tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47627574301613745882024-03-13T19:18:27.392+08:00Aska's AquaponicsThe story of my semi-automatic fish and vegetables production machine in my backyard.William Aska Limhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00109734144886159049noreply@blogger.comBlogger30125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4762757430161374588.post-10849188172678540822013-05-14T01:34:00.003+08:002013-05-14T01:46:07.914+08:00Old News, Bad News, & Good NewsFinally! Another update after a long period of dormancy! Not that I totally neglected aquaponics, I just don't have anything fun or nice to show off. Unlike other people's system, mine isn't that successful. No lush jungle growth or monster fish. I've yet to enjoy my first fully aquaponics meal like the one shown in Murray Hallam's video.<br />
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Anyway here's an update of my system. I'll start with some old pictures, followed by bad news and then finally the good news!<br />
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Here are some NICE old pictures taken over the last 3 months:<br />
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<u><b>17 March</b></u></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-evCH_3cLA1U/UZEJE2uVPyI/AAAAAAAAAn0/9efaXgmVeFo/s1600/IMG_1072.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-evCH_3cLA1U/UZEJE2uVPyI/AAAAAAAAAn0/9efaXgmVeFo/s320/IMG_1072.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Overgrown tomato "bush"</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JV8gPKQcx5U/UZEJG-qfQDI/AAAAAAAAAn8/y341kNQMtVo/s1600/IMG_1073.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JV8gPKQcx5U/UZEJG-qfQDI/AAAAAAAAAn8/y341kNQMtVo/s320/IMG_1073.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bak Choy doing well in the beginning...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VmU6QzoS8vY/UZEJI3xSRlI/AAAAAAAAAoE/IZ3oQd-wquk/s1600/IMG_1076.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VmU6QzoS8vY/UZEJI3xSRlI/AAAAAAAAAoE/IZ3oQd-wquk/s320/IMG_1076.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Single tomato flower. They kept falling off in the beginning.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Zd-7u9xCOn4/UZEMJspet8I/AAAAAAAAAp0/6rJ5BImhYTQ/s1600/IMG_1080.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Zd-7u9xCOn4/UZEMJspet8I/AAAAAAAAAp0/6rJ5BImhYTQ/s320/IMG_1080.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Purple okra never did well. They were infested by aphids. I had them removed later.</td></tr>
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<u><b>21 March</b></u></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-k17QqjbyOpo/UZEKIQU2TYI/AAAAAAAAAoQ/NlfjUzbvUYM/s1600/IMG_1083.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-k17QqjbyOpo/UZEKIQU2TYI/AAAAAAAAAoQ/NlfjUzbvUYM/s320/IMG_1083.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gave the tomato plants some trimming. Lots of flowers but no fruits.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xt6_eExcGSM/UZEKKaN3HdI/AAAAAAAAAoY/LXecBU5surA/s1600/IMG_1084.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xt6_eExcGSM/UZEKKaN3HdI/AAAAAAAAAoY/LXecBU5surA/s320/IMG_1084.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Left growbed</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YvpH_uegy5I/UZEKOn52VBI/AAAAAAAAAos/vcHbdnRfjGc/s1600/IMG_1086.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YvpH_uegy5I/UZEKOn52VBI/AAAAAAAAAos/vcHbdnRfjGc/s320/IMG_1086.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ripening chilli fruit</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-O-QsmbfVKIw/UZEKMOGLiqI/AAAAAAAAAog/167KDuKo68E/s1600/IMG_1085.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-O-QsmbfVKIw/UZEKMOGLiqI/AAAAAAAAAog/167KDuKo68E/s320/IMG_1085.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fully ripen chilli next to a green one</td></tr>
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During that time, my chilli plant went berserk and produced around 15 fruits. Juicy chillies! They were hot as well.<br />
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<u><b>15 April</b></u></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pKivCXuzBPo/UZEKilyHcaI/AAAAAAAAAo0/qy-CvUJSM5s/s1600/IMG_1089.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pKivCXuzBPo/UZEKilyHcaI/AAAAAAAAAo0/qy-CvUJSM5s/s320/IMG_1089.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trimmed the tomato again. Bak choy showing signs of deficiency. The bottom was also getting overcrowded that time.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Jocr0--ULts/UZEK1X3g-II/AAAAAAAAAo8/6vY26rSYEnQ/s1600/IMG_1094.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Jocr0--ULts/UZEK1X3g-II/AAAAAAAAAo8/6vY26rSYEnQ/s320/IMG_1094.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is a single piece of root from ONE tomato plant that had been clogging the right growbed's outlet pipe.</td></tr>
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Okay, back to present time. Now the bad news...<br />
