Aquaponics Digest - Thu 08/19/99




Message   1: Re: CO2 Enrichment

             from Marc & Marcy 

Message   2: Re: seizure auction?

             from "Andrew.D" 

Message   3: a few aquaponderings

             from Bagelhole1

Message   4: Re: a few aquaponderings

             from Marc & Marcy 

Message   5: Re: a few aquaponderings

             from Bagelhole1

Message   6: Re: a few aquaponderings

             from Marc & Marcy 

Message   7: Re: seizure auction?

             from Adriana Gutierrez & Dennis LaGatta

Message   8: Re: a few aquaponderings

             from "grizzly" 

Message   9: Re: a few aquaponderings

             from Bagelhole1

Message  10: RE: small family set up

             from "Merriken, Michael" 

Message  11: Re: small family set up

             from Adriana Gutierrez & Dennis LaGatta

Message  12: eager bever again

             from Debra Russell 

Message  13: Re:Michael Merriken

             from "grizzly" 

Message  14: Re: Greenhouse Tomatoes

             from "grizzly" 

Message  15: 

             from Peggy & Emmett 

Message  16: Re: eager bever again

             from Adriana Gutierrez & Dennis LaGatta

Message  17: Re: Greenhouse Tomatoes

             from "vpage" 

Message  18: Re: Greenhouse Tomatoes

             from "grizzly" 

Message  19: Re: Greenhouse Tomatoes

             from "grizzly" 

Message  20: RE: a few aquaponderings

             from "Ronald W. Brooks" 

Message  21: RE: small family set up

             from "Ronald W. Brooks" 

Message  22: RE: eager bever again

             from "Ronald W. Brooks" 

Message  23: Re: Greenhouse Tomatoes

             from "vpage" 

Message  24: Re: eager bever again

             from Marc & Marcy 

Message  25: Medicinal herbs

             from "Watkins, Leanne" 

.------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------.

| Message 1                                                           |

'------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------'

Subject: Re: CO2 Enrichment

From:    Marc & Marcy 

Date:    Wed, 18 Aug 1999 23:38:02 -0600

I was reading about high CO2 levels being a bad health

thing. Can anyone address what is a good health procedure to

follow for CO2 enrichment greenhouses?

Adriana Gutierrez & Dennis LaGatta wrote:

> 

> Hi Al,

> Thanks for the CO2 alternative.  Did you notice any improvement in

> growth rates for your plants when you introduced the CO2?

> 

> Is there any chance that the solution could be introduced into the

> nutrrient tank to assre more even dispersal?

> 

> Adriana

> 

> >       I recently used a very cheap method of  CO2 enrichment.

> >       In each 2 litre plastic bottles I used :

> >                 1/2 teaspoon of Brewers Yeast   (cost - 30 cents)

> >                  5 - 8  tablespoons of sugar

> >                  warm water - filled 3/4 full

.------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------.

| Message 2                                                           |

'------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------'

Subject: Re: seizure auction?

From:    "Andrew.D" 

Date:    Thu, 19 Aug 1999 15:44:39 +0930

In Adelaide, Australia there is mountains of the stuff as marijuana is

legalised for up to I think, 10 plants per household for personal

consumption. Obviously syndicates get carried away and caught!

A client who sells hydro equipment told me how they went to the police

auctions and bought all their stuff back for less than their manufacturing

costs and then resold it all through their shops. He said they could

probably turn it over two maybe even three times before it's unsaleable.

Incredible but true.

Andrew

.------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------.

| Message 3                                                           |

'------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------'

Subject: a few aquaponderings

From:    Bagelhole1

Date:    Thu, 19 Aug 1999 02:15:04 EDT

Hi fishpeople,

             I have been stymied by the need for a backwall that is strong, 

because the other three sides all have soil behind them, but the one side 

(the fence) has no soil behind it, and even though it is a strong fence, it 

may give under the pressure of the water's weight. I have been looking at the 

metal recycling place for 3/8" metal, 22' long, 3' high to brace with rebar 

or something dug into the ground.

