Aquaponics Digest - Wed 05/30/01
Message 1: Re: Tomatos, lettuce
.what next?
from "STEVE SPRING"
Message 2: Tough Love
from "STEVE SPRING"
Message 3: Re: Tomatos, lettuce
.what next?
from "STEVE SPRING"
Message 4: K leaching
from laberge 'at' cil.qc.ca (LABERGE MARC)
Message 5: Re: UNCLASSIFIED:-Tomatos, lettuce
.what next?
from "STEVE SPRING"
Message 6: Re: Tomatos, lettuce
.what next?
from "STEVE SPRING"
Message 7: Re: tomatoes, etc.
from "STEVE SPRING"
Message 8: Re: mushrooms - another candidate for FAQ's
from "gutierrez-lagatta"
Message 9: Re: Shade Cloth, Newby Questions - Thanks
from "gutierrez-lagatta"
Message 10: Re: afforadable beds
from "gutierrez-lagatta"
Message 11: Re: Basil
from "gutierrez-lagatta"
Message 12: Re: UNCLASSIFIED:-Tomatos, lettuce
.what next?
from "gutierrez-lagatta"
Message 13: RE: Shade Cloth, Newby Questions - Thanks
from "Hurst, Steve ( China)"
Message 14: Re: Tomatos, lettuce
.what next?
from "gutierrez-lagatta"
Message 15: Help Anyone
from REMARCINC 'at' aol.com
Message 16: Re: Shade Cloth, Newby Questions - Thanks
from "Chris Jeppesen"
Message 17: Re: Help Anyone
from dreadlox 'at' cwjamaica.com
Message 18: Re: Tomatos, lettuce
.what next?
from "Barry Thomas"
Message 19: Re: Help Anyone
from "Arlos"
Message 20: Plastic Sealers
from dreadlox 'at' cwjamaica.com
Message 21: Re: Aquaponics Digest - Mon 05/28/01
from DAVEINBHAM 'at' aol.com
Message 22: Hydroponic Mushrooms
from DAVEINBHAM 'at' aol.com
Message 23: Re: Plastic Sealers
from "Arlos"
Message 24: Re: Basil
from Katie Rezendes
Message 25: Re: Growbed questions for Bert McLaughlin was: Introduction
from Bill Patrick
Message 26: Aquaponic Cantaloupes and Carrots Was: Re: TOP TEN FOODS, was: another
system update
from Bill Patrick
Message 27: cheap grow beds
from "Steven Medlock"
Message 28: Re: K leaching
from "TGTX"
Message 29: Re: cheap grow beds
from "TGTX"
Message 30: Re: Aquaponic Cantaloupes and Carrots Was: Re: TOP TEN FOODS, was: another system
update
from "TGTX"
Message 31: Re: Aquaponic Cantaloupe. from "Sunpeer"
Message 32: Re: cheap grow beds
from "Steven Medlock"
Message 33: K leaching
from laberge 'at' cil.qc.ca (LABERGE MARC)
Message 34: Re: Aquaponic Cantaloupes and Carrots Was: Re: TOP TEN FOODS, was:
another system update
from Katie Rezendes
| Message 1
Subject: Re: Tomatos, lettuce
.what next?
From: "STEVE SPRING"
Date: Wed, 30 May 2001 00:07:34 -0500
Hi Barry,
"move or extend growbeds into the greenhouse"
.impossible
.(Got to learn
how to like you guys do.)
fluorescents
.I have 3 double bulbs over the larger growbed and 2 double
bulbs over the smaller beds
."boxed in with reflective
material"
no
temps run an average of 70-75F.
"big lights are more efficient"
.would I be $ ahead by running (1) 1,000
vs.( 2) 450's?
Thanks for your time
.Steve
----- Original Message -----
From: "Barry Thomas"
To:
Sent: Monday, May 28, 2001 5:45 AM
Subject: Re: Tomatos, lettuce
.what next?
Steve,
> I plan on diverting some of the heat of the shed "farm" to the greenhouse
> in the winter by forced air. This will give me additional heat (free) for
the
> greenhouse which is only about 10' from the "farm".
Lots of possibilities re your current/future lighting but is there any major
reason why you can't move or extend your growbeds into the greenhouse?
Should be much cheaper to supplement daylight (in a greenhouse - the window
of your shed probably doesn't count) thasn to provide all of it and would
also be an opportunity to bring the amount of media in the system up to a
more reasonable level.
How many fluorescents do you have over each bed? Double or single fitting?
What colour light? Do you have the beds "boxed in" with reflective material?
What kind of temps do you have (measured at lettuce height, in middle of
bed)?
BTW, big lights are more efficient in terms of output but it can be
difficult to get even coverage - esp with tall plants like tomatoes. Worth
bearing in mind anyway.
Barry
barrythomas 'at' btinternet.com
PS It was Mike, not Devon, who sent you the "Tough love
." post. I am aware
that you are busy but would suggest that reading and considering it (and all
the other help given in recent days and months by many people) again might
be time well spent.
| Message 2
Subject: Tough Love
From: "STEVE SPRING"
Date: Wed, 30 May 2001 00:12:43 -0500
Hi Gang,
I appear to have been out of line with some folks, especially Devon.
