

You are aware that these fish are exotic and if they are released in to our inland waterways they will become feral just like the European Carp that are destroying our river systems and killing our native fish.
Trout should be banned along with rabbits, foxes etc.

Yah, I know they’re imported and I’ve another system with roughly 150 silver perch (native!). The thing with trout is that the government actually funds the breeding and release of them for recreation (i.e. fishing). The hatchery down in Jindabyne called Gaden Trout Hatchery is a NSW Deparment of Primary Industries thing. They breed brook trout because they’re less aggressive than rainbow and brown. The spotted ones in my video are brook.

Anyways, that’s beside the point because I have no intention of releasing them. The whole point of aquaponics is that you’re eating the vegetables and you’re eating the fish, and the food miles are more like food metres.

Trout are a good fish for aquaponics because they grow so quickly – in Canberra we can grow them out in 9 months, where as a silver perch takes 2 years due to the cold (murray cod and yellow belly are ambush predators, so they’re hard to grow and boring to watch). I’m not sure about eel tailed cat fish and the like, but I’ve got a few in there so I’ll soon enough.

Disinformation9:05 am 07 Jul 11

Nothing quite like the totally irrelevant comments of someone without a clue to drag the conversation completely off topic… but a quick read of the aquaponics website shows an interesting setup of a minimal impact system. I’ve got to say “How cool is that?” Even though I reveal my past as a fly fisherman with my interest in growing trout, the thought of a complementary system such as this one displayed is quite fascinating. Well done sjgemmell. Thank you for the education.

ConanOfCooma said :

dungfungus said :

“I’m not sure if you are serious or not. Ban rabbits and foxes? In what way? Banning them won’t force the current populations to move back home overseas.

Also, you are aware that Brook and Rainbow trout were introduced into our inland water more than a century ago, yes?….”

I said ban because “cull out” is likely to offend some people and yes, I am aware the trout were introduced to mainland Australia near Numeralla over a hundred years ago. That still makes them an exotic/feral species (like foxes, rabbits, cats, Indian mynas etc.) so you point is?

I stated that they are already in the waterways in response to your “…if they are released…” statement. So I guess my point is that you are wrong.

Furthermore, you have stated that the introduction of Trout will impact on the waterways in a similar manner to Carp. How is that the case, when they’ve been there for over 100 years? Wouldn’t that major environmental impact have happened already? Trout have no where near the negative impact that Carp do.

The word “ban” is completely different from the word “cull”, and cannot be interchanged. Again, you are wrong. If foxes and rabbits could be culled completely, why haven’t we done it yet? I’d love my property to be fox and rabbit free! Too bad it’s impossible!

You posted one thing first, which was wrong, then tried to correct it with your second post. Unfortunately, all the second post did was reveal you as the confused person you are.

Depending on the size of your property I’d be happy to help with responsible culling of rabbits and foxes.

dungfungus said :

Trout should be banned along with rabbits, foxes etc.

And by banned we mean eaten…

dungfungus said :

You are aware that these fish are exotic and if they are released in to our inland waterways they will become feral just like the European Carp that are destroying our river systems and killing our native fish.
Trout should be banned along with rabbits, foxes etc.

Queue jumpers, turn back the boats

EvanJames said :

Trout? Those things look like little sharks to me. What’s he up to?

Step 1: Troutsharks.
Step 2: Frickin’ Laserbeams on their heads.

dungfungus said :

You are aware that these fish are exotic and if they are released in to our inland waterways they will become feral just like the European Carp that are destroying our river systems and killing our native fish.
Trout should be banned along with rabbits, foxes etc.

And are you aware that the Victorian Government released 700 000 Trout in 2010 into waterways?

Go complain to them and not to responsible fish keepers.

Trout? Those things look like little sharks to me. What’s he up to?

Stevian said :

ConanOfCooma said :

I stated that they are already in the waterways in response to your “…if they are released…” statement. So I guess my point is that you are wrong.

.

How is that possible when you distinguish yourself by being so consistently wrong yourself.
Is this projection or simply a chronic case of the Pot calling the Kettle black.

Where does that come from, Conan is rarely “wrong”, just differs in opinion to most of the blinkered City folk on here………

ConanOfCooma said :

I stated that they are already in the waterways in response to your “…if they are released…” statement. So I guess my point is that you are wrong.

.