In the meantime, maybe someone could help me decide how much pressure a pump 

would need to pump up about 10' thru a 1/2 inch tube to the the tubes on top 

from which the water will spill thru holes over the vertical 2 liter 

popbottles (720 vegetable sites) which will hold the plants over the 

trenches. Or better, do I just need some timer device to hook it up to, and 

to experiment to see how often it needs to soak the roots per day. Greenhouse 

is 22'x7'x7'.

Also, I'm thinking of waterplants to supplement the fingerlings which I'm 

still at least a few weeks away from being ready to buy. ATTRA sent me some 

good info, if anyone needs some inspiration and some details. I'm really glad 

to be a part of the aquaponics movement.

                                                                Good fishing,

                                                                Tom O

.------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------.

| Message 4                                                           |

'------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------'

Subject: Re: a few aquaponderings

From:    Marc & Marcy 

Date:    Thu, 19 Aug 1999 00:30:44 -0600

If you know your flow needs out of the pump in gal per min

an exact punp match can be made.

.------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------.

| Message 5                                                           |

'------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------'

Subject: Re: a few aquaponderings

From:    Bagelhole1

Date:    Thu, 19 Aug 1999 02:30:53 EDT

In a message dated 8/19/99 7:22:49 AM, marc@aculink.net writes:

<>

Please forgive my ignorance, but how do you calculate your flow needs? 

                                                                    Thanks, 

Tom

.------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------.

| Message 6                                                           |

'------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------'

Subject: Re: a few aquaponderings

From:    Marc & Marcy 

Date:    Thu, 19 Aug 1999 00:48:04 -0600

If you set up a test planting bottle and run the desired

flow rate into it for a minute you will know how many gal

per min per bottle. Take the total number of bottles and

multiply by the amount you measured over the timed one

minute test and that is your gallons per minute.

Bagelhole1 wrote:

> 

> In a message dated 8/19/99 7:22:49 AM, marc@aculink.net writes:

> 

> < an exact punp match can be made.

> >>

> 

> Please forgive my ignorance, but how do you calculate your flow needs?

>                                                                     Thanks,

> Tom

.------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------.

| Message 7                                                           |

'------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------'

Subject: Re: seizure auction?

From:    Adriana Gutierrez & Dennis LaGatta 

Date:    Thu, 19 Aug 1999 04:56:22 -0400

Debra,

If I were a law enforcement agent I would consider the equipment

paraphernalia and would destroy it rather than risk it getting back out

and into cultivation again.

Adriana

> Has anyone investagated autions from drug seizures for hydroponic supplys.

.------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------.

| Message 8                                                           |

'------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------'

Subject: Re: a few aquaponderings

From:    "grizzly" 

Date:    Thu, 19 Aug 1999 10:30:50 -0400

Hi Tom,How about Bamboo? Always need some inspiration. Griz

.------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------.

| Message 9                                                           |

'------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------'

Subject: Re: a few aquaponderings

From:    Bagelhole1

Date:    Thu, 19 Aug 1999 13:21:51 EDT

In a message dated 8/19/99 3:31:49 PM, grizzly@monroeaccess.net writes:

<>

Dear Griz,

            That's worth pondering, I'm a great fan of bamboo. My friend, 

David Farrelly, wrote a book called, The Book of Bamboo, and introduced me to 

its greatness.

                                                                    Thanks,

                                                                    Tom

.------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------.

| Message 10                                                          |

'------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------'

Subject: RE: small family set up

From:    "Merriken, Michael" 

Date:    Thu, 19 Aug 1999 16:10:58 -0400

-----Original Message-----

From: POLLYDD [mailto:POLLYDD]

Sent: Wednesday, August 18, 1999 3:46 PM

To: aquaponics@townsqr.com

Subject: Re: small family set up

Hello all,

I have been working quietly over the past few months constructing a

miniature version of the Speraneo's aquaponic system.  I also have been

reading many of your posts for many months to learn as much as I could

before I began my first foray into Aquaponics.  Thank you for all of your

advice and thoughts.  Below is a brief summary of my efforts to date.  