I will, from this point on, only voice clinical observations.
Thanks
Steve :(
| Message 3
Subject: Re: Tomatos, lettuce
.what next?
From: "STEVE SPRING"
Date: Wed, 30 May 2001 00:24:12 -0500
Well Ted,
All of the aforementioned options are out of the question.
Since I have a light, or lack of, problem
.I'm starting to think of myself
personally
I feel just like a mushroom
."keep me in the dark" & I'll
do just fine. I'm starting to think about mushrooms for the "farm". Will
take a major "redo", but we'll see.
The tomatos in the greenhouse & earthboxes are doing phenomenally. I just
planted them less than a month ago and I already have 5 tomatos on the
vines. Going to be doing some major changes
just not sure what yet.
Thanks
Steve
----- Original Message -----
From: "TGTX"
To:
Sent: Monday, May 28, 2001 9:01 AM
Subject: Re: Tomatos, lettuce
.what next?
> Any/all input would be appreciated.
>
> Thanks
.Steve
Well, Steve, I know you spent some bucks re-roofing this shed already, but
if your intention was and still is to grow plants in this shed, and the
lighting costs are hurtin' you, then why not consider at least a few panels
of double wall polycarbonate (Lexan, etc.) wherever you can AFFORD to place
it, on the south wall and roof, and paint the north wall and ceiling white
to reflect as much light back to the plants as possible? Maybe even put
white greenhouse groundcloth down on the floor, or bring in bright white
marble road fill, or paint the slab white
.every little bit can help, but
the costs of some approaches are more attractive than others
and this is
starting to sound a bit rich for my blood, but if you are in it for the long
haul, and you are absolutely fixed on using this shed to grow your plants,
then bringing in the maximum amount of natural light into this shed and
reflecting it onto the plants seems the answer to your lighting cost
woes
it's always a trade off with heat and light and insulation and
ventilation
Funny, but it's either too little or too much eh? Maybe Steve in the
Phillipines can pipe some of ole' Sol to the Cheddar Cheese State, and Steve
in Wisconsin can send some cool air in the opposite direction
Or not.
Ted
| Message 4
Subject: K leaching
From: laberge 'at' cil.qc.ca (LABERGE MARC)
Date: Wed, 30 May 2001 01:34:58 -0400
Anyone have any info on Potassium
. how fast it can leach out of solid
feces with respect to phosphates ?
Marc Laberge
Mont Tremblant
Quebec , Canada
| Message 5
Subject: Re: UNCLASSIFIED:-Tomatos, lettuce
.what next?
From: "STEVE SPRING"
Date: Wed, 30 May 2001 00:52:16 -0500
Thanks Mark,
SS
----- Original Message -----
From:
To:
Sent: Tuesday, May 29, 2001 8:07 PM
Subject: SEC: UNCLASSIFIED:-Tomatos, lettuce
.what next?
Steve
Sunagro I believe are a high pressure sodium there claim to fame is
producing more yellow and red spectrum light (good for flower) than metal
halide. I used a similar light and had the same problem of long internodel
length. I tried all sorts of reflective material had best results with mylar
which I still use. I If you don't want this expense use flat white paint
(not
ceiling white) wall to wall. This will reduce the internodel length if you
are
not currently using reflective material. Metal halide lights are generally
better for early growth of plants by mixing metal halide and high pressure
sodium lights you get top results. There is a newish light on the market its
a
new generation metal halide (400w) I am giving one a go at the moment they
are
amazing. I have the shortest internodel length I have ever had so short
infact I
think ive gone a little overboard so I use it in a day about cycle with a
sonagro. The last thing I would to say is that 1000w lights are generally
the
most inefficient 600w seem to be the best closely followed by 400w.
Hope this helps
High regards
Mark
| Message 6
Subject: Re: Tomatos, lettuce
.what next?
From: "STEVE SPRING"
Date: Wed, 30 May 2001 01:14:33 -0500
Gees Barry,
I just read a post that says 1,000 are the most inefficient. Go Figure!!
Thanks
Steve
----- Original Message -----
From: "STEVE SPRING"
To:
Sent: Wednesday, May 30, 2001 12:07 AM
Subject: Re: Tomatos, lettuce
.what next?
Hi Barry,
"move or extend growbeds into the greenhouse"
.impossible
.(Got to learn
how to like you guys do.)
fluorescents
.I have 3 double bulbs over the larger growbed and 2 double
bulbs over the smaller beds
."boxed in with reflective
material"
no
temps run an average of 70-75F.
"big lights are more efficient"
.would I be $ ahead by running (1) 1,000
vs.( 2) 450's?
Thanks for your time
.Steve
----- Original Message -----
From: "Barry Thomas"
To:
Sent: Monday, May 28, 2001 5:45 AM
Subject: Re: Tomatos, lettuce
.what next?
Steve,
> I plan on diverting some of the heat of the shed "farm" to the greenhouse
> in the winter by forced air. This will give me additional heat (free) for
the
> greenhouse which is only about 10' from the "farm".
Lots of possibilities re your current/future lighting but is there any major
reason why you can't move or extend your growbeds into the greenhouse?
