Aquaponics Digest - Mon 03/15/99




Message   1: Re: Aquaponics in Tree Culture/Restoration.

             from David Yarrow 

Message   2: RE: Monthly plug

             from Andrew 

Message   3: Re: Pest management

             from khale@ballistic.com

Message   4: Re: Monthly plug

             from "Ted Ground" 

Message   5: RE: RV: Aquaponics in Tree Culture/Restoration.

             from Alejandro Gallardo Valencia 

Message   6: GE Catfish

             from Gordon Watkins 

Message   7: Re: Grapes

             from "Ted Ground" 

Message   8: Re: Mars Grey water treatment

             from "Ted Ground" 

Message   9: Re: GE Catfish

             from doelle 

Message  10: Re: Mars Grey water treatment

             from "Jorg D. Ostrowski" 

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| Message 1                                                           |

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Subject: Re: Aquaponics in Tree Culture/Restoration.

From:    David Yarrow 

Date:    Mon, 15 Mar 1999 00:25:07 -0800 (PST)

i have a serious need and opportunity for aquaponic experimenters to

collaborate in developing new technology in tree culture.

the champion tree project harvests cuttings from the largest registered

specimen of each tree species.  we propagate these cuttings into new sapling

trees that contain the complete and pure genetics of the mother tree. we

plant groves of these cloned saplings as archival living libraries at

protected, reserved locations such as colleges, universities, parks,

botanical gardens, etc.  these patings become genetic preserves of this

biggest and best of the sylvan gene poool.  thus, when the parent tree dies,

we still have its genetics available for research and reforestation.

since 1949 american forests in washington, dc has kept the national register

of big trees.  the 1998 edition list 825 trees in 687 varieties with a

recognized national champpion.  most states maintain their own state big

tree list from which the national register is compiled.

while the national register is 50 years old, our preservation effort is only

three years old.  our michigan chapter has propagated seven of its 57

national champion trees: red maple, sugar maple, norway maple, white ash,

red ash, green ash, american elm.  our florida chapter has cloned ten of its

156 national champions: green buttonwood, silver buttonwood, wax myrtle,

crape myrtle, live oak, baldcypress, shaving brush, dahoon holly, florida

privet, and magnolia.  here in new york we have our national champion white

ash in propagation; imagine an ash tree 23.5 feet in circumference and 97

feet tall.

we have a tentative beginning for a website at the URL in my trailer.

currently we use two propagation methods to turn cuttings into clones.

schmidt's nursery in oregon grafts buds onto two year old rootstocks to

jumpstart new saplings.  our florida chapter roots cuttings to avoid

uncertainties, pitfalls and weaknesses inherent in grafting.  for speed and

commercial volume, bud grafting is preferred, but to serious and true

genetic preservation, rooting is the only way to go.

in november i spoke to tom spereano about testing an aquaponics bed to root

some of our champion tree cuttings.  tom reported 80 percent success rooting

a few hardwood cuttings in his gravel beds, and we want to further explore

the potential of his system.

beginning next month we will be visiting trees before their buds burst to

take this year's early cuttings.  i am looking for a few aquaponics

experimenters who can commit to take a few of these cuttings to try rooting

in their hydro beds.

a second opportunity occurs in late sumer to take more cuttings from these

trees,but the best chance  for success seems to be with early cuttings.

rooting is the first step in a new propagation system we're developing which

involves accelerator growing containers -- a patented system of slotted

containers that air-prune seedling and sapling roots.  the slotted

containers prevent the coiling, circling and self-girdling of containerized

roots that weaken over half of nursery-grown trees.  the accelerator

containers promote the growth of a thick mat of lateral roots instead of one

or two roots coiled up in the container.  this also eliminates transplant shock.

a similar system called "soil blocks" is used by european vegetable farmers

to prepare transplant starts for field plantings.

cuttings that are successfully rooted are transplanted into individual cells

of a tray of accelerator containers.  as the infant tree grows and fills the

cell with lateral roots, it is transplanted to a larger size container.

accelerator containers range all the way from 2 inch square cells, 4 inch

square cells, 1 gallon, 3 gallon, nine gallon up to 25 gallon containers.  a

tree can be nursed for three or more years by transplanting into steadily

larger containers.

we are also testing the use of certain mineral powders, trace elements,

vitamins, and microbial inoculants in soil mixes to boost the vigor and

spark the immune system of our trees.  we intend to grow the best trees in

the world using advanced but earth friendly technology.

here in new york, this week we are buying an aquarium to start a small scale

aquaponics system in our large enclosed porch.  once we master the basics of

aintaining the system, we will try a 1000 gallon tank inour patio.  we will

reserve one of our hydro besfor these tree propagation tests.

anyone else interested and able to try rooting a few tree cuttings in

controlled, conscientious experiments?

