Aquaponics Digest - Sat 05/26/01
Message 1: Re: Intro/Background and a question
from "STEVE SPRING"
Message 2: Re: "Giving Up!"
from "STEVE SPRING"
Message 3: tomatoes, etc.
from "STEVE SPRING"
Message 4: OT: Tough Love for Steve
from dreadlox 'at' cwjamaica.com
Message 5: Re: Intro/Background and a question
from "gutierrez-lagatta"
Message 6: Lighting
from "gutierrez-lagatta"
Message 7: Hi All
from "Chris G"
Message 8: Re: Intro/Background and a question
from "Devon Williams"
Message 9: Hoop House, Noble Foundation, Various Garden Links
from "TGTX"
Message 10: OT: Apology to Steve and list was: Intro/Background was: "Giving Up!"
from Bill Patrick
Message 11: Re: Intro/Background and a question
from marc 'at' aculink.net
Message 12: Re: Hi All
from marc 'at' aculink.net
Message 13: Re: Hi All
from "TGTX"
Message 14: Re: tomatoes, etc.
from Jim
Message 15: FAQ's
from "gutierrez-lagatta"
Message 16: Introduction
from Bertmcl 'at' aol.com
Message 17: Re: OT: Apology to Steve and list was: Intro/Background was:
"Giving Up!"
from Peggy & Emmett
| Message 1
Subject: Re: Intro/Background and a question
From: "STEVE SPRING"
Date: Sat, 26 May 2001 00:32:49 -0500
Hi Devon,
I sometimes feel like the "whipping boy"!
I, in no way, meant to belittle your project. Hope you didn't take it as
such. I was just amazed that someone would take on an aquaponics project
with as little as $1,000 to spend.
I CERTAINLY wish you the best in your endeavor.
I'm currently redoing my entire system as well. I finally got those "damned"
tomatos to grow and now they are taking over everything.
Should be interesting. But GOLLY GEE, GEE WHIZ, I know that I can be
somewhat "socially insensitive" at times, but I did not mean to make small
of your project. If anyone has the "guts" to jump into this then, "go for
it".
Best of luck
.Steve
----- Original Message -----
From: "Devon Williams"
To:
Sent: Friday, May 25, 2001 9:34 AM
Subject: Re: Intro/Background and a question
Um, well, since Bill so slyly coaxed me out of the woodwork, I guess I'll
bite
.(being a teacher, the end of the school year is a pretty crazy time,
so I have done very little in the way of emailing
.)
My name is Devon Williams, I am a Technology Education teacher at McConnell
Middle School in Loganville, GA (Loganville is a speck on the map just east
of downtown Atlanta). I became interested in aquaponics while researching
hydroponics when I felt my class did not incorporate enough material on
bio-related technology. I found the S&S website, and quickly purchased the
information packet for starting a system
.this was in 1996. Five years and
six grant applications later, I was fortunate to be one of the first
teachers to earn a grant from a local foundation set up to support the
area's schools directly.
As Steve Spring has had a laugh about in the past, I received a whopping
$1000.00 from the Grayson foundation. I also got a $300 donation from a
local environmental management company, and my gravel for my grow bed was
donated by one of my school's business partners - a local granite quarry.
Soooooooo, I had $1300.00 plus some materials, and I was ready!!!
I finally got set up at the end of March, 2001 and ordered my fish from John
Harbuck in Floralla, AL
.Lucky for me that John is a very nice guy, because
he is willing to sell his fish to other educators just for the price of
shipping!!! This worked out well since the lowest quote I got from
hatcheries was $310 for about 60 fish, and $500 for about 3000 fish!!!!
Funny how that works
.so, John sent me 160 hybrid, mixed-sex tilapia. When
I first put them into my system, I hadn't realized how incredibly strong my
fish tank sump pump was, and it promptly sucked a huge number of the poor
little guys up against the intake grate killing many instantly, and
weakening a great many more. Then, if that weren't enough
.those fish that
were weakened by the pump trauma got blasted by the soaring ammonia and
nitrite levels while the gravel bed adjusted itself
.Total lost was about
65 fish
.so, I have just under one hundred in the tank now doing just fine!
To give a little background, Technology Education (formerly Industrial Arts)
is set up in a modular form so that students spend ten days at a time
learning about an area of technology such as robotics, audio broadcasting,
CAD, electricity, aerospace,
.The curriculum mentioned below made the
aquaponics lab a new module in my room, so it functions the same way as the
rest of the class.
