Aquaponics Update – January 2015

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We are smack dab in the middle of winter, the first for our aquaponics set up. It’s been an extremely mild winter so far, and we aren’t experiencing any problems due to the season. The fish are growing. The plants are growing. All seems well.

 

TILAPIA

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Tilapia in the bottom tank. They are growing slower than those in the main tank.

 

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The fish in the main tank are quite a bit larger than those in the lower tank. But due to the set up I can’t get a decent photo of them. So, I asked Farmer John if he could catch one. We don’t have the appropriate tools for catching growing tilapia, though, and he never did get one. Darn it.

 

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Duckweed grows like crazy & the fish love it. We keep it contained in this floating bed. This is to keep the fish from devouring it all & not allowing any to reproduce.

 

 

IN THE GROW BEDS

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Top Left: One grow bed doesn’t have enough grow medium in it, which means the water gets above the clay pebbles. Because of this, duckweed survives in that grow bed. That’s fine. It keeps the fish from devouring it all. Right & Bottom Left: I am shocked at how well the geraniums are doing.

 

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The middle grow bed has gone crazy with tomatoes & tomatillos.