~ david

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

David Yarrow at TurtleEyeland

44 Gilligan Road, East Greenbush, NY 12061

518-477-6100

dyarrow@igc.org

http://www.danwinter.com/yarrow/

http://www.danwinter.com/ChampionTrees/

Eve, the earthworm sez: "If yer not forest, yer against us."

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| Message 2                                                           |

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Subject: RE: Monthly plug

From:    Andrew 

Date:    Mon, 15 Mar 1999 22:31:03 +1030

Hello 

This is Andrew de Dezsery M.AQ.Sc, General Manager of Aquaculture Advantage,

Australia.

Seeing this is 'plug your business day" I am offering our services to our

Australian readers.

Aquaculture Advantage offers a range of over 5000 aquatic science components

ranging 

from stainless steel nuts and bolts through to automatic fish pumping and

grading systems,

even the internationally known multi million dollar turn key fish farm

systems known as 

the FP2 fish farms.

Andrew lectures at the Flinders University and tertiary education centres on

a number of topics

and is available for consulting and technology transfer.

Andrew writes for Austasia aquaculture and an e-magazine on aquaculture.

Currently writing 

source books for publication. An extensive range of 500 aquatic books on

species, technology 

transfer etc. both for Australian and overseas publications are also

available through us.

We can supply extensive services to any educators, institutes and industry

anywhere in Australia

with the help of our professional, national network of colleagues. These

services include hatchery

and  nursery operations, nutrition profiles and feeds, management and

training, feasibility 

studies or more recently, G.I.S mapping of state regions. 

International enquiries may also be serviced, however, please submit

requests expediently to avoid

lengthy lead times.

We can be contacted by Phone/ fax:  0885 243 962

                                         E- mail: aquaculture@technologist.com

                                         Mobile : 0412 477 036

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| Message 3                                                           |

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Subject: Re: Pest management

From:    khale@ballistic.com

Date:    Mon, 15 Mar 1999 06:53:14 -0600

Adriana and everyone else- look up the southern vegetable growers web site

for a lot of help at web2.airmail.net/~tkcooper

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| Message 4                                                           |

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Subject: Re: Monthly plug

From:    "Ted Ground" 

Date:    Mon, 15 Mar 1999 07:19:34 -0600

Hi Andrew.

What can you tell us about the barramundi/aquaponics system (Andrew)

mentioned in an earlier post?  Something? Anything?

Ted.

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| Message 5                                                           |

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Subject: RE: RV: Aquaponics in Tree Culture/Restoration.

From:    Alejandro Gallardo Valencia 

Date:    Mon, 15 Mar 1999 11:10:44 -0600

I'm good for the most part, thanks for asking.  I hope you're well too, =

same as the rest of the list. Now, regarding your question:

Well, no.  In fact they have quite the opposite effect.  You see, a sand =

beach is a complete system sometimes hundreds of miles long.  There is a =

mecanichal fenomenon called littoral transport, wich is the displacement =

of sand by wind and littoral currents (local currents along side the =

beach).  In a beach, due to wave action and littoral transport, sand is =

moved arround and the displaced sand is replaced by new sand "brought" =

from another place up the coast.  If you stop the sand flow say with a =

house or a shore protection structure, you may avoid erosion in your =

"little neck of the beach", but the sand that you're retainig will not =

fill the place of the sand that is beeing eroted down the beach.  In =

shore protection structures, this is a crutial issue in design (Lenght =

of the strucure should not exeed the littoral transport path).  Plants =

are used to stop erosion because they don't stop all of the sand dune, =

but just enough to mantain the beach. Beach houses should be built =

either far enough from he dunes or in a "palaphitic" structure, so the =

sand can move under it instead of getting caught by the construction.  =

Remember nature tends to mantain balance by constant destruction and =

creation (the circle of life applies to every thing, even inorganic =

things and physical fenomena).   I'll give you an example.  In the =

northern coast of Baja California (a system almost identical as in =

southern California) The coast is constituted by cliffs, rocky beaches =

and sand "pouches" or small portions of sandy beaches.  If you want to =

create a private beach on a cliff zone and you build protection =

structures without bearing this concepts in mind, chances are down the =

coast somewhere, erosion will attack the cliff and eventually bring it =

down, possibly bringing down the cliff side house of your neighbour (of =

course this just a very colorfull example perhaps a bit exagerated =

allthough not impossible, but the reaction to the proposed situation is =

completely real).

The value of sand dunes as erosion control relies in the fact that they =

are dynamic structures, not rigid ones.

Best regards.