The plants have been showing signs of nutrient deficiency. It looks like a lack of potassium or magnesium... or maybe both. I don't really know. Also, I removed all except one Bak Choy plant because they weren't growing so well. Most were stunted with brown edges. I threw most of them in to the tilapia tank.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UM3nZUFNqqY/UZELNBhifLI/AAAAAAAAApE/lRYZiwU1rtg/s1600/IMG_1108.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UM3nZUFNqqY/UZELNBhifLI/AAAAAAAAApE/lRYZiwU1rtg/s320/IMG_1108.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chilli plant had stopped bearing fruits like crazy</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yEEHSktb_1Y/UZELPA9LDEI/AAAAAAAAApM/VdorYCtUcXA/s1600/IMG_1110.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yEEHSktb_1Y/UZELPA9LDEI/AAAAAAAAApM/VdorYCtUcXA/s320/IMG_1110.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leaves yellowing with brown edges. Curled up as well. What could it be?</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BmdTwRlIKxE/UZELRJB51zI/AAAAAAAAApU/etRlZNnuyXY/s1600/IMG_1111.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BmdTwRlIKxE/UZELRJB51zI/AAAAAAAAApU/etRlZNnuyXY/s320/IMG_1111.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roselle have not been doing well since the beginning</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tHiSrrjQj2A/UZELTRg7_kI/AAAAAAAAApc/vRLTFQUBWZ8/s1600/IMG_1112.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tHiSrrjQj2A/UZELTRg7_kI/AAAAAAAAApc/vRLTFQUBWZ8/s320/IMG_1112.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New growth showing sign of chlorosis. Growth is slow too.</td></tr>
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The remedy the problem, I've been adding potassium in to the system in the form of cream of tartar. I couldn't find any other forms of potassium. Previously, I used to bury banana flesh in the growbeds.<br />
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For magnesium, I used dolomite lime. It contains calcium and magnesium, but I read from somewhere that I shouldn't use too much of this stuff.<br />
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Finally, the good news...! :D<br />
The good news we've all been waiting for!<br />
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WE...<br />
HAVE...<br />
TOMATOES!!!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6mjH1tbHUQM/UZEMTSIak9I/AAAAAAAAAp8/Y1LrkRCHnN8/s1600/IMG_1117.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6mjH1tbHUQM/UZEMTSIak9I/AAAAAAAAAp8/Y1LrkRCHnN8/s320/IMG_1117.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Indeterminate tomato plants need plenty of space. I'm still learning how to grow them.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-F-RtYXjQTi4/UZENDGyiqMI/AAAAAAAAAqU/2quWWiL86x4/s1600/IMG_1104.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-F-RtYXjQTi4/UZENDGyiqMI/AAAAAAAAAqU/2quWWiL86x4/s320/IMG_1104.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Green tomato!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--oePRcyI0no/UZENBDepDOI/AAAAAAAAAqM/tR7Djn19Pfo/s1600/IMG_1102.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--oePRcyI0no/UZENBDepDOI/AAAAAAAAAqM/tR7Djn19Pfo/s320/IMG_1102.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A red one there! 4 on the left! Don't ask... Yes, I have eaten that one. Firm, sweet, & juicy!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LDXUwMhOyq4/UZEM-_tjMnI/AAAAAAAAAqE/JLMSdctsqIQ/s1600/IMG_1101.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LDXUwMhOyq4/UZEM-_tjMnI/AAAAAAAAAqE/JLMSdctsqIQ/s320/IMG_1101.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More tomatoes!</td></tr>
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My tomatoes didn't bear any fruits at first. Just flowers, no fruits. That was until I started adding cream of tartar in to my system. I wasn't sure how much cream of tartar I'm supposed to put in to my system, so I just added 1 teaspoon every week. I've already stopped adding them and will only continue once my plants show signs of potassium deficiency again.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xTjE7r9G7TU/UZENFXOpwyI/AAAAAAAAAqc/CC8f9POWKBs/s1600/IMG_1105.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xTjE7r9G7TU/UZENFXOpwyI/AAAAAAAAAqc/CC8f9POWKBs/s320/IMG_1105.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This basil plant which once was a mysterious seedling now growing healthily. I wasn't sure how the seed got there. I think it is Genovese.</td></tr>
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Fish water is getting clearer recently. I'm not entirely sure why, but I think it's due to the tomato plants working hard to suck out nitrates from the system which then improves the efficiency of the nitrifying bacteria. Or maybe it's due to the massive tomato root system which helps to capture suspended solids in the water.<br />
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It's been a year since I bought my tilapia and they haven't reached plate size yet. They don't eat much; only a handful of pellets everyday. They also don't grow at the same speeds. Some are like 9 inches long while some remained at only 3 inches. I'm not very experienced with fish keeping, but I think water quality effects their growth. It's like the fish instinctively go on a diet to reduce poop saturation levels. Oh well, not that I'm in a hurry.<br />