Should be much cheaper to supplement daylight (in a greenhouse - the window
of your shed probably doesn't count) thasn to provide all of it and would
also be an opportunity to bring the amount of media in the system up to a
more reasonable level.
How many fluorescents do you have over each bed? Double or single fitting?
What colour light? Do you have the beds "boxed in" with reflective material?
What kind of temps do you have (measured at lettuce height, in middle of
bed)?
BTW, big lights are more efficient in terms of output but it can be
difficult to get even coverage - esp with tall plants like tomatoes. Worth
bearing in mind anyway.
Barry
barrythomas 'at' btinternet.com
PS It was Mike, not Devon, who sent you the "Tough love
." post. I am aware
that you are busy but would suggest that reading and considering it (and all
the other help given in recent days and months by many people) again might
be time well spent.
| Message 7
Subject: Re: tomatoes, etc.
From: "STEVE SPRING"
Date: Wed, 30 May 2001 01:16:34 -0500
"30 acres of dead fish"
.GOD, I thought I had massacres!!
Input from fine friends such as yourself is one of the things that keep me
going.
Thanks Jim & as usual, I saved your message.
Take care my friend & thanks again
Steve :)
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jim"
To:
Sent: Monday, May 28, 2001 4:13 AM
Subject: Re: tomatoes, etc.
$20 solids separation unit: You can use a standard 55 gal plastic drum
with a clamp on lid in a vertical orientation. Fit a 1" PVC bulkhead
fitting in the side about 3/4 way up the barrel. Add a 90 deg elbow to
direct the flow around the barrel to get some swirl going otherwise
you'll get a fan pattern which will stir up the sediments. Tap the lid
in the center with another bulkhead fitting and just enough drop to get
below the level of your water and clamp the lid on. If everything is
right, you won't need any additional pumps. I've used this in a positive
pressure arrangement with good results.
What do I raise?: I start Channel cats and hybrid blue/green bream (in
separate tanks) using 1000 gal stock tanks, and am in the process of
adding my conventional (in-line) concrete raceways to an outdoor system.
I've been running them in a flow through arrangement and using the
effluent for irrigation, but you end up with a fishy smelling truck
patch that way.
What's a good temp range?: I shoot for 75-85 Deg. in tanks and raceways
to maximize growth. Feeding falls off dramatically at temps <60 or >87
and we stop feeding completely at 50 deg water temp and add well water
at 85. In summer you won't see much trouble until you hit 85 deg water
temp (rare in shaded tanks), but then you start seeing serious stress in
catfish and some in bream.
One other thing to keep in mind: The same problems can crop up in an
overstocked pond as in an overstocked tank. A good rule of thumb is 1
fish/500 gal. in an open pond if you're feeding and not aerating. Get
too much feed on the bottom and it'll go anaerobic on you and poison the
water or you'll have an algae explosion then you'll wake up one morning
to an upside down pond.
You ain't seen dead fish until you've seen 30 acres of dead fish
. Been
there, done that, know better now
Jim Jr.
STEVE SPRING wrote:
>
> Hi Jim,
>
> Thanks again. The idea of the plastic drum for a settling tank is very,
very
> interesting. Would this be set up vertically or horizontally? I assume you
> would pump into the bottom and discharge from the top. I find this
> particularly interesting because I already have one set up. I tried to use
> it as a filter and filled it with sand and pea gravel. This configuration
> was TOO successful. It plugged fairly rapidly, within a few days. (This
was
> before the massacre though.) BUT, as a settling tank w/o the
> sand/peagravel
.now, that's a different thought. This is a vertical
set-up.
> What are your thoughts?
>
> The 65F was just a figure pulled "out of the air". I was only thinking of
> electricity. What would be a reasonable temp for the bluegills? What fish
do
> you raise in your system before putting into your pond?
>
> Thanks again
.RSVP
.Steve
| Message 8
Subject: Re: mushrooms - another candidate for FAQ's
From: "gutierrez-lagatta"
Date: Wed, 30 May 2001 02:40:24 -0500
Finally! Somebody with hands-on and money out of the bank experience
in mushrooms. Thanks Carlos for sharing your real-life experience.
This question comes up often on the boards. One reason is a desire
to ytilize growing space under the beds. Perhaps we can start a
thread on that instead now that you have given us the reality check $.
Adrian
> If you like to live happy, please follow my advice: stay away
from
> producing mushrooms !!! Leave others to do it.
| Message 9
Subject: Re: Shade Cloth, Newby Questions - Thanks
From: "gutierrez-lagatta"
Date: Wed, 30 May 2001 02:52:39 -0500
Yes,
It can be opaque, the true key is to get a light meter and test the
lumens to make shure they are adequate,
> From some of the replies I had, can I assume that the roof
> does not actually have to be clear ?
> Could it be an opaque white corrugated vinyl sheet ?
Adriana
| Message 10
Subject: Re: afforadable beds
From: "gutierrez-lagatta"
Date: Wed, 30 May 2001 02:53:25 -0500
This is a multi-part message in MIME format.
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Content-Type: text/plain;
charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Steve,
What is MFA? And how big are they?