During the time it took to set the system up, I began writing the curriculum
for the module. As I wrote the curriculum, I made a pretty big decision. I
am currently working on my doctoral degree in Occupational Studies /
Technology Education. To this point I had not decided on a topic for my
dissertation, but I had considered Appropriate Technology from some vantage
point
.So, to make a long story even longer (you asked for it, Bill)I am
now looking at the theory of situated cognition as it relates to teaching
appropriate technology (aquaponics) in a modular setting
.In other words,
using this modular approach to find out how kids learn best (in what
situation). Before a lot of questions come at me, please understand that I
am not even scratching the surface of the theoretical framework yet, so I
may not be able to answer them
.Although I've been told I can "BS" with the
best of them! ;-)
So, that's me! I do have a website (explaining my class, as well as the
system). You can find it at
http://www.mindspring.com/~mcconnellms/staff/dwilliams When you get to the
main page click on the "More" button, then click on the "Projects" button to
see the front page of the aquaponics information. Be sure to click on the
blinking "Here" near the bottom of that page. I am going to update the page
today, but it won't take effect until it gets uploaded tonight around
midnight.
Thanks for listening.
Devon Williams
>From: Bill Patrick
>Reply-To: aquaponics 'at' townsqr.com
>To: aquaponics 'at' townsqr.com
>Subject: Re: Intro/Background and a question
>Date: Thu, 24 May 2001 20:08:20 -0400
>
>Nice webpage Ada, thanks for taking the time to get it started. Now
>come on everybody don't be "stick in the muds". Go ahead and have a
>little bio posted and link to your web page if you have one (I don't to
>pick on anyone but their initials are Devon). Over the past year guys
>really haven't been shy about where you live, what you do for regular
>jobs or what your interests in aquaponics are. Also any suppliers on
>the list that support us, this would make a nice place to have links to
>your pages or other methods of contact available to us.
>
>Ada Erickson wrote:
> >
> > Thanks Bill.
> >
> > The Intro page is live:
> >
> > www.primadonnasrevenge.com/aquaponics/
> >
> > Feel free to send me your own info from there if you don't want to post
> > directly to the list. Suggestions always welcome.
> >
> > If you are curious, the main domain is still under construction.
> >
> > Here is my tilapia question:
> >
> > What barriers/obstacles have you encountered when taking your produce or
> > tilapias to market? What advice can you offer to help a "newbie"
>overcome
> > those obstacles
> >
>
>Ada I have yet to grow any fish, but I do have two data points in my
>extensive market research so far. I was at a restaurant that served
>tilapia and I asked the owner if she would buy any fish from me if I
>grew them. She said "No!". She buys all her restaurant supplies from a
>single distributor. Oh well. I also have a lady that comes and fishes
>in my pond and catches nice big cat fish out of it. I told her about my
>idea also and she said I could $8.00 - $9.00 a pound for bream but only
>a couple of pounds for tilapia. I'm going to go ahead and try tilapia
>first, just based on STEVE SPRING'S recommendations, they seem easy to
>grow ;-)
>
>Bill
| Message 2
Subject: Re: "Giving Up!"
From: "STEVE SPRING"
Date: Sat, 26 May 2001 00:40:31 -0500
Thanks Jim,
I'm not even close.
Thanks again
.Steve
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jim"
To:
Sent: Friday, May 25, 2001 8:07 PM
Subject: Re: "Giving Up!"
Hi Steve,
You're right, no wonder you had trouble with your fish
1600 gallons of
tank volume at .5 lb of fish per gallon requires over 200 cubic feet of
gravel.
You have to keep in mind that the .5 pound/gallon formula for aquaponics
has a 3rd part. Look at it in cu.ft
(3.75 lb fish) : (1 cu.ft. water) : (1 cu.ft. growbed)
Sounds like you only have enough growbed/filter to support about 130 lb
of fish (<.1 #/gal in 2-800 gal tanks) assuming you have 8" deep
growbeds.
You'll need at least 4 times as much growbed to get anywhere close to
.5#/gal. using full tanks.
Channel cats or hybrid bream(1) would've died off long before the
tilapia did in your set-up.
Jim
(1) I raise hybrid bream and channel cats
STEVE SPRING wrote:
>
> Hi Paula,
>
>
>
> I just truly believe that I had too many fish in the system and that they
> were breeding themselves within the system.
>
> But, I do basically use the S&S System.
>
> Thanks
Steve
| Message 3
Subject: tomatoes, etc.