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Thanks for reading!William Aska Limhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00109734144886159049noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4762757430161374588.post-13792325500803926522013-02-15T16:17:00.001+08:002013-02-15T16:27:46.192+08:00DIY On Demand FeederLast week, during Chinese New Year, I had to visit my hometown in Malacca for 5 days. Feeling worried that my fish will starve (perhaps even die) during the holidays, I quickly made a simple on-demand fish feeder out of materials available in my house before I begin my trip. The design is based on several DIY videos I found on youtube and some aquaculture PDF files that can be googled.<br />
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Though my design was based on the commonly used pendulum demand fish feeder, the food release mechanism works differently. The usual design requires the pendulum rod to be extended below the surface of the water so that the fish can activate the food release mechanism by bumping the rod. The problem is that my rod is made from iron and is slightly galvanized. Since I can't have the rod touching the water, I tied a string to the end of the rod and attached a ball of cotton rope at the bottom end of the string which floats on the surface acting as bait. When a fish bites and pulls the bait, the whole feeder shakes, releasing some pellets in to the water. Once the feeder was set up, I left my house with my fingers crossed in hopes that my tilapia will soon learn how to use it.<br />
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When I returned home, 5 days later, I found the feeder empty. The fish seemed happy, but I wasn't sure if the fish had learned how to use it yet. I refilled the feeder and stood in front of the tank for 30 minutes to see how the fish "use" it. Most fish just nibble or "kiss" the bait but occasionally a clever fish (perhaps just hungry for a bite) will pull and jerk it hard enough to release enough pellets to feed several fish. The feeder works!<br />
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The way my feeder works is by taking advantage of tilapia's feeding behavior. When they feel hungry, they will start nibbling on anything they can find. The ball of white cotton rope with its hairy cotton strands looks attractive (at least to me) to them. Pulling the bait hard will shake the feeder which releases pellets in to the water where the fish can snack on. When the tilapias are full, they are less likely to nibble the bait. This way, feeding times will be much more regular which I hope will increase their growth rate and also provide less stress to the filtration system.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hopper made out of mineral water bottle.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EH5-huikPCg/UR3V9MzAedI/AAAAAAAAAlU/XrT7gL0yrsA/s1600/IMG_1052.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EH5-huikPCg/UR3V9MzAedI/AAAAAAAAAlU/XrT7gL0yrsA/s320/IMG_1052.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The disc is made out of a piece of thick paper with a bottle cap below it secured by rubber band.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-A0hM7Mly6SA/UR3V-PK-ODI/AAAAAAAAAlg/7vJm6VZFOVg/s1600/IMG_1054.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-A0hM7Mly6SA/UR3V-PK-ODI/AAAAAAAAAlg/7vJm6VZFOVg/s320/IMG_1054.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bait made out of a white cotton rope.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
As usual, I will also include several photos of the plants...<br />
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<u><b>Plants</b></u></h2>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-L6-cbjm1Il8/UR3V_QK7AvI/AAAAAAAAAls/cumCeYgf8h0/s1600/IMG_1056.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-L6-cbjm1Il8/UR3V_QK7AvI/AAAAAAAAAls/cumCeYgf8h0/s320/IMG_1056.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tomato (12" tall).</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LKhf7TS_-WE/UR3V_rYn_BI/AAAAAAAAAl4/dPwQB_fOu_A/s1600/IMG_1057.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LKhf7TS_-WE/UR3V_rYn_BI/AAAAAAAAAl4/dPwQB_fOu_A/s320/IMG_1057.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bok Choy seems to be having iron deficiency.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-icSFTI-boOs/UR3WAzAwQDI/AAAAAAAAAl8/eJUoJMZueNI/s1600/IMG_1058.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-icSFTI-boOs/UR3WAzAwQDI/AAAAAAAAAl8/eJUoJMZueNI/s320/IMG_1058.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Red Okra having problems standing upright due to the recent rain.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IYzdJ7bUsfU/UR3WBP2jHAI/AAAAAAAAAmE/zTX2JdKCzHM/s1600/IMG_1059.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IYzdJ7bUsfU/UR3WBP2jHAI/AAAAAAAAAmE/zTX2JdKCzHM/s320/IMG_1059.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roselle cuttings at the left and flowering kang kong plant at the right.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ff5sFbyhH50/UR3WBjYfGZI/AAAAAAAAAmI/Q5zodxOZdwo/s1600/IMG_1061.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ff5sFbyhH50/UR3WBjYfGZI/AAAAAAAAAmI/Q5zodxOZdwo/s320/IMG_1061.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fruiting chilli plant.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Thanks for reading!<br />