Alejandro

-----Mensaje original-----

De:     KLOTTTRUE [SMTP:KLOTTTRUE]

Enviado el:     S=E1bado 13 de Marzo de 1999 6:11 PM

Para:   aquaponics@townsqr.com

Asunto: Re: RV: Aquaponics in Tree Culture/Restoration.

In a message dated 3/11/99 4:05:14 PM Eastern Standard Time,

arturosm@sanchezm.com.mx writes:

<< Dunes are very dynamic sistems that move around, creating new dunes =

all the

time (that's why beach houses are such a drag, they prevent sand from =

moving

and balancing the system. >>

Hey Alejandro,How are you today,good I hope. You sound like you have a =

good

balance on the conservation issue. I have always assumed the importance =

of

dunes was to control erosion,wouldn't beach houses do the same thing? 

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| Message 6                                                           |

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Subject: GE Catfish

From:    Gordon Watkins 

Date:    Mon, 15 Mar 1999 12:20:40 -0600

This Just In:

    Paul Harvey just announced a genetically engineered catfish which

grows faster on less feed will be made available to catfish farmers in

Mississippi within 30 months.

                            FWIW,

                                    Gordon

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| Message 7                                                           |

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Subject: Re: Grapes

From:    "Ted Ground" 

Date:    Mon, 15 Mar 1999 13:22:27 -0600

> 

> Ted, effluent is efluent, isn't it?

> 

> Adriana

Sorry Adriana, I guess I'm just a little hard of thinking today.

You'll have to clarify your message for me.

Get it? Effluent? Clarify?

Ted.

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| Message 8                                                           |

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Subject: Re: Mars Grey water treatment

From:    "Ted Ground" 

Date:    Mon, 15 Mar 1999 16:27:28 -0600

Brian G., and Jorg O.,  and others-

Ya'll were chatting about the NASA water treatment system that was reported

on the Mars PBS TV special some time ago.

The following info is not about the very same cell we saw on the TV

show---I could be mistaken about that----- but it is on a related topic.

Just down the road from me- down in Round Rock, Texas - there is a company

called Micro-Bac International.  Through a Small Business Innovation

Research (SBIR) contract with NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in

Huntsville, Alabama, they developed a water purification system for future

space missions- but they claim there are some down-to-Earth applications.

They developed what they call a "phototrophic cell" for water purification

systems, which uses light and phototrophic bacteria.  They claim it does

not require aeration.

(Hmm...but probably a constant light source.....)

The cell has been used for several industrial applications since the SBIR

project's completion in September 1995.  It is now marketed as a liquid

purification product, called Mega-BacTF.  The cell was initially developed

for use aboard future space stations and inhabited off-Earth colonies on

the moon and beyond.

The product, they say, is an all natural, nonpathogenic, environmentally

friendly bacterial solution that does not require special clothing or

equipment for treatment.  

They claim it represents a new concept in waste treatment, with significant

differences from and advantages over existing systems that require oxygen

(aerobic) and those that do not (anaerobic).  Dr. Dennis R. Schneider is

Micro-Bac International's vice president for research and development. Tell

'em old Ted sent ya.

For more information, contact Bob Lessels at Marshall Space Flight Center

256/544-6539.  FAX 256/544-3278.  email robert.lessels@msfc.nasa.gov.  If

you do contact them, tell I got the information from an article that

appeared in the March April 1998 issue of Innovation- another NASA

publication that I look at from time to time when I haunt the library-

Innovations is a much more pared down publication compared with NASA Tech

Briefs, which I subscribe to. 

I guess you can find them at http://nctn.hq.nasa.gov

Ted.  

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| Message 9                                                           |

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Subject: Re: GE Catfish

From:    doelle 

Date:    Tue, 16 Mar 1999 08:48:58 +1000

Gordon, I sincerely hope it has been tested thoroughly and does not show the

side-effects the genetically engineered soybean has shown.

Best wishes

Horst

Horst W.Doelle, D.Sc., D.Sc. [h.c.]

Chairman, IOBB

Director, MIRCEN-Biotechnology

FAX: +617-38783230

Email: doelle@ozemail.com.au

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| Message 10                                                          |

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Subject: Re: Mars Grey water treatment

From:    "Jorg D. Ostrowski" 

Date:    Mon, 15 Mar 1999 21:21:22 -0700 (MST)

Ted: Thank you for all the time and effort you have provided in this 

interesting report. Do you happen to have Micro-Bac International's e-mail

address by any chance? Thanks again for your useful post. I will 

follow-up. Jorg Ostrowski

S&S Aqua Farm, 8386 County Road 8820, West Plains, MO 65775  417-256-5124

Web page  http://www.townsqr.com/snsaqua/



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