Heirloom's A Little Bit Of Everything - 2016 Journal

[Heirloom]

Hopefully rot and mold don't get me. But like D said, I might actually get blue Blue Dream.

 

[WannaBfarmer]

Here! Here! to the fish tank water! I have a pond, but the durned thing is so big that I can't get the fish poo as concentrated as it would have been in the aquarium I gave away.

I had a 1,000 gallon outside pond but when I bought the farm I didn't want the hassle of caring for Koi in town. I gave away my fish and filled in the pond. Ponding's been much less labor since.

 

[MaineGreenery]

Thanks Everyone. I am kind of relieved and trying to deal with this problem has taught me a lot about the plants and improved my growing technique.

I am here so I might as well throw in my 2 cents. Aquaponics is awesome. I think it may be the next big thing re: hydroponics. Koi would be a good choice because like goldfish (koi are goldfish right?) they are a very dirty fish and will produce lots of ammonia for your plants. I am no expert on the topic so if I am wrong forgive me, but I have heard that tilapia are a good choice for aquaponics as well because they are easy to care for and tasty! You can harvest you plants and harvest your fish.

 

[Lady Cannafan]

I had a 1,000 gallon outside pond but when I bought the farm I didn't want the hassle of caring for Koi in town. I gave away my fish and filled in the pond. Ponding's been much less labor since.

Mine is about 4 acres or so. And keeping it weed free is costly as well as laborious, so I completely understand. Chasing my Koi and other fish around for their poo...well that might be amusing for sure.
I really loved my aquarium, it's what housed the Koi I have now in the pond. The owner got sick and couldn't take care of a large thing like that anymore.

I did put some small goldfish in my pond years ago, they got as big as the Koi but with fan tails as opposed to straight tails. There is a difference in Koi and Goldfish, something about barbles on the mouths.

Koi are very close relatives to Carp. They are bottom feeders, which is why people think they are dirty fish. Around here they eat them (Carp), and some people call it "Poor Man's Lobster". LOL

 

[Canyon]

I am surprised at the number of responses about the fish water.

Hairloom, the Murray Hallam tip had me watching I think seven of his videos. Thanks.

My wife had a portrait and wedding processing lab back in the wet process days. We keep it going until the depreciation was gone on the equipment and scraped everything out. I have been wondering why I kept so many equipment peaces and parts. It would not take much to pump fish water up to the grow room.

OK, at least the fish and fish water part has been moved up on my endless to do list.

The videos talked some about tank sizes, but it went by quickly. I think 200 gallons should suport enough fish to be worthwhile to at least use the fish water to replace some of the RO water.

6000 gallons is a bunch of gallons. It sounds like something I would like to see running.

The whole concept has me rethinking the usefulness of greenhouses in the desert.

Best

 

[GrizzWald]

 

[Heirloom]

Canyon,

Stocking density recommendations can be found on line. They use 'inches of fish/gallon' as the measure. But that's for a fully recirculating, functioning system. You just want to use aquarium water when cleaning/changed out.

I used to keep a bunch of Neon Tets, Tiger Barbs, several Angels and and a couple Gold Nugget Pleco's in a 60 gallon. Love the Pleco's.

Tilapia is probably the most popular choice in aquaponics because they are hardy and grow fast. Perch is also very popular. Catfish is another popular choice, but you have to choose tank shape carefully for them because they'll give themselves sores if there is a corner they nose into and work at. Koi work too. Fresh water shrimp and other aquatic creatures too.

6k gallons is a lot. I had planned on rehabbing/building my clay 'soil' by using compost and home made fish hydrosylate. All the fresh fish I could eat, and lovely fish leftovers for compost or processing. Heck, I had planned on doing a small patch of 'the three sisters', native American style and plant a fish under the corn/beans/squash. But, life has changed and that dream may never come to fruition.

 

[MagicJim]

Good morning Heir and others.

 

[Dennise]

Canyon,

Stocking density recommendations can be found on line. They use 'inches of fish/gallon' as the measure. But that's for a fully recirculating, functioning system. You just want to use aquarium water when cleaning/changed out.

I used to keep a bunch of Neon Tets, Tiger Barbs, several Angels and and a couple Gold Nugget Pleco's in a 60 gallon. Love the Pleco's.