How is that possible when you distinguish yourself by being so consistently wrong yourself.
Is this projection or simply a chronic case of the Pot calling the Kettle black.

dungfungus said :

“I’m not sure if you are serious or not. Ban rabbits and foxes? In what way? Banning them won’t force the current populations to move back home overseas.

Also, you are aware that Brook and Rainbow trout were introduced into our inland water more than a century ago, yes?….”

I said ban because “cull out” is likely to offend some people and yes, I am aware the trout were introduced to mainland Australia near Numeralla over a hundred years ago. That still makes them an exotic/feral species (like foxes, rabbits, cats, Indian mynas etc.) so you point is?

You understand that we’re an exotic/feral species to Australia too, right? You wouldn’t even be alive today if it weren’t for the introduction of feral animals to this landmass.

ConanOfCooma2:36 pm 06 Jul 11

dungfungus said :

“I’m not sure if you are serious or not. Ban rabbits and foxes? In what way? Banning them won’t force the current populations to move back home overseas.

Also, you are aware that Brook and Rainbow trout were introduced into our inland water more than a century ago, yes?….”

I said ban because “cull out” is likely to offend some people and yes, I am aware the trout were introduced to mainland Australia near Numeralla over a hundred years ago. That still makes them an exotic/feral species (like foxes, rabbits, cats, Indian mynas etc.) so you point is?

I stated that they are already in the waterways in response to your “…if they are released…” statement. So I guess my point is that you are wrong.

Furthermore, you have stated that the introduction of Trout will impact on the waterways in a similar manner to Carp. How is that the case, when they’ve been there for over 100 years? Wouldn’t that major environmental impact have happened already? Trout have no where near the negative impact that Carp do.

The word “ban” is completely different from the word “cull”, and cannot be interchanged. Again, you are wrong. If foxes and rabbits could be culled completely, why haven’t we done it yet? I’d love my property to be fox and rabbit free! Too bad it’s impossible!

You posted one thing first, which was wrong, then tried to correct it with your second post. Unfortunately, all the second post did was reveal you as the confused person you are.

“I’m not sure if you are serious or not. Ban rabbits and foxes? In what way? Banning them won’t force the current populations to move back home overseas.

Also, you are aware that Brook and Rainbow trout were introduced into our inland water more than a century ago, yes?….”

I said ban because “cull out” is likely to offend some people and yes, I am aware the trout were introduced to mainland Australia near Numeralla over a hundred years ago. That still makes them an exotic/feral species (like foxes, rabbits, cats, Indian mynas etc.) so you point is?

I doubt that sjgemmell’s intention is to let these fish go, dungfungus. Besides, it’s a bit too late for that. Do you think he got them by mail order from Europe?

dungfungus said :

You are aware that these fish are exotic and if they are released in to our inland waterways they will become feral just like the European Carp that are destroying our river systems and killing our native fish.
Trout should be banned along with rabbits, foxes etc.

To be honest, take a pill.

This article is not about the relase of non native fish into our waterways, its about being able to use a byproduct of farming as a natural fertiliser. Trout are the easiest to farm & probably the easiest to get hold of rather than something like the endangered Maquarie Perch.

If you want to rant about the plight of Murray Cod, Yellowbelly, Maquarie perch ect, post up your efforts on how you are eradicating a known pest in the waterways.

Back on topic (sort of) my father was involved in permaculture for quite a few years, worms are the bees of the ground. Their fertilising potential was endless, he had what he called a “tea bagging” set up that made liquid fertiliser for pasture improvement. He was trialling it with a couple of dairy farmers in the Bega Valley. The difference in the condition of the pasture was clearly evident & it was cheap for the farmer. All he needed was food scraps & some worrms to start him off.

I hope this kicks off & the trout prices come down as they are a by-product of the process…….:P

ConanOfCooma12:54 pm 06 Jul 11

dungfungus said :

You are aware that these fish are exotic and if they are released in to our inland waterways they will become feral just like the European Carp that are destroying our river systems and killing our native fish.
Trout should be banned along with rabbits, foxes etc.

I’m not sure if you are serious or not. Ban rabbits and foxes? In what way? Banning them won’t force the current populations to move back home overseas.

Also, you are aware that Brook and Rainbow trout were introduced into our inland water more than a century ago, yes?

And the native fish that tastes as good smoked is…?

You are aware that these fish are exotic and if they are released in to our inland waterways they will become feral just like the European Carp that are destroying our river systems and killing our native fish.
Trout should be banned along with rabbits, foxes etc.

Can I come over for a fish?

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