May- June 2014

This is the May and June update of my small aquaponics system. I removed most of the unproductive plants and change the growing media into lightweight expanded clay-ball. I bought it (expanded clay-ball) from one aquaponics friend.

One of the grow bed started to clog, and it is time for me to get into some business. There are lot of things to be told, but let the pictures tell the story.

 

Time to remove those poor looking kangkong. Their productive period has ended.

 

The roots look very healthy.

 

Remove all of them.

 

The chilli pot must go too.

 

Time to clear the grow bed.

 

Transfer to temporary container.

 

The bottom of the grow bed was quite dirty, but no smell at all.

 

Thick sludge accumulated.

 

The grow bed has no worms, but these little guy are plenty.

 

The job is done, time to fill it back with cleaned media.

 

First, a layer of cleaned media (river pebbles).

 

Quick wash on the expanded clay-ball.

 

Another layer of clay-ball.

 

Re-planted/ re-introduce plants to the system.

 

That was one story. The next story would be on the daily discovery on my aquaponics system, and around my house and hometown.

Some aquaponics chillies.

 

More chillies.

 

Harvest.

 

Some herbs (we call it kusur), they are so healthy.

 

My other aquaponics system, need some adjustment.

 

Bell siphon set (Affnan's Siphon).

 

Some of the tilapia.

 

Basil plants on pot.

 

Some kantan flowers,

 

..in kantan bush.
 

Curry leaves.

 

 Some herbs, smell exactly like kantan, and used in the same way.

 



Catfish and tilapia breeding pond, lot of catfish and tilapias. You could see the level of nutrients in the water from the growth of the plants.

 

Some mushroom in our farm. It pop out from the ground. This tell you just how big the mycelium network under the ground.

 

Tilapia feeding frenzy.

 

These banana plants are growing in hard and rocky earth. I have no idea how they manage to produce that much of fruits. But every month, these guy on producing,

 

..one bunch, but sometimes two or more bunches at the same time. This is our small garden of banana. This variety called by the locals green banana, because when it ripe, it stay green. You have to touch it to know. The plants is short (5-6 feet), made the whole harvesting process really easy.

 

Some herbs (we call it ulam raja/ king's herb). I always pick them in the morning from my aquaponics system, and eat them raw.

 

Palm size blue tilapia.

 

Look at those small tilapia fries, I thought those tilapia would never breed in such a densely stocked pond. But I was wrong.

 

Finally, man made marvel :D