First off, I live in a small house in a neighborhood that does not allow

greenhouses.  Therefore I needed to keep this system as small as I could to

be unobtrusive.  I also wanted to use this as a learning experiment and

therefore one of my goals was to keep the cost down by constructing most the

components myself or scrounging for second hand supplies.  The parts I did

purchase new were the pump and the timer. I also decided to purchase a good

quality pump and timer since these are the keys to making this system work

and I could reused them if I decided to build a bigger system. 

The growbed is constructed of scrap 2x8s (untreated) and 3/4" plywood picked

up from a friend in the construction business.  It is 3ft x 5ft x 8in and is

held together with metal angle brackets.  I used marble chips as  grow

medium instead of river rock since I found a clearance deal I could not pass

up (30 lb bag for $1)  There are six bags in the grow bed.  The growbed is

lined first with a heavy plastic rip-stop plastic tarp with two layers of 4

mil plastic on top.  This may be over-designed but I figured it is the

engineer in me.

The growbed sits on four cinder block columns each four blocks high.

Underneath is a 55 gal glass tank that I picked up at a local pet store who

was getting rid of some old equipment ($40).  I have a 700 gal/hour pond

pump that pulls the water up to a grid system constructed of 1/2in plastic

tubing that floods the growbed.  At the low end of the growbed I installed a

4" plastic drain pipe that drops the water directly back into the tank.

This return action also aerates the water for the fish.

I use a Cyclestat II timer that floods the grow bed every 15 minutes for 3

minutes.

I purchased 30 Nile tialpia from Living Waters.  Great people and very

helpful.  The fish cost only a few dollars but the shipping by two-day air

was $50!!  My wife asked if the airline would give me the frequent flyer

miles and the peanuts for the fish!   I put 22 fish in the 55 gal tank and

put 8 fish is a separate standard 15 gal aquarium (just in case I really

messed up).

In the grow bed I put a mixture of plants and seeds:

        Four marigold, three basil, and six pepper plants

        Lettuce, basil, and salad cress seeds.

The plants and seeds were put in a few weeks ago after I cleaned and

initialized the system.  The plants look a little weak but are still alive

and all the seeds are sprouting.  The fish are growing nicely.  I need to

get a small scale to track their growth.

All of this is enclosed in a 5ft x 6ft x 6 ft mini-greenhouse outside that I

built from scrap 1x2s and 4 mil plastic sheeting.  When it starts to get

cooler here in Atlanta I plan to add furring strips and another layer of

plastic to help insulate it during the winter.  I will probably need to add

a tank heater to keep the water temp in the tolerable range for the fish and

plants.

All total I have spent just over $350 (primarily the pump and timer) so far.

I will be glad to accept recommendations or suggestions for improvements.

I do have a question.  In one post someone suggested barley straw to control

algae growth.  Where does one get this from?

Thanks,

Michael Merriken

Novice Aquaponic-er

.------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------.

| Message 11                                                          |

'------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------'

Subject: Re: small family set up

From:    Adriana Gutierrez & Dennis LaGatta 

Date:    Thu, 19 Aug 1999 18:01:27 -0400

Michael,

I've read that regular straw works as well.  The kind you get in bales. 

Go to a feed store and see if they let you sweep up what has spilled in

handling, put it in one of those small mesh bags for laundering delicate

lingerie and float it in the tank.

Adriana

> I do have a question.  In one post someone suggested barley straw to control

> algae growth.  Where does one get this from?

.------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------.

| Message 12                                                          |

'------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------'

Subject: eager bever again

From:    Debra Russell 

Date:    19 Aug 99 15:08:38 PDT

I appreciate all the information on the family size setup.  I would like =

to

know if anyone knows of a small solar collecter and pump setup to run  th=

is

system?  Since I live in florida sun is on the surplus.  Another question=

 in

most of my reading, alot of lettuce is being grown how is that done here =

in

florida without it bolting?  Or is it not grown in the summer months and =

what

plants do they switch to in the hot summer.