: afforadable beds
If this will help I used eight foot beds ( water troughs) from MFA =
They had to order the ones that size but it saved me a fair amout of =
money. Had to modify the drain a little but they work fine. Just check =
out the MFA or feed store, they are also black polly.
Steve(red)
------=_NextPart_000_0072_01C0E8B3.B22DA620
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charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Steve,
What is MFA? And how big are=20
they?
: afforadable beds
If this will help I used eight foot =
beds ( water=20
troughs) from MFA They had to order the ones that size but it =
saved me a=20
fair amout of money. Had to modify the drain a little but they =
work=20
fine. Just check out the MFA or feed store, they are also black=20
polly.
Steve(red)
------=_NextPart_000_0072_01C0E8B3.B22DA620--
| Message 11
Subject: Re: Basil
From: "gutierrez-lagatta"
Date: Wed, 30 May 2001 02:56:51 -0500
No, Gordon is not dreaming, those are real figures. Some of his
clients are growing basil for Melissa's which sells the cut herbs to
Walmart. These are packaged in clamshell containers so there is a lot
of labor and cost involved in packaging . A good bit of the $.70 is
for the clamshell. I do recommend his sytem.
Adriana
> I Just finished reading an article in the magazine FUTUREGROW, issue
8.
> titled Commercial Hydroponics in the U.S.A
>
> The author, Gordon Creaser claims that he is working with growers in
> Florida that are selling cut Basil for .70c a half ounce bag, and
> producing 1lb of basil per sq ft of grow space per month. That works
out
> to $22.40!! a month per sq ft. Is This guy dreaming or did I just
die
> and go to haven.
| Message 12
Subject: Re: UNCLASSIFIED:-Tomatos, lettuce
.what next?
From: "gutierrez-lagatta"
Date: Wed, 30 May 2001 02:59:01 -0500
Mark,
What brand and model light is this?
> There is a newish light on the market its a
> new generation metal halide (400w) I am giving one a go at the
moment they are
> amazing. I have the shortest internodel length I have ever had so
short infact I
> think ive gone a little overboard so I use it in a day about cycle
with a
> sonagro. The last thing I would to say is that 1000w lights are
generally the
> most inefficient 600w seem to be the best closely followed by 400w.
Adriana
| Message 13
Subject: RE: Shade Cloth, Newby Questions - Thanks
From: "Hurst, Steve ( China)"
Date: Wed, 30 May 2001 09:01:25 +0100
Thanks for the tip Adriana,
I just stuck "Light Meter" on my shopping list
Steve H
-----Original Message-----
From: gutierrez-lagatta [mailto:gutierrez-lagatta 'at' home.com]
Sent: 30 May 2001 15:53
To: aquaponics 'at' townsqr.com
Subject: Re: Shade Cloth, Newby Questions - Thanks
Yes,
It can be opaque, the true key is to get a light meter and test the
lumens to make shure they are adequate,
> From some of the replies I had, can I assume that the roof
> does not actually have to be clear ?
> Could it be an opaque white corrugated vinyl sheet ?
Adriana
| Message 14
Subject: Re: Tomatos, lettuce
.what next?
From: "gutierrez-lagatta"
Date: Wed, 30 May 2001 03:09:46 -0500
Steve,
If ALL of the suggestions Ted gave you are out of the question,
(including painting the floor white?), then I suggest, as Mike said,
that you COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS for whatever production you are getting.
It seems that you're looking for a magic bullet or a golden egg to
help you in a very difficult growing set-up.
Adriana
> All of the aforementioned options are out of the question.
> Since I have a light, or lack of, problem.
| Message 15
Subject: Help Anyone
From: REMARCINC 'at' aol.com
Date: Wed, 30 May 2001 09:30:38 EDT
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Hi- with an outside tank and lots of rain- did you also have a thunderstorm
or two? If you don't find anything infecting the fish- you might think about
lightening. Even if the tank is not hit- a nearby electrical charge can
cause the fish to swim on their sides and die- some may swim on their sides
forever.
Just a thought.
Kricket Smith-Gary
remarc inc.,Yankee Site Services
1692 Waddy Rd
Lawrenceburg, KY 40342
502-839-4425
502-839-9655 fax
remarcinc 'at' AOL.COM
http://www.remarcinc.com
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Hi- with an
outside tank and lots of rain- did you also have a thunderstorm
or two? If you don't find anything infecting the fish- you might think about
lightening. Even if the tank is not hit- a nearby electrical charge can
cause the fish to swim on their sides and die- some may swim on their sides
forever.
Just a thought.
Kricket Smith-Gary
remarc inc.,Yankee Site Services
1692 Waddy Rd
Lawrenceburg, KY 40342
502-839-4425
502-839-9655 fax
remarcinc 'at' AOL.COM
http://www.remarcinc.com
--part1_4a.166f0c99.28464ffe_boundary--
| Message 16
Subject: Re: Shade Cloth, Newby Questions - Thanks
From: "Chris Jeppesen"
Date: Wed, 30 May 2001 06:49:20 -0700
How can a photographic light meter be used to check lumens?
Anyone?
Chris
| Message 17
Subject: Re: Help Anyone
From: dreadlox 'at' cwjamaica.com
Date: Wed, 30 May 2001 09:54:14 -0700
Speaking about electrical charges and going for the wild unthought of
things
. look into the calibration of all your meters and gauges.