Tilapia is probably the most popular choice in aquaponics because they are hardy and grow fast. Perch is also very popular. Catfish is another popular choice, but you have to choose tank shape carefully for them because they'll give themselves sores if there is a corner they nose into and work at. Koi work too. Fresh water shrimp and other aquatic creatures too.

6k gallons is a lot. I had planned on rehabbing/building my clay 'soil' by using compost and home made fish hydrosylate. All the fresh fish I could eat, and lovely fish leftovers for compost or processing. Heck, I had planned on doing a small patch of 'the three sisters', native American style and plant a fish under the corn/beans/squash. But, life has changed and that dream may never come to fruition.

{cough} {cough} Bullshit.... I 100% believe you will be better than new when this is all done and there will be no stopping you and I will haunt you if you let this speed bump stop any of your dreams... Maybe a little harder and may take a little longer but you will do it... this I am sure.......

 

[Dennise]

Oh and BTW... Good morning.......

 

[Heirloom]

Oh and BTW... Good morning.......

Morning D.


Priorities have shifted a bit. That's a project that requires a lot of time and physical effort on my part, as much of it is custom build. I don't direct others well when it comes to some things, I just get frustrated. So some projects, Aquaponics being merely one of them, have been scratched or shelved. It's just reality and something I've had to come to terms with. I won't be juggling as much in the future. A dairy cow and beef calves? Not anymore. Breeding up and making my swine herds. Nope. Reduction is happening.

But, in the end it is for the better, I think. I have doubled down on cannabis and will be going at it with more focus and effort after this season.

It's a very lovely 76F, with drizzles fairly often. Hope you have a very green day my friend.

 

[Dennise]

If I haven't told you lately Heir... Love ya Mean it.....

 

[Buckshot]

high

 

[AngryBird]

hello hello

 

[Duggan]

Hey there Buck...top of the day to ya sir! You too Angry....droppin some smiles for ya girl!

 

[WannaBfarmer]

Heirloom, I was a city guy my whole life. I always dreamed of having land and a hobby farm. 11 years ago when my life changed for what I thought was the worse. Today I have my hobby farm and while it's physically demanding every day, I'm living that part of my dream. I haven't added farm animals yet because I haven't felt I could handle the day to day work involved. Instead I raise feed for the deer and turkeys and have a vast photo collection of monster bucks. I could easily live without ever buying meat again, however I tend to feel paranoid taking game out of season. Fresh meat always trumps freezer meat.

Dream on man!

 

[SweetSue]

Canyon,

Stocking density recommendations can be found on line. They use 'inches of fish/gallon' as the measure. But that's for a fully recirculating, functioning system. You just want to use aquarium water when cleaning/changed out.

I used to keep a bunch of Neon Tets, Tiger Barbs, several Angels and and a couple Gold Nugget Pleco's in a 60 gallon. Love the Pleco's.

Tilapia is probably the most popular choice in aquaponics because they are hardy and grow fast. Perch is also very popular. Catfish is another popular choice, but you have to choose tank shape carefully for them because they'll give themselves sores if there is a corner they nose into and work at. Koi work too. Fresh water shrimp and other aquatic creatures too.

6k gallons is a lot. I had planned on rehabbing/building my clay 'soil' by using compost and home made fish hydrosylate. All the fresh fish I could eat, and lovely fish leftovers for compost or processing. Heck, I had planned on doing a small patch of 'the three sisters', native American style and plant a fish under the corn/beans/squash. But, life has changed and that dream may never come to fruition.

You have a personal history of achieving your goals, so if it's a true priority I have every faith you'd figure out how to do it. Then you'd figure out, almost immediately, how to do it better.

I wouldn't give up on that dream just yet. You bounce pretty well buckaroo.

 

[Heirloom]

I wouldn't give up on that dream just yet. You bounce pretty well buckaroo.

Hiya Sue. Learning that I'm not bouncing like I used to either, lol. I will of course take on what I can. But I'm in an evaluation phase of what I am willing to do from now on. Where my personal priorities are. What my 1, 5 and 10 year goals are now, because they are not the same anymore.

 

[Dennise]

Www I'm sorry... I'll never be that gooey again... I just realized who I sounded like... I hope it is as beautiful there as it is here... I've even been outside most of the day... The outside girls got a bit of a shower and are reaching for the sun now... It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood....

 

[MaineGreenery]

Hey Wannab what is a hobby farm?