New small aquaponics experiment

[duanes]

A few weeks ago it started with some New Zealand spinach cuttings that grew quickly, and leaves were added to pasta soon after, stems still growing.

spinach roots

Next basil cutting were tried in the same manner (holes cut in a egg packaging) and doing well.

basil roots

after that a few more herbs were tried with less than stellar results.
Both cilantro and broad leaf parsley simply withered away

and the root ends of green onions, seem to be quite tasty to th Andinoacara, so get dragged into the tank and chewed to bits.
The latest herb attempt are some nubs from Culantro, a broad leaf similar tasting herb to cilantro, so far starting to grow, and left alone by the fish.

They float in a 180 gallon tank on the patio, that gets a couple hours of intense morning sun, and some late afternoon indirect sun.
No artificial light at all, pH 8, no detectable nitrate.
Stock is 12 x 3"-5" Panamanian G.T.s, one 4 inch Pleco, two 3" Roeboides tetras, and a 5" Awaous goby

 

[Ulu]

I want a tank on the patio too.

My wife wants me to hide it out back in my junkyard where I work on my old cars and boat.

 

[duanes]

Before my X-wife divorced me, my tanks were all hidden in a corner of the basement.
They weren't the only reason she cast me out, but they were the straw.

 

[Gourami Swami]

Looks like all of your aquatic plants are doing great duanes. Tank looks very natural and like a great home for the fish. And cool that you are getting some basil etc. out of it.
Still dealing with the slow leak?

 

[Matteus]

Neat. It’s like a natural Panamanian biotope. Even with some natural “litter” used to grow the plants. Very cool idea

 

[duanes]

Little leak yet, although after resealing with 3M Adhesive marine sealant, its about 90% less than it was before, at least so far for a couple hours in the morning.
Only leaks when the sun hits the tank directly.
And Matteus, things have never been better than now.

 

[Ulu]

Before my X-wife divorced me, my tanks were all hidden in a corner of the basement.
They weren't the only reason she cast me out, but they were the straw.

I only had one tank when I was single. I bought a larger tank when I married, and another tank, and another etc.
My wife doesn't really freak at all the fish, as she keeps 2 cats and 2 dogs. She understands; but, when I got to ten aquariums my wife told me I was obsessed.

It was always my intention to have larger and fewer tanks. I have retired 2 small ones and now I have 8. One of those became a sump, so eliminated that tank plus made another easier to keep.

But she is concerned that I am stressing myself over the fish when I should be enjoying retirement (and cleaning up my junk.)

 

[duanes]

Appears as though Culantro is working out as pretty good candidate for aquaponics.

Rainy season has finally arrived so tannins are dripping into the tank, and sump from the over hanging foliage, and flower drop, turning the water tea colored.

The added soft water from rain and tannins have dropped pH from around 8, to 7.4.

 

[Ulu]

Well it looks like I'm going to have a tank on the patio.

I'm going to have room for it there because I'm tearing down our old chimney.

I hope to grow some edible plants out there. The indoor plants are growing quite well because of the grow light but frankly I just hate having grow lights in my house.

There's enough natural sunlight here that I shouldn't have to worry about it.

 

[duanes]

Well it looks like I'm going to have a tank on the patio.

I'm going to have room for it there because I'm tearing down our old chimney.

I hope to grow some edible plants out there. The indoor plants are growing quite well because of the grow light but frankly I just hate having grow lights in my house.

There's enough natural sunlight here that I shouldn't have to worry about it.

It gets cool at night in your area, if I lived there, I'd get species from Uruguay that could easily take the temp shifts (they are some of my favorites anyway. I had some that spawned outside in my tanks and ponds in Milwaukee.

above Australoheros sp Red Ceibal with fry in an algae filled outside tank, below, Gymnogeophagus "yerbalito spawning in a pond, where temps would drop into the 50s at night


Below another species of Gymnogeophagus (sp Paso Pache) also with fry, in an outdoor pond in Milwaukee