Sometimes a low battery can give you distorted values.
I experienced this lately with a less than top market voltmeter. After
changing the batteries, and a internally damaged lead it was back on
track
Mike, batting from sidefield!!
REMARCINC 'at' aol.com wrote:
>
> Hi- with an outside tank and lots of rain- did you also have a
> thunderstorm
> or two? If you don't find anything infecting the fish- you might
> think about
> lightening. Even if the tank is not hit- a nearby electrical charge
> can
> cause the fish to swim on their sides and die- some may swim on their
> sides
> forever.
> Just a thought.
>
> Kricket Smith-Gary
> remarc inc.,Yankee Site Services
> 1692 Waddy Rd
> Lawrenceburg, KY 40342
> 502-839-4425
> 502-839-9655 fax
> remarcinc 'at' AOL.COM
> http://www.remarcinc.com
| Message 18
Subject: Re: Tomatos, lettuce
.what next?
From: "Barry Thomas"
Date: Wed, 30 May 2001 16:17:39 +0100
Steve,
> I just read a post that says 1,000 are the most inefficient. Go Figure!!
Depending on type and manufacturer, either can be correct. In most ranges of
bulbs, output efficiency increases with size up to 'at' 600W. In some ranges
the largest (often 'at' 1kW) continue the trend while in others efficiency
drops off slightly.
I was really just trying to make the general point that even if the larger
light is more efficient on paper (in terms of output lumens per W), it may
not be so in practice due to difficulties in distributing the light evenly
to the plants.
I forgot to ask in the previous post: What size are the fluorescent tubes
you're using - 4' (36W) or 5' (58 W)?
Barry
barrythomas 'at' btinternet.com
| Message 19
Subject: Re: Help Anyone
From: "Arlos"
Date: Wed, 30 May 2001 08:53:39 -0700
Speaking of fish mortality, I would be interested to hear how water quality
checks are being performed by everyone and what type of equipment is being
used. Are you calibrating equipment with a reagent? Time of day, logging
data, taking readings by hand from influent / effluent weir, measuring in
ppm, percent, depth in water column, remote metering with 4-20 mA dial up,
conductivity, pH, TDS, DO, BOD / COD, temp, ammonia?? After reading posts
for about a week I see backyard to commercial operations with no budget to
high operational expenses. Interesting approach to tank and raceway
construction in here. Overall the group seems pretty enthusiastic to help
one another and thats a healthy sign! I'm glad to have found this group.
On a note of tank and raceway construction. As an engineer I tend to build
with FRP and use an extrusion , wedge and fusion welder on a variety of
thermal plastics from PVC to PVDF, sheet, rod and pipe, including HDPE and
hypalon liners. Drop a note if you need help with design and fabrication
problems.
Arlos Anderson
Blue Lotus Aquatics
-----Original Message-----
From: dreadlox 'at' cwjamaica.com
To: aquaponics 'at' townsqr.com
Date: Wednesday, May 30, 2001 7:45 AM
Subject: Re: Help Anyone
>Speaking about electrical charges and going for the wild unthought of
>things
. look into the calibration of all your meters and gauges.
>Sometimes a low battery can give you distorted values.
>
>I experienced this lately with a less than top market voltmeter. After
>changing the batteries, and a internally damaged lead it was back on
>track
>
>Mike, batting from sidefield!!
>
>
>
>
>
>REMARCINC 'at' aol.com wrote:
>>
>> Hi- with an outside tank and lots of rain- did you also have a
>> thunderstorm
>> or two? If you don't find anything infecting the fish- you might
>> think about
>> lightening. Even if the tank is not hit- a nearby electrical charge
>> can
>> cause the fish to swim on their sides and die- some may swim on their
>> sides
>> forever.
>> Just a thought.
>>
>> Kricket Smith-Gary
>> remarc inc.,Yankee Site Services
>> 1692 Waddy Rd
>> Lawrenceburg, KY 40342
>> 502-839-4425
>> 502-839-9655 fax
>> remarcinc 'at' AOL.COM
>> http://www.remarcinc.com
>
| Message 20
Subject: Plastic Sealers
From: dreadlox 'at' cwjamaica.com
Date: Wed, 30 May 2001 13:51:33 -0700
Arlos, I had asked a few weeks back re a good welder for liners. Can you
recommend one to me? I am also interested in looking for one which I can
use on very long seems of heavy gauge liner, say 50-100 meters. I
remember seeing something that looks like that thing that they use for
measuring land
a measuring wheel?? with a heater inbuilt
am I
right??
BTW Bruce your points re aeration were heard
.Im thinking that aeration
is one of those things that folks will represent according to what
technology is available to them. It is a known fact however that
paddlewheel aerators, for all their clumsyness, are one of the best
aerators.
I was on a tilapia farm yesterday where the water in the pond was almost
choppy by the 3-4 inch waves across the pond
. and this contantly. The
farmer was reporting 4grams a day growth! And >420 grs growth in 9
weeks! So yes I do agree with you to an extent.