.------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------.

| Message 13                                                          |

'------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------'

Subject: Re:Michael Merriken

From:    "grizzly" 

Date:    Thu, 19 Aug 1999 19:18:56 -0400

Hi Michael,could you please send me an E-mail address,I'd like to ask =

you some questions off the list.Thanks Griz

.------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------.

| Message 14                                                          |

'------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------'

Subject: Re: Greenhouse Tomatoes

From:    "grizzly" 

Date:    Thu, 19 Aug 1999 19:20:18 -0400

Looking for recommendations on good varieties,anyone please? Griz

.------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------.

| Message 15                                                          |

'------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------'

Subject: 

From:    Peggy & Emmett 

Date:    Thu, 19 Aug 1999 19:30:14 -0400

>Michael Merriken

>Novice Aquaponic-er

>

Add some fish emulsion to your system, a little at a time, this will help

your microbes and your plants. I've also added a little liquid kelp now and

then.  Fish don't care. You don't need a timer, your need a float switch.

.........Emmett

.------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------.

| Message 16                                                          |

'------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------'

Subject: Re: eager bever again

From:    Adriana Gutierrez & Dennis LaGatta 

Date:    Thu, 19 Aug 1999 21:06:43 -0400

Debra,

I'm only growing greens and lettuces for mesclun which are harvested

young, so bolting is not an issue.  The heat has a significant impact on

germination and yields, with production dropping by more than 50% this

last month.  I wouldn't dream of growing head lettuce because of heat

and humidity.  ECHO has a couple of varieties which they recommend for

the tropics, if you're interested.  Basil does well and a few of the

oriental greens like Mizuna and Tatsoi are doing OK.  Other varieties

have come to a screeching halt.

I looked into solar pumps on the web and found them to be exhorbitantly

expensive, over $1,000, so I scrapped that idea quickly.

> Another question in

> most of my reading, alot of lettuce is being grown how is that done here in

> florida without it bolting?

.------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------.

| Message 17                                                          |

'------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------'

Subject: Re: Greenhouse Tomatoes

From:    "vpage" 

Date:    Thu, 19 Aug 1999 20:49:25 -0600

I haven't been watching what you are growing the tomatoes for but there =

is a heritage tomato that is probably the sweetest one you can grow. It =

is called Brandywine. It comes in yellow and red. It is quite large and =

indescribably delicious!

.------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------.

| Message 18                                                          |

'------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------'

Subject: Re: Greenhouse Tomatoes

From:    "grizzly" 

Date:    Thu, 19 Aug 1999 23:13:23 -0400

Hi V, I'm familar with Brandywine,but do they do well in a greenhouse =

enviroment?I'm looking for a good sandwich tomato to sell this =

winter.Thanks Grizzly

.------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------.

| Message 19                                                          |

'------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------'

Subject: Re: Greenhouse Tomatoes

From:    "grizzly" 

Date:    Thu, 19 Aug 1999 23:14:14 -0400

Thanks griz. griz

.------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------.

| Message 20                                                          |

'------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------'

Subject: RE: a few aquaponderings

From:    "Ronald W. Brooks" 

Date:    Thu, 19 Aug 1999 23:12:23 -0400

->

-> Hi fishpeople,

->              I have been stymied by the need for a backwall that

-> is strong,

-> because the other three sides all have soil behind them, but the

-> one side

-> (the fence) has no soil behind it, and even though it is a

-> strong fence, it

-> may give under the pressure of the water's weight. I have been

-> looking at the

-> metal recycling place for 3/8" metal, 22' long, 3' high to brace

-> with rebar

-> or something dug into the ground.

->

Tom whatever you decide on using you will have to anchor it to the opposite

side. Meaning if you have a wood wall on the open front every four feet you

will need to crossbrace it to the opposite side , and make sure the opposite

post is well anchored. Otherwise your one wall will fail.