<br />
:-DWilliam Aska Limhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00109734144886159049noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4762757430161374588.post-3674605830939366722013-02-02T12:35:00.000+08:002013-02-02T12:38:35.171+08:00Trapping a Thief<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>The Thief </b></div>
<br />
Recently, a creature had been stealing my tilapia food. It made a big hole through the cover to gain access. I wasn't sure what it was but all i know is it has strong teeth. I suspect it must be the same squirrel as before.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YZRYjSHWBPA/UQyNaq_2W3I/AAAAAAAAAjI/G1urit6OnwA/s1600/IMG_1035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YZRYjSHWBPA/UQyNaq_2W3I/AAAAAAAAAjI/G1urit6OnwA/s320/IMG_1035.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The hole at the top chewed out by the creature</td></tr>
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So, I planned to give it a surprise by cleverly modifying the food container into a trap. I removed all the fish food, and filled the container half way with water. I then soak several plastic bags and a big piece of saran wrap inside the water to give the creature something buoyant to stand on but not rigid enough to allow it to jump out. Once the trap is set, I left it alone for a day.<br />
<br />
This morning, to my surprise, the victim was a rat. I was expecting a squirrel. There, it couldn't jump out.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q2oYr38E_Oc/UQyNa56cp7I/AAAAAAAAAjM/EoCwgH7yvF0/s1600/IMG_1036.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q2oYr38E_Oc/UQyNa56cp7I/AAAAAAAAAjM/EoCwgH7yvF0/s320/IMG_1036.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The rat; resting on the plastic bag</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xXH-3HGdzX4/UQyNa8FetaI/AAAAAAAAAjQ/Jeisf531168/s1600/IMG_1038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xXH-3HGdzX4/UQyNa8FetaI/AAAAAAAAAjQ/Jeisf531168/s320/IMG_1038.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The plastic bag provides enough buoyancy for it to stick its nose above the surface while sitting</td></tr>
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I released it and hoped that it learns not to come here again. There was a lot of rat poop in the water and it smells like rat. Need to wash the container... ( =_=) viruses... and bacteria...<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>The Plants </b></div>
<br />
And now, about the plants. The plants...<br />
I found something interesting about kangkong plant. It is very tough. It doesn't give up easily. Last week, when I was clearing the left growbed, I removed all but the top most kangkong vines that were creeping on the PVC shade. The vines, without its roots, soon dries out. But to my surprise, it bloom new flowers!<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bedzE1cupGY/UQyNcTECSdI/AAAAAAAAAjg/_bfDD7hWMwU/s1600/IMG_1041.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bedzE1cupGY/UQyNcTECSdI/AAAAAAAAAjg/_bfDD7hWMwU/s320/IMG_1041.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dried kangkong vines hanging at the top of the shade</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FnXzVZ1cp6A/UQyNcdJtnkI/AAAAAAAAAjk/ZzkcviwfqrQ/s1600/IMG_1040.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FnXzVZ1cp6A/UQyNcdJtnkI/AAAAAAAAAjk/ZzkcviwfqrQ/s320/IMG_1040.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A single white flower (smaller than usual) and several new flower buds at the bottom (not shown)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
My tomato and pak choy seedlings are doing well under the new morning brightness. The pruned kang kong is regrowing its shoots very fast. As for the chilli plant, it is going crazy growing new shoots since getting exposed to direct sunlight.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-87SkgQPbL2o/UQyNc_LQ-fI/AAAAAAAAAjw/j0NEYVWsFlA/s1600/IMG_1042.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-87SkgQPbL2o/UQyNc_LQ-fI/AAAAAAAAAjw/j0NEYVWsFlA/s320/IMG_1042.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tomato, pak choy, and kang kong seedlings</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-A10PsKWT3Xs/UQyNfxb_T7I/AAAAAAAAAkY/YSYyNg98-Z0/s1600/IMG_1049.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-A10PsKWT3Xs/UQyNfxb_T7I/AAAAAAAAAkY/YSYyNg98-Z0/s320/IMG_1049.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mutant tomato seedling. It remained at the cotyledon stage without growing true leaves.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-N0I7znuyXmo/UQyNdhV7unI/AAAAAAAAAj0/S2DsK9NsoGI/s1600/IMG_1043.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-N0I7znuyXmo/UQyNdhV7unI/AAAAAAAAAj0/S2DsK9NsoGI/s320/IMG_1043.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Centre: Kang kong growing new shoots. Left: Roselle cuttings bought from the market</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-A2a8Fvgyc-Q/UQyNeZElAXI/AAAAAAAAAj8/V6n4cYmZExY/s1600/IMG_1044.