I am now wondering if I could use the rear axle of a smal vehicle to
conjure up a wind powered aerator
. well o whip the water on a chute as
you described maybe??
hmmm
of to the drawing board again.
Mike.
(sticking the pencil behind my ear again
)
JAMAICA.
Arlos wrote:
>
As an engineer I tend to build
> with FRP and use an extrusion , wedge and fusion welder on a variety of
> thermal plastics from PVC to PVDF, sheet, rod and pipe, including HDPE and
> hypalon liners. Drop a note if you need help with design and fabrication
> problems.
| Message 21
Subject: Re: Aquaponics Digest - Mon 05/28/01
From: DAVEINBHAM 'at' aol.com
Date: Wed, 30 May 2001 14:44:42 EDT
Something I have seen that makes a good sunscreen in your part of the world
is bamboo. They split it into strips about 5 millimeters wide by 2 meters
long and weave a shade cloth with plastic covered wire . It works well, it is
cheap, it is biodegradeable
Regards,
Dave
******************************************************************
Any one have any practical ideas that you have tried that may work ?
I am trying different types of netting, and even considering doubling the
netting up
( maybe as needed )
Other ideas I am looking at are :-
Hessian ( natural Sack cloth )
Plastic White nylon sack cloth.
Opaque plastic sheet
What about paint ? Could painting the Glass roof work ? ( Bit "permanent"
for my liking ).
Would Coloured Corrugated Vinyl Sheet roofing work if it were a particular
color ? I can get any amount of this
in colors from Yellow, Blue, Green, Red, very cheap.
I have raised Tilapia before in ponds, but am a complete newby with the
greenhouse stuff.
Appreciate any help with shade cloth ideas,
Thanks
Steve H ( Philipinnes )
| Message 22
Subject: Hydroponic Mushrooms
From: DAVEINBHAM 'at' aol.com
Date: Wed, 30 May 2001 15:27:10 EDT
Actually, mushrooms can be grown hydroponically. I have seen it done.
Unfortunately, I did not take notes on HOW it was done so I can't tell you
how to do it.
Several years back, a faculty member asked me to devise a temprature control
system for the old chest type freezer he used to grow mushrooms
hydroponically in the unheated basement of his house. This I did with a
thermistor, an op-amp, a Triac to control a small electric heater inside the
defunct freezer. It was somewhat crowded in the freezer what with culture
vessels, pumps, and jugs of nutrient solutions and the heater I added, but it
worked. Needless to say, he was growing for his own kitchen, not a commercial
venture.
The point of this post is to tell you it can be done. Unfortunately, the man
who did it is now dead ( not from mushroom poisioning but old age). I am sure
the information on how to do it out there somewhere.
Good luck. I hope this helps a little bit.
Regards,
Dave
In a message dated 5/29/01 11:08:33 PM Central Standard Time,
aquaponics-digest-request 'at' townsqr.com writes:
<< Bruce:
If you like to live happy, please follow my advice: stay away from
producing mushrooms !!! Leave others to do it.
Until now, there is not an hydroponic method to grow them. Most
mushrooms needs to decompose organic matter such as cellulose. They eat
nutrients to grow from the products obtained by this decomposition.
Hydroponic solutions are all inorganics. Mushrooms doesn't like them.
>>
| Message 23
Subject: Re: Plastic Sealers
From: "Arlos"
Date: Wed, 30 May 2001 12:30:08 -0700
Mike,
If you are looking for a wedge welder for HDPE I can certainly recommend a
company for you to contact. They provide a 100% weld strength and can be
easily used in the field. When not being used to fabricate liners you can
put them to work making inflatables till the cows come home. Let me know if
this is the piece of equipment you want?
Good Hunting,
Arlos
-----Original Message-----
From: dreadlox 'at' cwjamaica.com
To: aquaponics 'at' townsqr.com
Date: Wednesday, May 30, 2001 11:42 AM
Subject: Plastic Sealers
>Arlos, I had asked a few weeks back re a good welder for liners. Can you
>recommend one to me? I am also interested in looking for one which I can
>use on very long seems of heavy gauge liner, say 50-100 meters. I
>remember seeing something that looks like that thing that they use for
>measuring land
a measuring wheel?? with a heater inbuilt
am I
>right??
>BTW Bruce your points re aeration were heard
.Im thinking that aeration
>is one of those things that folks will represent according to what
>technology is available to them. It is a known fact however that
>paddlewheel aerators, for all their clumsyness, are one of the best
>aerators.
>I was on a tilapia farm yesterday where the water in the pond was almost
>choppy by the 3-4 inch waves across the pond
. and this contantly. The
>farmer was reporting 4grams a day growth! And >420 grs growth in 9
>weeks! So yes I do agree with you to an extent.
>
>I am now wondering if I could use the rear axle of a smal vehicle to
>conjure up a wind powered aerator
. well o whip the water on a chute as
>you described maybe??
>
>hmmm
of to the drawing board again.>
>Mike.>
>(sticking the pencil behind my ear again
)
>
>JAMAICA.
>
>
>Arlos wrote:
>>
> As an engineer I tend to build
>> with FRP and use an extrusion , wedge and fusion welder on a variety of
>> thermal plastics from PVC to PVDF, sheet, rod and pipe, including HDPE
and
>> hypalon liners. Drop a note if you need help with design and fabrication
>> problems.