X-----X-----X-----X

X-----X-----X-----X

The Back row of X's represent posts sunk down into your dirt back wall. The

front wall represent posts secured to your wall that you build. Now you will

need to connect the front and back X's across the top to secure the front

wall to the back. This then will hold against the water pressure on the

front wall that is backed up by dirt.

Ron

The One Who Walks Two Paths

ICQ 44271371

.------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------.

| Message 21                                                          |

'------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------'

Subject: RE: small family set up

From:    "Ronald W. Brooks" 

Date:    Thu, 19 Aug 1999 23:12:25 -0400

Michael

Is there a reason besides aesthetics you want to get rid of the algae.

Tilapia will feed off of it. U.V.I> has been developing a system that uses

greenwater ( algae ) and have had spectacular results . I on the other hand

have been trying to get algae to grow in my tanks especially the fry tanks.

Ron

The One Who Walks Two Paths

ICQ 44271371

->

.------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------.

| Message 22                                                          |

'------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------'

Subject: RE: eager bever again

From:    "Ronald W. Brooks" 

Date:    Thu, 19 Aug 1999 23:24:13 -0400

Debra

Check out RV and camper dealers for a DC powered pump , then all you need is

a solar / battery setup to run it

Ron

The One Who Walks Two Paths

ICQ 44271371

-> [mailto:aquaponics]On Behalf Of Debra Russell

->

-> I appreciate all the information on the family size setup.  I

-> would like to

-> know if anyone knows of a small solar collecter and pump setup

-> to run  this

-> system?  Since I live in florida sun is on the surplus.

.------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------.

| Message 23                                                          |

'------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------'

Subject: Re: Greenhouse Tomatoes

From:    "vpage" 

Date:    Thu, 19 Aug 1999 21:29:20 -0600

Someone else might know better but it seems to me that Brandywine is =

better for niche marketing or personal use.

VPage

  ----- Original Message -----=20

  From: grizzly=20

  To: aquaponics@townsqr.com=20

  Sent: Thursday, August 19, 1999 9:13 PM

  Subject: Re: Greenhouse Tomatoes

  Hi V, I'm familar with Brandywine,but do they do well in a greenhouse =

enviroment?I'm looking for a good sandwich tomato to sell this =

winter.Thanks Grizzly

    -----Original Message-----

    From: vpage 

    To: aquaponics@townsqr.com 

    Date: Thursday, August 19, 1999 10:56 PM

    Subject: Re: Greenhouse Tomatoes

    I haven't been watching what you are growing the tomatoes for but =

there is a heritage tomato that is probably the sweetest one you can =

grow. It is called Brandywine. It comes in yellow and red. It is quite =

large and indescribably delicious!

    VPage=20

      ----- Original Message -----=20

      From: grizzly=20

      To: aquaponics@townsqr.com=20

      Sent: Thursday, August 19, 1999 5:20 PM

      Subject: Re: Greenhouse Tomatoes

      Looking for recommendations on good varieties,anyone please? Griz

.------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------.

| Message 24                                                          |

'------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------'

Subject: Re: eager bever again

From:    Marc & Marcy 

Date:    Thu, 19 Aug 1999 22:16:27 -0600

> Debra Russell wrote:

 ..snip..

> if anyone knows of a small solar collecter and pump setup to run  this

> system?

..snip..

I use the battery operated sump pump setup from Simer and

add a solar powered charging system whenever I have a solar

customer who needs a pretty good flow without much pressure

for the lowest price.

Marc

.------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------.

| Message 25                                                          |

'------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------'

Subject: Medicinal herbs

From:    "Watkins, Leanne" 

Date:    Fri, 20 Aug 1999 12:08:46 +0800

I am in the process of starting up a small aquaponics facility. I was

wondering if anyone out there is growing medicinal herbs or alternative

crops such as aloe-vera, jojoba etc. Can you tell me how they do in this

type of system. 

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

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



Back to Index