From: "STEVE SPRING"
Date: Sat, 26 May 2001 01:00:07 -0500
Hi Jim , Paula, Adrianna, et. al.,
#1 to Jim. Thanks again for your informative post. Would I be able to grow
out about 500 hybrid bluegills? The reason I ask this is that I want to
order 1500 bluegills. Put 1,000 in the pond and put 500 in the tanks and see
which group fares the best. Any input would be appreciated. The 500 would be
in groups of 250 in 2- 800 gal tanks. Also, I want to control the temp of
the tanks to +/- 65F throughout the winter.
Paula/Adrianna: Since the tomatoes have finally taken off, I would like to
concentrate on them instead of lettuce. Would I need grow lights for the
tomatoes instead of fluorescent? The tomatoes that are doing so well are
under a 450-watt sunagro bulb.
I have the tomatoes in the greenhouse under a 450 watt sunagro. (Because of
the "incredibly crappy" weather we are having in Wisconsin. No sun for
weeks.) I have the tomatoes in Earth Boxes. They are already almost 3' tall
and flowering. (Not bad for here.)
Thanks
.Steve
| Message 4
Subject: OT: Tough Love for Steve
From: dreadlox 'at' cwjamaica.com
Date: Sat, 26 May 2001 02:54:07 -0700
STEVE SPRING wrote:
>
> Hi Devon,
>
> I sometimes feel like the "whipping boy"!
>
> I, in no way, meant to belittle your project.
>
> I'm currently redoing my entire system as well. I finally got those "damned" tomatos to grow
and now they are taking over everything.
Hi Steve!!
Im sorry mate, but I have to say something here
. I cant hold it
back.
I too used to be called "socially insensitive" in my field, but simply
because I used to keep young engineers out of whorehouses, bars, drugs,
give them alternatives
. (cook up a good dinner myself for 30 guys
,
or go on a weekend rail trip in the country!!)to the seedy underworld of
drugs and alchohol while we were working on projects all over the
world
. so I do know how it is working 14 hr shifts I can relate
and
that my friend for 3-4 months at a time in many a time HOSTILE
environments
. dig working with a gas mask on your hip
.or having a
guy with a submachine gun personally guard your every move, or being
sprayed with a volley of bullets at yet another site ??
My wife has too just opted to leave North American ER (Emergency Room)
nursing to come back here with me so I know how "wound up" one gets in
the weird and wacky world of your high stress job but hey man
.like I
had to tell her sometimes after a long especially hard night
. "I am
NOT your enemy, calm down!!"
Now what has gotten me ticked off?? WEll one of the things I nearly sent
a guy home about is his constant swearing over things
try building a
factory in monsoon rains where 3 times you have to pump out electrical
channels by hand like a paddy field and then have guys swearing about
how bad things are
.tensions run so high it is like MUTINY.
Please please please Steve
. differentiate between tomatoes, Mike Sipe,
tilapia and US as a group.
Your damning of the tomatoes has really gotten my gall
like I said to
that young green engineer back then
.at the risk of sending him home,
"start BLESSING something around here and you may notice a
difference
.!!" He was stunned
.
So as a joke guys started to insert the word "blessed" in place of every
swear word.'What a blessed piece of steel that just fell on my toe
.'
'what a blessed rainy day it is
.we get to pump the channels again
.'
'What a blessed meal we just had with chopsticks
.at least we were able
to sit for once for an hour at lunch'
. etc
This began to turn a mood of mutiny around to a feeling of humour and
engagement
.because who wants to touch something damned??
Please do not take out your emotions on the plants, people or the fish
or even the group
. remember there is a feel or tone to every
newsgroup, and instead of apologising and being sorry for everything,
how about just NOT saying these offensive things here?? It is my humble
opinion that this group was formed to SEEK solutions, and not for folks
who want to just "cuss" out their frustration. Long before you I have
seen people networking in this list on the hour almost in rapid flurries
of posts from folks trying to save not a few hundred, but thousands of
fish,
so BELIEVE when people say U haven't seen or been there till you
kill a few thousand fish!
A lot of folks have done MUCH worse than you man
.and have come back to
do much better
. and have used this list to constructively SOLVE, HELP,
and DOCUMENT as a lasting POSITIVE contribution, a record of WHAT NOT TO
DO!! But even that needs to be done in a way that will inspire the
newbies, not discourage them! One farm I visited recently overseas moved
in the space of 15 mins from viable farm one minute to a loss of 35'000
almost grown out fish. This group then moved in solidarity in a similar
occasion to help one person dispose of the carcasses, and yes man did
that guy make it big in the biogas business!! He used a bacterial
solution
(also suggested from this humble group
.) to RAPIDLY
decompose his fish!
I find your cursing of things offensive, and not because of my belief
systems, but because I think most of us are on this group are here to
make BLESSED good lettuce, BLESSED good fish, (even if they originated
with Mike Sipe!! ) and make BLESSED good at whatever we put our hand to.