>
| Message 24
Subject: Re: Basil
From: Katie Rezendes
Date: Wed, 30 May 2001 17:06:02 -0400
Adriana,
Thanks for the reply. Your information clears up the misleading info on
the $22.40 a SQ Ft, every month. In order to be accurate the price of
the clamshell containers must first be subtracted from the .70c a 1/2
oz. Does anyone know how much the containers cost.
Thanks for your reply Adriana
Kevin & Katie
Portsmouth, RI
gutierrez-lagatta wrote:
>
> No, Gordon is not dreaming, those are real figures. Some of his
> clients are growing basil for Melissa's which sells the cut herbs to
> Walmart. These are packaged in clamshell containers so there is a lot
> of labor and cost involved in packaging . A good bit of the $.70 is
> for the clamshell. I do recommend his sytem.
>
> Adriana
>
> > I Just finished reading an article in the magazine FUTUREGROW, issue
> 8.
> > titled Commercial Hydroponics in the U.S.A
> >
> > The author, Gordon Creaser claims that he is working with growers in
> > Florida that are selling cut Basil for .70c a half ounce bag, and
> > producing 1lb of basil per sq ft of grow space per month. That works
> out
> > to $22.40!! a month per sq ft. Is This guy dreaming or did I just
> die
> > and go to haven.
| Message 25
Subject: Re: Growbed questions for Bert McLaughlin was: Introduction
From: Bill Patrick
Date: Wed, 30 May 2001 18:00:31 -0400
TGTX wrote:
>
> > Ted,
> > Looks like about the simplest grow bed design, along the same lines I've
> > been thinking, would cost me $35.29 (current Home Depot prices) per box
> > not including glue/screws and liner. I'm interested to hear if they bow
> > any over time, while just being supported at each corner. By the way
> > what is FRP?
> > Bill
>
> Is "per box" a 4' X 8' x 1' deep box? or only 6" deep?
Ted,
6" is what I had in mind. Like Bert says, if they starts to bow I can
always, put some more concrete blocks under them.
> Bow and sag depends on span and gravel depth (weight per sq.ft). Come on,
> Bill you're the rocket scientist, you know this force and gravity stuff for
> cryin' out loud ! ;-).
Never claimed to be a rocket scientist, just a guy who likes fire, smoke
and living in central Florida.
Billmyster
| Message 26
Subject: Aquaponic Cantaloupes and Carrots Was: Re: TOP TEN FOODS, was: another
system update
From: Bill Patrick
Date: Wed, 30 May 2001 18:14:12 -0400
Newbie questions here
> FRUIT HALL OF FAME:
> 2. Cantaloupe
>
> 10. Watermelons (yes indeed
get it all over ya, and spit the seeds at the
How is the fruit of melons such as Cantaloupe and Watermelons kept dry
while being grown in ebb/flow growbeds? Don't these viney (is that a
word?) plants take up a lot of space?
>
> VEGETABLE VAHALLA:
>
> 1. Sweet Potato (could eat them every day
.with Tilapia on the same
> plate
.is great)
> 2. Carrots (yes indeed, steamed, roasted, juiced, added to the pot roast, or
> as a pair, inserted vertically beneath the upper lip to give the kids a wild
> hoot in one of my rare walrus imitations.)
Do you need extra deep growbeds for carrots? Can you really grow
potatoes in an ebb/flow growbeds?
Just curious!
Bill
>
| Message 27
Subject: cheap grow beds
From: "Steven Medlock"
Date: Wed, 30 May 2001 18:02:00 -0500
This is a multi-part message in MIME format.
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charset="iso-8859-1"
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The MFA is a farm store. just a retailerin the midwest that sell feed =
and equipment to farmers and the public. The beds are three feet two =
feet deep and three feet wide and eight feet long. Any farm eq. store =
should be able to provide this. I will get the name of the actual co. =
that makes them.
Steve
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The MFA is a farm store. just a =
retailerin the=20
midwest that sell feed and equipment to farmers and the =
public. The=20
beds are three feet two feet deep and three feet wide and eight feet =
long. =20
Any farm eq. store should be able to provide this. I will get the =
name of=20
the actual co. that makes them.
Steve
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| Message 28
Subject: Re: K leaching
From: "TGTX"
Date: Wed, 30 May 2001 19:45:20 -0500
Any salt of potassium is generally very soluble, like sodium salts.
Phosphorus, on the other hand, tends to be present in feces as more
organically bound or as perhaps a calcium salt, and these are much less
soluble than any species of potassium, but it is not just the ksp to be
considered as I have suggested before
.it is not just what happens in a
test tube with pure inorganic salts in solution that comes into play but
bacterial and organic compound mediation that complicates the mix
.but
yes, generally speaking the potassium is there in soluble form from the
get-go, whereas about 80% of the total phosphorus is associated with the
solids and the kinetics of phosphorus dynamics exchange between various
components of the system may be a bit slower
----- Original Message -----
From: LABERGE MARC
To: aqua
Sent: Wednesday, May 30, 2001 12:34 AM
Subject: K leaching
> Anyone have any info on Potassium
. how fast it can leach out of solid
> feces with respect to phosphates ?