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-A2a8Fvgyc-Q/UQyNeZElAXI/AAAAAAAAAj8/V6n4cYmZExY/s320/IMG_1044.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chilli plant. The left shoot is growing very fast.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-53evPAPgFCo/UQyNe8oIOpI/AAAAAAAAAkE/xPqxq6UiLCI/s1600/IMG_1045.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-53evPAPgFCo/UQyNe8oIOpI/AAAAAAAAAkE/xPqxq6UiLCI/s320/IMG_1045.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm not sure what variety it is. This plant was given to me by a friend. I do not know what is their harvest size.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-v6qKfHPnmOI/UQyNe39wcBI/AAAAAAAAAkI/7_Xn-8rxELY/s1600/IMG_1048.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-v6qKfHPnmOI/UQyNe39wcBI/AAAAAAAAAkI/7_Xn-8rxELY/s320/IMG_1048.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another fruit but this one is curled.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Thanks for reading! :-DWilliam Aska Limhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00109734144886159049noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4762757430161374588.post-30591933632602639052013-01-24T03:13:00.003+08:002013-01-24T03:19:18.880+08:00Renewed Energy!I'm back!<br />
<br />
Had been months since my last update. I didn't feel like updating my blog for so long because many of my plants were dying due to the <b>lack of direct sunlight</b> at the back of my house. My plants became sick and weak, and turned into easy targets for various bugs and fungi. The lack of plant growth leads to the accumulation of nitrates. To counter that, I reduced feeding rates of the fish to the point of stunting their growth. All these failures had drained my aquaponics motivation level so much that I had neglected my maintenance duties other than feeding the fish.<br />
<br />
But then, good news came! Last week, after months of lodging complaints and sending letter to my residential management office, they finally decided to prune that big tree behind my house. Finally, my grow bed gets to be bathed by direct sunlight! The back looks brighter now; I was joyful and I smiled...<br />
<br />
Here are some pics:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xFqeP0um_4w/UQAsAf6xe3I/AAAAAAAAAgk/sSNXnd9aeug/s1600/IMG_1015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xFqeP0um_4w/UQAsAf6xe3I/AAAAAAAAAgk/sSNXnd9aeug/s320/IMG_1015.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The tree after much of its major branches removed. I'm sorry tree, but you need to slim down.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-T_JH67gLcEM/UQAsAjZ9aTI/AAAAAAAAAgo/kJgBjjlN1dg/s1600/IMG_1016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-T_JH67gLcEM/UQAsAjZ9aTI/AAAAAAAAAgo/kJgBjjlN1dg/s320/IMG_1016.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Right grow bed: Mostly weeds, dead genovese basil, and dying okra.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uAhZ8w1OCXU/UQAsBYh2RvI/AAAAAAAAAg0/z1SBeQz3qbg/s1600/IMG_1017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uAhZ8w1OCXU/UQAsBYh2RvI/AAAAAAAAAg0/z1SBeQz3qbg/s320/IMG_1017.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Left grow bed: Hundreds of tree saplings, a chilli plant, kang kong, and one surviving japanese cucumber.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XHJZChbkv0Y/UQAsBjaLqfI/AAAAAAAAAg4/o9Bd6Tj7_vs/s1600/IMG_1018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XHJZChbkv0Y/UQAsBjaLqfI/AAAAAAAAAg4/o9Bd6Tj7_vs/s320/IMG_1018.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the one and only cucumber plant that survived. Unfortunately, the main stem at the bottom broke when a tree branch fell on my system while pruning the tree. It only bore one fruit.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HcK-OeVIRiw/UQAsBhof6WI/AAAAAAAAAg8/ivz0MhSHAbs/s1600/IMG_1019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HcK-OeVIRiw/UQAsBhof6WI/AAAAAAAAAg8/ivz0MhSHAbs/s320/IMG_1019.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">To reach for more sunlight, this kangkong had turned viney. It is producing lots of seeds though.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4hPFjqGZwAE/UQAsCIr0TqI/AAAAAAAAAhM/Hs2T-E-8n8U/s1600/IMG_1020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4hPFjqGZwAE/UQAsCIr0TqI/AAAAAAAAAhM/Hs2T-E-8n8U/s320/IMG_1020.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tilapia tank.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iwm0ffvtC5o/UQAsCb9fcsI/AAAAAAAAAhI/xADK5g4sUhA/s1600/IMG_1021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iwm0ffvtC5o/UQAsCb9fcsI/AAAAAAAAAhI/xADK5g4sUhA/s320/IMG_1021.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I tried to get a full view shot, but there's a wall behind me.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZLqMARY17ZE/UQAsDhfSYpI/AAAAAAAAAhk/-6iJWKCeoJU/s1600/IMG_1023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZLqMARY17ZE/UQAsDhfSYpI/AAAAAAAAAhk/-6iJWKCeoJU/s320/IMG_1023.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chilli fruit.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1YnDjXexGck/UQAsDZnI8lI/AAAAAAAAAhg/x1UJiCp0DnM/s1600/IMG_1024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1YnDjXexGck/UQAsDZnI8lI/AAAAAAAAAhg/x1UJiCp0DnM/s320/IMG_1024.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My favourite harvest, the single cucumber fruit before the plant died.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