What I trying to say is
.MOVE ON man
. dont damn
.BLESS!!
I am sure that many folks feel like I do on this
anything damned
deserves a valued position in my dustbin, outside BURNED, or on the
compost!!
If U think everything U do is so poor then get out of it Steve!If you
approach ornamental fish growing with the same attitude then you will
again be seeking scapegoats
. and who will it be then?? In all your
dealings with fish, lettuce, your lack of sleep, your aquaponic system,
your growbeds, and all the variables thereof, there is only ONE
CONSTANT, and that is YOU!! (I say all this in love my friend! - Tough
love
) Being consequent means taking responsibility and being
accountable for our own actions and inactions
.
Think about it
.
PS. Any day U think your endeavours are so poor, I extend a invitation
to you here to see a poor boy heading home after spending a whole day
spearing a whole string of muddy tasting 4 inch tilapia, with a bunch of
scraggly greens to put in his Mothers hands, and with a few sticks of
sugarcane to wash it down
. and I would ask you to say "Big catch
mon!! " to him and see the smile that would spread across his face
slowly but surely
. radiating ear to ear
and then you know I THINK
your attempts would seem slowly not too bad after all
. the glass is
either half empty or its half full,
its all relative
its all
relative mon.
>
| Message 5
Subject: Re: Intro/Background and a question
From: "gutierrez-lagatta"
Date: Sat, 26 May 2001 05:40:42 -0500
Steve (Alias SIS),
Reproduction seems to be a problem in your operation, first your fish
hatch like crazy and take over your tank; now your tomatoes. If I
were you I'd watch my wife like a hawk :>)
.make sure all birth
control is operational.:>)
Adriana
> I'm currently redoing my entire system as well. I finally got those
"damned"
> tomatos to grow and now they are taking over everything.
| Message 6
Subject: Lighting
From: "gutierrez-lagatta"
Date: Sat, 26 May 2001 05:45:30 -0500
Steve,
I've never used lights except for seedlings but my suspicion is that
yes, you will need more than flourescents to get a good crop. If I
were you I would seriously worry about my electric bill. More than
one hobbyist and professional grower has gone this route and then
quickly discontinued it after a shocking electric bill, leaving them
with expensive equipment on their hands. (Mike make a note, if
Lighting isn't on your Bookmark list it needs to be).
Adriana
> Paula/Adrianna: Since the tomatoes have finally taken off, I would
like to
> concentrate on them instead of lettuce. Would I need grow lights for
the
> tomatoes instead of fluorescent? The tomatoes that are doing so well
are
> under a 450-watt sunagro bulb.
| Message 7
Subject: Hi All
From: "Chris G"
Date: Sat, 26 May 2001 08:08:53 -0400
Hi All,
Just joined the list and hoping to learn a great deal from everyone. Is
there a FAQ for aquaponics (yet)? I'm sure we newbies all ask the same
questions over and over again. If not, then is there a need for one? If
there is a need, I would consider doing it, using the answers to all my
questions! :) Thanks
Christopher
| Message 8
Subject: Re: Intro/Background and a question
From: "Devon Williams"
Date: Sat, 26 May 2001 08:52:27 -0400
Steve,
I have no problem with the fact that anyone might think me crazy (not that
you think I'm crazy) for trying this with so little money. I kinda think
I'm crazy too! The $1300 was a great start, but I'm glad my budget starts
over on July 1!!!! (Unfortunately, I have to spend most of my budget on the
rest of my class expenses
.) I know my wife is getting tired of me
spending OUR money on this project, but it's one of those things that will
constantly need this influx of money.
By mentioning you in my post, there was absolutely no "whipping" intended.
Devon
>From: "STEVE SPRING"
>Reply-To: aquaponics 'at' townsqr.com
>To:
>Subject: Re: Intro/Background and a question
>Date: Sat, 26 May 2001 00:32:49 -0500
>
>Hi Devon,
>
>I sometimes feel like the "whipping boy"!
>
>I, in no way, meant to belittle your project. Hope you didn't take it as
>such. I was just amazed that someone would take on an aquaponics project
>with as little as $1,000 to spend.
>
>I CERTAINLY wish you the best in your endeavor.
>
>I'm currently redoing my entire system as well. I finally got those
>"damned"
>tomatos to grow and now they are taking over everything.
>
>Should be interesting. But GOLLY GEE, GEE WHIZ, I know that I can be
>somewhat "socially insensitive" at times, but I did not mean to make small
>of your project. If anyone has the "guts" to jump into this then, "go for
>it".
