Aquaponics Digest - Tue 01/19/99
Message 1: Salmonella in alfalfa seed from single source
from "Ted Ground"
Message 2: Re: Tomato Varieties
from james.rakocy@uvi.edu (James Rakocy, Ph.D.)
Message 3: Re: Grey water treatment.
from "Jorg D. Ostrowski"
Message 4: greywater processing (was "lava gravel")
from jilli and lars
Message 5: Re: Salmonella in alfalfa seed from single source
from doelle
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Subject: Salmonella in alfalfa seed from single source
From: "Ted Ground"
Date: Tue, 19 Jan 1999 10:19:37 -0600
Aquaponikers,
This just in. Thought you might be interested. Don't panic. It's
organic.
Researchers at Ore. Health Div. in Portland and Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention in Atlanta report that several 1995-96
salmonella outbreaks in the Pacific Northwest were caused by
contaminated alfalfa seeds supplied to local growers from a Dutch
distributor. Seeds were probably contaminated from a single source
before being shipped to seed distributors, growers and finally
consumers. It is believed that the disease-causing bacteria hide in
crevices of the seed, which is stored under favorable cool, dry
conditions before shipment to growers. Bacteria-killing chemicals may
not reach the salmonella in seed crevices. OHD, (503) 731-4000;
ohd.info@state.or.us
Notice that they did not mention the effects that thorough washing on the
sprouting seeds during production and just prior to consumption might have
had on reducing the titer or overall dose of Salmonella from the original
bacterial contamination of the seeds. It is not a perfect technique for
ELIMINATING pathogens, but it does help to wash your food. Like, duh.
Ted
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Subject: Re: Tomato Varieties
From: james.rakocy@uvi.edu (James Rakocy, Ph.D.)
Date: Tue, 19 Jan 1999 12:52:12 -0400 (AST)
>Thanks for the info Jim. What varieties are you using now?
> Gordon
We are growing three tomato plants of each of the following varieties:
Bonita, Olympic, Duke, Empire, Joker, Liberty, Celebrity, Colonial,
SunMaster, Flora, Pilgrim and Merced. All are determinant varieties of big
red tomatoes. One plant of each variety is planted in each of three
recirculating systems. Jim R.
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Subject: Re: Grey water treatment.
From: "Jorg D. Ostrowski"
Date: Tue, 19 Jan 1999 13:10:41 -0700 (MST)
Paul or anyone else: Does anyone have more information on your recent
message on the Mars Program? We too have
cascades and algae as part of the filtering system (before getting to the
hydroponics, marshes and fish tanks). Jorg ostrowski
__________________________________________________________________________
On Mon, 18 Jan 1999 PDOSSJR wrote:
>
> Jorg and others,
>
> I saw a show on PBS a couple of months ago about the Mars Project. They
> discussed how one man has come up with a way to make the trip for a fraction
> of what they originally thought it would cost. Mainly by producing their
> return fuel on Mars thereby allowing for smaller vehicles that can be built on
> earth instead of at a space station.
>
> The part that I'm trying to get to is that they have a mock-up of the vehicle
> that would carry the astronauts. They have had people living in the mock-up
> for a very long time. All water is recycled. This even includes urine. Best I
> remember they said the water purification system uses bacteria and algae. It
> was a vertical clear contraption with water cascading down. It looked like
> green algae growing on it. It almost looked like moss. Does anyone know
> anymore about this system or know where one might look?
>
> Paul Doss
>
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Subject: greywater processing (was "lava gravel")
From: jilli and lars
Date: Tue, 19 Jan 1999 13:35:31 -0800
Jorg D. Ostrowski wrote:
> In our home/office all greywater is treated by one of 3 greywater
> treatment systems (we do not use city sewer, water or gas lines),
> one of which is as described
> above. However, when we have a strong dose of aged greywater (ie. 4-5
> days) some of our fish are not comfortable. It is especially hard on
> white cloud minnows. Paradise fish complain, goldfish tolerate it and
> the crayfish and plecostomous don't care. Any more useful suggestions on
> greywater cleaning vegetables and fish would be greatly apprciated.
Hey Jorg -
I started growing a couple of taro plants in my experimental greywater
system this year, and they seemed to tolerate, or even enjoy, really foul water.
I think they like to have their roots submerged. They are related to, or at
least
closely resemble, elephant ear plants. Plus their root tubers and stems are
edible (though you have to cook them). Prudens Purple and Yellow Pair heirloom
tomatos did amazingly well in terms of growth, though they didn't taste
especially fantastic.
In terms of reducing the shock to your fish: how about setting up the
system so that it adds the greywater to the rest of the system gradually? That
would avoid a sudden change in water conditions, which might be what is
upsetting
your fish. How does your input volume compare to your total volume? What I mean
is, how many gallons is your system and how many gallons of aged grey water do
you add at a time?
Have you though about a methane digestor?
Lars Fields
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Subject: Re: Salmonella in alfalfa seed from single source
From: doelle
Date: Wed, 20 Jan 1999 12:16:42 +1100
At 10:19 AM 19/01/99 -0600, you wrote:
>Aquaponikers,
>
>This just in. Thought you might be interested. Don't panic. It's
>organic.
>
It really amuses me how the term 'organic' is being used. I simply do not
understand why we do not make a difference between organic and organic. The
original idea of organic means 'using the compost as biofertiliser' . Now
feces and any manure is mixed up with that term and we call it all organic.
There is a huge difference between organic and organic, as one is mostly
pathogen free and the other is a serious health hazard. I am not surprised
about the increasing pathogenicity of our crops, seeds etc etc from 'organic
fertilised soils'. These people just do not bother to look up textbooks on
microbiology and do not want to realise that we have bad and good microbes.
I wonder what one has to do to get it across people to carefully examine the
organic fertiliser used for the crop production BEFORE buying and/or using
it to eat.
Washing may help, but who washes the food so thorouvghly before eating ? Is
it not much more convenient to tell those 'expert' in the agricultural field
to stop using manure as organic fertiliser ?
Do we really have to get an epidemic first before people are listening ?
I have not given up hope, but are surprised with what laxity people looking
at recycling.
I hope you get your alfalfa seeds clean.
Best regards
Horst Doelle
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