With my spirits lifted, I proceeded to clear the right grow bed for new tenants. Here's a good chance to show you some of the red wrigglers that has been living in the beds for some time.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QfNDt_S5Mcg/UQAsDmkt70I/AAAAAAAAAhs/F-Adk5DQ9Gg/s1600/IMG_1025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QfNDt_S5Mcg/UQAsDmkt70I/AAAAAAAAAhs/F-Adk5DQ9Gg/s320/IMG_1025.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cleaned grow bed.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-m_qtaFQnCnM/UQAsEUab8XI/AAAAAAAAAiU/v1l_Hq4W7FM/s1600/IMG_1026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-m_qtaFQnCnM/UQAsEUab8XI/AAAAAAAAAiU/v1l_Hq4W7FM/s320/IMG_1026.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Can you see them?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wtGHJ_vHYrE/UQAsEwQPfwI/AAAAAAAAAh4/MrEmJrIUIL0/s1600/IMG_1027.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wtGHJ_vHYrE/UQAsEwQPfwI/AAAAAAAAAh4/MrEmJrIUIL0/s320/IMG_1027.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's another pic... See any worms?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I then bought a new batch of seeds. They are: Kai Lan, Aster Pink, Red Okra, Pak Choy, Coriander, and Tomato.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FazT06WaDRA/UQAsE7GGpGI/AAAAAAAAAiA/JF9uUoy0kio/s1600/IMG_1034.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FazT06WaDRA/UQAsE7GGpGI/AAAAAAAAAiA/JF9uUoy0kio/s320/IMG_1034.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Thanks for reading!<br />
:-DWilliam Aska Limhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00109734144886159049noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4762757430161374588.post-80720723904374653052012-10-10T03:44:00.002+08:002012-10-10T04:00:28.414+08:00PVC Aquaponics Shade3 weeks ago, I started building a shade for my aquaponics system to protect the plants from strong winds and heavy rain. As I am living in a gated townhouse, I am not allowed to make modifications to my veranda and bordering walls. Therefore, the criterias for my shade design are:<br />
<ul>
<li>cheap as possible</li>
<li>no drilling/nailing on existing walls and roofs</li>
<li>does not extend beyond the borders of my house</li>
<li>constructable with the power tools I have</li>
<li>able to withstand tropical winds and rain</li>
<li>leaves and water doesn't stay collected at the top</li>
<li>ease of cleaning (such as support legs that doesn't block the broom when sweeping underneath the system)</li>
<li>pleasant to look at</li>
</ul>
I came up with a few design and performed test simulations in my head to
see how they will stand up against the harshest weather in my area.
Finally, the candidate that scored the best is an "arch" design made
from 1/2" PVC pipe. I then did a rough sketchup model of my system with a
finished shade to estimate the length of PVC pipe needed.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-y6hAT1yRoDU/UHRnu3DfZ5I/AAAAAAAAAcI/-AJUKeNxMik/s1600/aquaponics.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-y6hAT1yRoDU/UHRnu3DfZ5I/AAAAAAAAAcI/-AJUKeNxMik/s400/aquaponics.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
The contruction of the shade was done over the course of a week during my free time. I also made some changes to the initial design by adding wider PVC pipes at the base for extra strength<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Phase 1: PVC Frame </b></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MWAVAqr66Qs/UHRn1W2AvCI/AAAAAAAAAcQ/6lPBsfWHr2s/s1600/IMG_0980.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MWAVAqr66Qs/UHRn1W2AvCI/AAAAAAAAAcQ/6lPBsfWHr2s/s320/IMG_0980.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All the pipes were held together using screws. Precision, precision, precision!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YmH4zxCdcsg/UHRn2VjrTEI/AAAAAAAAAcY/LXLnhP-GVrI/s1600/IMG_0981.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YmH4zxCdcsg/UHRn2VjrTEI/AAAAAAAAAcY/LXLnhP-GVrI/s320/IMG_0981.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Phase 2: Wire Bracing </b></div>
<br />
Doing this is HELL! I have to make sure all the braces are not too loose