>
>Best of luck
.Steve
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Devon Williams"
>To:
>Sent: Friday, May 25, 2001 9:34 AM
>Subject: Re: Intro/Background and a question
>
>
>Um, well, since Bill so slyly coaxed me out of the woodwork, I guess I'll
>bite
.(being a teacher, the end of the school year is a pretty crazy time,
>so I have done very little in the way of emailing
.)
>
>My name is Devon Williams, I am a Technology Education teacher at McConnell
>Middle School in Loganville, GA (Loganville is a speck on the map just east
>of downtown Atlanta). I became interested in aquaponics while researching
>hydroponics when I felt my class did not incorporate enough material on
>bio-related technology. I found the S&S website, and quickly purchased the
>information packet for starting a system
.this was in 1996. Five years
>and
>six grant applications later, I was fortunate to be one of the first
>teachers to earn a grant from a local foundation set up to support the
>area's schools directly.
>
>As Steve Spring has had a laugh about in the past, I received a whopping
>$1000.00 from the Grayson foundation. I also got a $300 donation from a
>local environmental management company, and my gravel for my grow bed was
>donated by one of my school's business partners - a local granite quarry.
>Soooooooo, I had $1300.00 plus some materials, and I was ready!!!
>
>I finally got set up at the end of March, 2001 and ordered my fish from
>John
>Harbuck in Floralla, AL
.Lucky for me that John is a very nice guy,
>because
>he is willing to sell his fish to other educators just for the price of
>shipping!!! This worked out well since the lowest quote I got from
>hatcheries was $310 for about 60 fish, and $500 for about 3000 fish!!!!
>Funny how that works
.so, John sent me 160 hybrid, mixed-sex tilapia.
>When
>I first put them into my system, I hadn't realized how incredibly strong my
>fish tank sump pump was, and it promptly sucked a huge number of the poor
>little guys up against the intake grate killing many instantly, and
>weakening a great many more. Then, if that weren't enough
.those fish
>that
>were weakened by the pump trauma got blasted by the soaring ammonia and
>nitrite levels while the gravel bed adjusted itself
.Total lost was about
>65 fish
.so, I have just under one hundred in the tank now doing just
>fine!
>
>To give a little background, Technology Education (formerly Industrial
>Arts)
>is set up in a modular form so that students spend ten days at a time
>learning about an area of technology such as robotics, audio broadcasting,
>CAD, electricity, aerospace,
.The curriculum mentioned below made the
>aquaponics lab a new module in my room, so it functions the same way as the
>rest of the class.
>
>During the time it took to set the system up, I began writing the
>curriculum
>for the module. As I wrote the curriculum, I made a pretty big decision.
>I
>am currently working on my doctoral degree in Occupational Studies /
>Technology Education. To this point I had not decided on a topic for my
>dissertation, but I had considered Appropriate Technology from some vantage
>point
.So, to make a long story even longer (you asked for it, Bill)I am
>now looking at the theory of situated cognition as it relates to teaching
>appropriate technology (aquaponics) in a modular setting
.In other words,
>using this modular approach to find out how kids learn best (in what
>situation). Before a lot of questions come at me, please understand that I
>am not even scratching the surface of the theoretical framework yet, so I
>may not be able to answer them
.Although I've been told I can "BS" with
>the
>best of them! ;-)
>
>So, that's me! I do have a website (explaining my class, as well as the
>system). You can find it at
>http://www.mindspring.com/~mcconnellms/staff/dwilliams When you get to the
>main page click on the "More" button, then click on the "Projects" button
>to
>see the front page of the aquaponics information. Be sure to click on the
>blinking "Here" near the bottom of that page. I am going to update the
>page
>today, but it won't take effect until it gets uploaded tonight around
>midnight.>
>Thanks for listening.
>
>Devon Williams
>
>
> >From: Bill Patrick
> >Reply-To: aquaponics 'at' townsqr.com
> >To: aquaponics 'at' townsqr.com
> >Subject: Re: Intro/Background and a question
> >Date: Thu, 24 May 2001 20:08:20 -0400
> >
> >Nice webpage Ada, thanks for taking the time to get it started. Now
> >come on everybody don't be "stick in the muds". Go ahead and have a
> >little bio posted and link to your web page if you have one (I don't to
> >pick on anyone but their initials are Devon). Over the past year guys
> >really haven't been shy about where you live, what you do for regular
> >jobs or what your interests in aquaponics are. Also any suppliers on
> >the list that support us, this would make a nice place to have links to
> >your pages or other methods of contact available to us.
> >
> >Ada Erickson wrote:
> > >
> > > Thanks Bill.