> Marc Laberge
> Mont Tremblant
> Quebec , Canada
>
>
| Message 29
Subject: Re: cheap grow beds
From: "TGTX"
Date: Wed, 30 May 2001 19:56:11 -0500
Hey, Steve, just a friendly reminder to set your email software to plain
text instead of html mode, pardner
Anyway, that Mfg wouldn't be Behlen, would it?
Adios,
Tejas Ted
>eight feet long. Any farm eq. store should be able to provide this. I
will get the name >of the actual co. that makes them.
>Steve
| Message 30
Subject: Re: Aquaponic Cantaloupes and Carrots Was: Re: TOP TEN FOODS, was: another system
update
From: "TGTX"
Date: Wed, 30 May 2001 20:44:23 -0500
> Newbie questions here
> > FRUIT HALL OF FAME:
> > 2. Cantaloupe
> > 10. Watermelons (yes indeed
get it all over ya, and spit the seeds at
the
> How is the fruit of melons such as Cantaloupe and Watermelons kept dry
> while being grown in ebb/flow growbeds? Don't these viney (is that a
> word?) plants take up a lot of space?
But of course they do. Since I have not done this melon thing, ahem, you
just have to figure that out
.HA!!
> > VEGETABLE VAHALLA:
> > 1. Sweet Potato (could eat them every day
.with Tilapia on the same
> > plate
.is great)
> > 2. Carrots (yes indeed, steamed, roasted, juiced, added to the pot
roast, or
> > as a pair, inserted vertically beneath the upper lip to give the kids a
wild
> > hoot in one of my rare walrus imitations.)
> Do you need extra deep growbeds for carrots? Can you really grow
> potatoes in an ebb/flow growbeds?
Don't know
but I challenge you
.why not? Seems like sand and/or
perlite culture for root crops would be better for those carrots, spuds,
parsnips, and horseradish
.etc
but who knows? I challenge you to find
out for yourself
.Heh, heh, heh
(Hint
in which I shall taunt you
I grew gigantic Chard
and
honkin' beets
.in gravel
.now go out and do the work
."JUST DO
IT"
) Heh, heh, heh.
Ted
| Message 31
Subject: Re: Aquaponic Cantaloupe.From: "Sunpeer"
Date: Wed, 30 May 2001 22:04:25 -0400
<>>>>>
some nice photos of a NASA project growing hyrdo sweet potato :
http://advlifesupport.jsc.nasa.gov/SweetPotato.html
| Message 32
Subject: Re: cheap grow beds
From: "Steven Medlock"
Date: Wed, 30 May 2001 21:23:27 -0500
----- Original Message -----
From: TGTX
To:
Sent: Wednesday, May 30, 2001 7:56 PM
Subject: Re: cheap grow beds
> Hey, Steve, just a friendly reminder to set your email software to plain
> text instead of html mode, pardner
>
> Anyway, that Mfg wouldn't be Behlen, would it?
> Yes it would, they work great for me. I now have tomatoes growing.
How do I change the setting to plain text?
Sorry,
Steve
> Adios,
>
> Tejas Ted
>
> >eight feet long. Any farm eq. store should be able to provide this. I
> will get the name >of the actual co. that makes them.
> >Steve
>
>
| Message 33
Subject: K leaching
From: laberge 'at' cil.qc.ca (LABERGE MARC)
Date: Thu, 31 May 2001 00:18:12 -0400
Thanks Ted, your input and advice are always greatly appreciated !
Marc Laberge
Mont Tremblant
Quebec , Canada
| Message 34
Subject: Re: Aquaponic Cantaloupes and Carrots Was: Re: TOP TEN FOODS, was:
another system update
From: Katie Rezendes
Date: Wed, 30 May 2001 23:18:23 -0400
Hey Bill,
I Currently have a small system in a backyard greenhouse with gravel
growbeds that are 7" deep, and my carrots are doing great. The ones I
have pulled out are about 3" long, but have a medicine taste to them.
Not sure if it's from the warm temp in the greenhouse, or because there
just to small. Also last months Growing Edge Magazine had an article
about growing Potatoes hydrophonicly.
Bill Patrick wrote:
>
> Newbie questions here
>
> > FRUIT HALL OF FAME:
>
> > 2. Cantaloupe
> >
> > 10. Watermelons (yes indeed
get it all over ya, and spit the seeds at the
>
> How is the fruit of melons such as Cantaloupe and Watermelons kept dry
> while being grown in ebb/flow growbeds? Don't these viney (is that a
> word?) plants take up a lot of space?
>
> >
> > VEGETABLE VAHALLA:
> >
> > 1. Sweet Potato (could eat them every day
.with Tilapia on the same
> > plate
.is great)
> > 2. Carrots (yes indeed, steamed, roasted, juiced, added to the pot roast, or
> > as a pair, inserted vertically beneath the upper lip to give the kids a wild
> > hoot in one of my rare walrus imitations.)
>
> Do you need extra deep growbeds for carrots? Can you really grow
> potatoes in an ebb/flow growbeds?
>
> Just curious!
>
> Bill
> >
|