and not too tight. Too little tension and the shade will be shaky. Too much and the pipes will have an unsightly bent. I can't remember how many times I redid all these wire bracing!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Rz7WnWp9ncc/UHRn4HEjAeI/AAAAAAAAAcg/mZfMHNPN2VU/s1600/IMG_0982.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Rz7WnWp9ncc/UHRn4HEjAeI/AAAAAAAAAcg/mZfMHNPN2VU/s320/IMG_0982.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Took me 3 days to get the all the wire tension right. At the end, all the hard work... is worth it!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VNoUA553QCk/UHRn5q4BtPI/AAAAAAAAAco/Ci0IESDXNtc/s1600/IMG_0983.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VNoUA553QCk/UHRn5q4BtPI/AAAAAAAAAco/Ci0IESDXNtc/s320/IMG_0983.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I used strings to pull the whole frame to the right shape before adding the wire bracing.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<b><span id="goog_181194188"></span><span id="goog_181194189"></span><span id="goog_181194190"></span><span id="goog_181194191"></span><span id="goog_181194212"></span><span id="goog_181194213"></span>Phase 3: Plastic Tarp<br /><span id="goog_181194192"></span><span id="goog_181194193"></span></b></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PDb2ZtLdpAM/UHRn6xIzrPI/AAAAAAAAAcs/ZbNz1ddXmCQ/s1600/IMG_0986.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PDb2ZtLdpAM/UHRn6xIzrPI/AAAAAAAAAcs/ZbNz1ddXmCQ/s320/IMG_0986.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These are greenhouse clips I made from 1/2" PVC pipe</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-neYDqv6F1RA/UHRn8TbD4HI/AAAAAAAAAc4/YIF5MbnOK2U/s1600/IMG_0988.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-neYDqv6F1RA/UHRn8TbD4HI/AAAAAAAAAc4/YIF5MbnOK2U/s320/IMG_0988.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Transparent plastic tarp that I bought from ACE hardware</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qJ1bJqOG474/UHRn9gLHKVI/AAAAAAAAAdA/ZdirdyNWd0Y/s1600/IMG_0989.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qJ1bJqOG474/UHRn9gLHKVI/AAAAAAAAAdA/ZdirdyNWd0Y/s320/IMG_0989.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh! Just look at that smiling kangkong! I can also hear my okras cheering... "Finally!"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Here are some closer shots of different parts of the shade:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Or9CJlG0wdQ/UHRoCIvEroI/AAAAAAAAAdY/YWD1WwUh2y4/s1600/IMG_0992.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Or9CJlG0wdQ/UHRoCIvEroI/AAAAAAAAAdY/YWD1WwUh2y4/s320/IMG_0992.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The base of the shade is screwed to the grow bed stand.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yn_AamCb3UM/UHRoDlleU6I/AAAAAAAAAdc/vhOqRPG3g9I/s1600/IMG_0993.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yn_AamCb3UM/UHRoDlleU6I/AAAAAAAAAdc/vhOqRPG3g9I/s320/IMG_0993.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wires are applied here to reduce shaking</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3HKNTnVjQ34/UHRoEmne8lI/AAAAAAAAAdk/oMkP_WrjrUY/s1600/IMG_0994.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3HKNTnVjQ34/UHRoEmne8lI/AAAAAAAAAdk/oMkP_WrjrUY/s320/IMG_0994.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just a simple bend is enough to secure the wire to the pipe</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Two Weeks Later</b></div>
<br />
After two weeks, the shade survived several stormy nights with minimal damage. During strong winds, 1 or 2 badly designed clips may pop out. I had replaced them with better clips and since then, it doesn't happen anymore. The shade shakes very little during strong winds and leaves collected at the top gets washed down by the rain.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2g3tx0d_G1Y/UHRoF9MYhtI/AAAAAAAAAds/7apVobzj1ao/s1600/IMG_0995.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2g3tx0d_G1Y/UHRoF9MYhtI/AAAAAAAAAds/7apVobzj1ao/s320/IMG_0995.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A shot of my shaded system at the backyard</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KDaUspQ5d5Q/UHRoHFtTeVI/AAAAAAAAAd4/E1aZtp_Lkhg/s1600/IMG_0996.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KDaUspQ5d5Q/UHRoHFtTeVI/AAAAAAAAAd4/E1aZtp_Lkhg/s320/IMG_0996.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grow bed shot. That pot of pink flowers in the middle are dianthus barbatus or "Sweet William"... My name :D</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AmpmfjZG9KI/UHRoKuaahzI/AAAAAAAAAeI/Duhwc_MUxN8/s1600/IMG_0998.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AmpmfjZG9KI/UHRoKuaahzI/AAAAAAAAAeI/Duhwc_MUxN8/s320/IMG_0998.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kang kong growing vigorously without being bombarded by falling fruits from above</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yg7kE6VF-hs/UHRoMB0O92I/AAAAAAAAAeQ/N_damKg3QEU/s1600/IMG_0999.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yg7kE6VF-hs/UHRoMB0O92I/AAAAAAAAAeQ/N_damKg3QEU/s320/IMG_0999.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Standing proudly are okra plants and at the right are Genovese basil seedling that I bought from Mercato supermarket at Pavilion, KL</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BdT7nMdt4DE/UHRoQXN_nOI/AAAAAAAAAes/-nlM88Pq0X4/s1600/IMG_1003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BdT7nMdt4DE/UHRoQXN_nOI/AAAAAAAAAes/-nlM88Pq0X4/s320/IMG_1003.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tilapia tank no longer littered with leaves and fruits</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EBA3ol0nHfo/UHRoNUrehMI/AAAAAAAAAeY/96C1bahu42A/s1600/IMG_1000.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EBA3ol0nHfo/UHRoNUrehMI/AAAAAAAAAeY/96C1bahu42A/s320/IMG_1000.