> > >
> > > The Intro page is live:
> > >
> > > www.primadonnasrevenge.com/aquaponics/
> > >
> > > Feel free to send me your own info from there if you don't want to
>post
> > > directly to the list. Suggestions always welcome.
> > >
> > > If you are curious, the main domain is still under construction.
> > >
> > > Here is my tilapia question:
> > >
> > > What barriers/obstacles have you encountered when taking your produce
>or
> > > tilapias to market? What advice can you offer to help a "newbie"
> >overcome
> > > those obstacles
> > >
> >
> >Ada I have yet to grow any fish, but I do have two data points in my
> >extensive market research so far. I was at a restaurant that served
> >tilapia and I asked the owner if she would buy any fish from me if I
> >grew them. She said "No!". She buys all her restaurant supplies from a
> >single distributor. Oh well. I also have a lady that comes and fishes
> >in my pond and catches nice big cat fish out of it. I told her about my
> >idea also and she said I could $8.00 - $9.00 a pound for bream but only
> >a couple of pounds for tilapia. I'm going to go ahead and try tilapia
> >first, just based on STEVE SPRING'S recommendations, they seem easy to
> >grow ;-)
> >
> >Bill
>
>
__________
>Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com
>
>
| Message 9
Subject: Hoop House, Noble Foundation, Various Garden Links
From: "TGTX"
Date: Sat, 26 May 2001 09:02:09 -0500
Howdy Folks.
Just a good morning message to let you know the tomato plants made
it
survived after our little storm passage last Sunday night. Now I have
to deal with the mockingbirds
peck
peck
.and the Jalapenos are looking
good, so we will have a good tomatillo salsa today, as well as our standard
pico de gallo, and Kate's special tomato hot sauce, to go with the BBQ
fixins', beef fajitas, pork loin, fresh corn tortillas, and Cervesa mas
fina, muy frio
A memorial day weekend to remember those that sacrificed
their lives for freedom from tyranny and oppression. A blessed day, thank
you, my brother, Mikey-dread.
Now onto the bread and butter info. If you get a chance to subscribe, I
would recommend this publication, although it has little to do with soilless
culture or aquaponics. Maybe I will approach the publisher and do a little
article to spread the word soon
but anyway
.in the latest issue, which I
happen to have a copy of
.there is a pretty cool little article on hoop
houses:
http://www.texasgardener.com/currentissue/index.html
based on work by horticulturist Steve Upson, who has been conducting hoop
house research a the Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation in Ardmore, Oklahoma,
for the past four years
here's Mr. Upson lecturing right here
.
http://www.noble.org/press%5Frelease/upson/hoophouse.jpg
The hoop house described in the Texas Gardener article is much more
substantial than the one you see Steve standing in front of. Say
.Marc &
Marcy
.ole' buddies
check this article out
.2 inch black poly oilfield
pipe out of salvage instead of PVC
.painted white for aesthetic purposes.
Very strong
bolted to fence pipe posts driven in the ground
Build it
yourself and they range in price from $1.25 to $2.00 per square foot
compared to $3.50 to $6.00 for a greenhouse. Or, you can check into kits
available from the Texas Greenhouse Company, Ft. Worth, TX at
1-800-227-5447. Don't have a website address for them
.maybe they have
one, just don't know.
Anyway
.Good tips in this article. Good work up of the roll up
vents
better than in the picture at the link I sent you. Y'all
subscribe, or get this magazine by interlibrary loan.
Here's some more info from this beauty little zine
Acorn Springs Farms
has all kinda citris trees
dwarf and hardy citrus, including some that
are quite rare
All varieties can thrive and fruit anywhere in Texas, so
they claim
now that means that up in Amarillo, where there is nothing in
between Amarillo and the artic circle but barbed wire fences
.that there
is some kinda hardy citrus that will grow
is this possible?
.or just
braggadocio?
.You know, we just spent half the day at the new Bob Bullock
Texas History Museum in Austin, and there's a whole room there entitled "It
Ain't Braggin' If It's True"
I love it
Anyway, check out
http://www.acornsprings.com.
Got bug problems? Try beneficial insects to control them at KUNAFIN
."The
Insectary". They have an entomologist on staff and free phone consultation.
800-832-1113 or http://www.kunafin.com
Cool stuff
Have a Blessed Memorial Day Weekend,
Ted
| Message 10
Subject: OT: Apology to Steve and list was: Intro/Background was: "Giving Up!"
From: Bill Patrick
Date: Sat, 26 May 2001 10:38:52 -0400
Gosh Steve,
I was just kidding around and poking a little fun. I didn't intend to
blast Ada (and didn't realize I did) in fact I think she is providing
the list with a useful service which is why I replied (By the way great
Bio Devon, put mine to shame). Sorry about my poor command of the
English, but after a long day and a few beers, I have an even harder
time proof reading my on work than normal. As as far as the "the bore
you/too bad" thing goes. I guess I'm just a little sensitive when ever
I post something "off topic" because I know it bothers some people. But
then I think "hey wait a minute" isn't it easier to hit "delete" when
you see a subject you are not interested in then reply back as the list
police with a nasty-gram. Hope you and Bruce enjoyed the Milwaukee
Aquarium Society, maybe Emmett and I can get together sometime. This is
a great list and I also feel the "family thing" maybe that's why we
"quarrel" some.
Luv ah too dude (I'd even give you my last Budwieser),
Bill
My karma ran over my dogma
P.S. I'm watching/reading your bream and tropical fish endeavor with
interest (sorry about your tilapia), at least you are doing while all
I'm doing is reading and dreaming.
STEVE SPRING wrote:
>
> WOW!
>
> Here I go again.
>
> Seems as if this "Ada" is a very nice person
.albeit, with an unusual
> request.
>
> But, here comes Bill Patrick, "rocket scientist" who doesn't even have a
> good command of English to blast her. And he says, If I bore you, "TOO
> BAD"!! (How does that go Ted
.Oy Vey!!??)
>
> By the way Bill, "Socially Insensitive" is trademarked to me. Find your own
> "handle".
>
> I just love the way I make "sparks" fly. Don't you just hate me??
>
> Luv ya anyway
>
> By the way, Bruce Schreiber and I are going to to Milwauke Aquarium Society
> meeting tomorrow night
.I'm really looking forward to incorporating the
> tropicals into the aquaponic system
We'll see how this works. Keep ya
> posted if interested.
>
| Message 11
Subject: Re: Intro/Background and a question
From: marc 'at' aculink.net
Date: Sat, 26 May 2001 09:24:56 -0600
Steve can send his extra fish out to us for adoption if he
can't control himself :>
Marc
gutierrez-lagatta wrote:
>
> Steve (Alias SIS),
> Reproduction seems to be a problem in your operation, first your fish
> hatch like crazy and take over your tank; now your tomatoes. If I
> were you I'd watch my wife like a hawk :>)
.make sure all birth
> control is operational.:>)
>
> Adriana
>
> > I'm currently redoing my entire system as well. I finally got those
> "damned"
> > tomatos to grow and now they are taking over everything.
| Message 12
Subject: Re: Hi All
From: marc 'at' aculink.net
Date: Sat, 26 May 2001 10:26:54 -0600
Chris G wrote:
>
> Hi All,
>
> Just joined the list and hoping to learn a great deal from everyone. Is
> there a FAQ for aquaponics (yet)?
Archives at:
http://www.i55mall.com/aquaponics/
> I'm sure we newbies all ask the same
> questions over and over again.
> If not, then is there a need for one? If
> there is a need, I would consider doing it, using the answers to all my
> questions!
If all newbies were blazing introverts then all old
aquaponikers would be also and this group would not exist.
I'm currently considering quitting my new job as the
corporate culture is one of "figure it out and don't bother
anyone". I like to discuss and talk things over to learn
from others mistakes rather than just reading "histories".
It's also wonderful to have community and social contact -
except for STEVE of course (just kidding - Steve's fun and
teases well)
ANYWAY, This may sound a bit crazy but look at BASIC rules
for starting an INDOOR domestic tropical fish aquarium.
Fish is fish is fish.
I hardly claim to be an expert or know anything really
important (I used to be a Rodney Dangerfield DittoHead until
I learned he was a comedian) but often notice when problems
happen it's a departure from really basic stuff. Water temp,
pH, fish pee removal capability/(ammonia conversion), ageing
the filters, overstocking, over/under feeding, aclimation to
the new environment, basic diseases, aeration failure or
insufficient aeration capability, poor plumbing techniques
that allow failures, pump suction inlet pipe under
diffusion, experimentation, etc. All stuff I learned in my
past life as a home aquarium enthusiast.
Breaks my heart as these ain't no $0.79 Mollies from
Wal-Mart.
There are actual experts on this list who have killed their
first million or so fish (I've not reached that figure) and
will pop up with really cool answers if you ask questions.
There's even a token/resident Texan - no kidding!! Like
"What part of ya'll don't yew understand" Texan stuff with
Yoda and Obi Wan sprinklings! I'd love to see a list of the
sayings on his tee-shirts -
"Austin - The Other White House".
I digress.
Fortunately folks that suffer these disasters often share
the disasters and one can learn or be reminded from it.
Screamer types are occasionally dealt with by the Paula
moderator person when non-entertaining but heavy handed she
is not. Best darn moderator around!
Marc
| Message 13
Subject: Re: Hi All
From: "TGTX"
Date: Sat, 26 May 2001 12:19:49 -0500
> Screamer types are occasionally dealt with by the Paula
> moderator person when non-entertaining but heavy handed she
> is not. Best darn moderator around!
>
> Marc
Amen to that, Yoda.
| Message 14
Subject: Re: tomatoes, etc.
From: Jim
Date: Sat, 26 May 2001 14:10:12 -0500
500 bluegill fingerlings will be ok for a while, but you're going to
have to cheat(1) a bit on your filter system if you don't get more grow
beds going soon or transfer some of the fish to the pond.
I use the aquaponic system to start fish and then transfer them to net
cages in open water once they get up in size a bit.
65 deg will be ok for maintaining the fish, but their growth rate (and
feed intake/nutrient production for the plants) will fall off
You
mentioned how nasty the tilapia were in your system with the limited
filtration
Just wait 'til you see what 500 grown Bream leave behind
with insufficient filtration media.
Jim
(1) you will need more frequent water changes and a system to separate
out solids. This can be as simple as a plastic drum plumbed in-line
used as a settling tank.
Jim
STEVE SPRING wrote:
>
> Hi Jim , Paula, Adrianna, et. al.,
>
> #1 to Jim. Thanks again for your informative post. Would I be able to grow
> out about 500 hybrid bluegills? The reason I ask this is that I want to
> order 1500 bluegills. Put 1,000 in the pond and put 500 in the tanks and see
> which group fares the best. Any input would be appreciated. The 500 would be
> in groups of 250 in 2- 800 gal tanks. Also, I want to control the temp of
> the tanks to +/- 65F throughout the winter.
>
> Thanks
.Steve
| Message 15
Subject: FAQ's
From: "gutierrez-lagatta"
Date: Sat, 26 May 2001 14:17:27 -0500
Chris,
This has been discussed for years and I think most of us would agree
that it would be useful. I suggested to Ada that we incorporate one
into her site along with the intros and the bookmarks. Then when it's
done we could ask Paula if she could add a liknk to it as part of the
footer to the message list.
> Just joined the list and hoping to learn a great deal from everyone.
Is
> there a FAQ for aquaponics (yet)? I'm sure we newbies all ask the
same
> questions over and over again. If not, then is there a need for
one?
Adriana
| Message 16
Subject: Introduction
From: Bertmcl 'at' aol.com
Date: Sat, 26 May 2001 20:50:34 EDT
Hello all you wonderful members of this list.
My name is Bert McLaughlin, i live on a small farm in a rural area of
Virginia, New Kent; 25 miles east of Richmond, Va., 37 mil;es west of
Williamsburg, Va.
After almost 10 years of visiting AQUACULTURAL & AQUAPONIC operations along
the East Coast . and developing a diffferent LOW TECH,LOW INVESTMENT
Recirculating system. (Yes, we had our loses including Rainbow Trout,Catfish
and Tilapia) I learned about Paula & Tom, and ordering their info package and
trying the system on a very small scale. I was fortunate to be awarded an
SARE Grant for a period of 2 years (2000 & 2001). The system was designed
almost 100% like the S&S Aquafarm, except 16 grow beds are 6" deep instead of
12". And my Grow Beds are outside with the fish inside a small building.
8 beds are AQUAPONIC and 8 are HYDROPONIC. After the first year I learned
that following the S&S plan, you will SUCCEED and the TILAPIA will grow very
quickly.
Any more questions please E-mail me bertmcl 'at' aol.com or look at VIRGINIA FISH
FARMERS ASSOCIATION http://www.vffa.ova.net/project/
By the way STEVE, sorry to hear about your loss, when you get a chance please
fax me a plan of your setup (804) 932-4778.
Bert
| Message 17
Subject: Re: OT: Apology to Steve and list was: Intro/Background was:
"Giving Up!"
From: Peggy & Emmett
Date: Sat, 26 May 2001 21:10:19 -0400
At 10:38 AM 5/26/2001 -0400, Bill Patrick wrote:
>Gosh Steve,
>
> I was just kidding around and poking a little fun. maybe Emmett and I
can get together sometime.
OK with me. Long, long ago I found out that Budweiser is an acronyn for:
Because Undergraduates Deserve What Every Individual Should Enjoy
Regularly. Everyone's welcome
.Em
|