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rosemary, various bok choy seedlings (2 varieties here), and japanese cucumber at the back</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O38upqjQwtg/UHRoR5ywOLI/AAAAAAAAAe0/aPqm0fnRBnw/s1600/IMG_1004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O38upqjQwtg/UHRoR5ywOLI/AAAAAAAAAe0/aPqm0fnRBnw/s320/IMG_1004.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful kang kong leaves... Pretty flowers...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kpBw5FGGskE/UHRoS4bC3SI/AAAAAAAAAe8/sAcU_l0-kuo/s1600/IMG_1005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kpBw5FGGskE/UHRoS4bC3SI/AAAAAAAAAe8/sAcU_l0-kuo/s320/IMG_1005.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kang kong flower up close</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Qrqy7zcwByo/UHRoVixfjsI/AAAAAAAAAfM/cy_e9nMn8uc/s1600/IMG_1007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Qrqy7zcwByo/UHRoVixfjsI/AAAAAAAAAfM/cy_e9nMn8uc/s320/IMG_1007.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kang kong fruit</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FGy-drfV2NM/UHRoO27wDQI/AAAAAAAAAek/uIvMQxumfIA/s1600/IMG_1002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FGy-drfV2NM/UHRoO27wDQI/AAAAAAAAAek/uIvMQxumfIA/s320/IMG_1002.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cherry tomato and "white floral spires" basil seedling. At the back, under the white container, are experimental rosemary cuttings.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--hYEvoPyFeQ/UHRoafRpXDI/AAAAAAAAAfk/R3p6LjpDWMA/s1600/IMG_1010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--hYEvoPyFeQ/UHRoafRpXDI/AAAAAAAAAfk/R3p6LjpDWMA/s320/IMG_1010.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seedlings of "white floral spires" basil</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--drYcFYnThw/UHRoJNR_HNI/AAAAAAAAAeA/CRATmTeMKBE/s1600/IMG_0997.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--drYcFYnThw/UHRoJNR_HNI/AAAAAAAAAeA/CRATmTeMKBE/s320/IMG_0997.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This new shade is a good place to hang a Petunia plant</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Unfortunately, I still have problems with rain splashing on the wall. My japanese cucumber which are planted near the wall is having problems staying upright. Their leggy stems may be due to inadequate light or too much nitrate.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3YX5YyRWYB8/UHRoXPs_OqI/AAAAAAAAAfU/alQMXZK_7lY/s1600/IMG_1008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3YX5YyRWYB8/UHRoXPs_OqI/AAAAAAAAAfU/alQMXZK_7lY/s320/IMG_1008.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Kyuri" or japanese cucumber</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XcZxO3qk57s/UHRoYiFTYII/AAAAAAAAAfc/5OgUfvQS1Lc/s1600/IMG_1009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XcZxO3qk57s/UHRoYiFTYII/AAAAAAAAAfc/5OgUfvQS1Lc/s320/IMG_1009.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aren't their leaves a little light? Iron deficiency perhaps?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I need to think of a way to block the rain splashing.<br />
<br />
Thanks for reading!William Aska Limhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00109734144886159049noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4762757430161374588.post-87781940112244912892012-09-14T20:59:00.000+08:002012-09-14T21:00:34.208+08:00Disaster - Tank OverflowedIt has been raining heavily for the past few days. Which means raining season has arrived and that means bad news for my aquaponics system. In the past, the storms in my area had drowned my seedlings, damaged my plants, carried my guppies into the drain outside my house, uprooted big trees, blew roof tiles off houses, and damaged my verandah.<br />
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Yesterday, I found 2 tilapia laying motionless at a very wrong place:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-brt6mDCPrxA/UFMd9ZOZcVI/AAAAAAAAAbM/Gpi6Nj1IYPk/s1600/IMG_0975.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-brt6mDCPrxA/UFMd9ZOZcVI/AAAAAAAAAbM/Gpi6Nj1IYPk/s320/IMG_0975.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6fnbir176dU/UFMd7OfQy6I/AAAAAAAAAa8/3Dtc3PY_yo4/s1600/IMG_0973.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6fnbir176dU/UFMd7OfQy6I/AAAAAAAAAa8/3Dtc3PY_yo4/s320/IMG_0973.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A group of black ants collectively planning out how to dissect this piece of flesh</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ervNMESpb18/UFMd8JOlQ0I/AAAAAAAAAbE/W1JyBla4uvg/s1600/IMG_0974.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ervNMESpb18/UFMd8JOlQ0I/AAAAAAAAAbE/W1JyBla4uvg/s320/IMG_0974.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No ants on this one</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tJBBMijbybY/UFMeADv9KWI/AAAAAAAAAbk/5FkAKk_BB0M/s1600/IMG_0979.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tJBBMijbybY/UFMeADv9KWI/AAAAAAAAAbk/5FkAKk_BB0M/s320/IMG_0979.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Palm sized tilapia. Could have been fresh on my dinner plate.</td></tr>
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Normally, my system works fine under heavy rain and all. Any extra water will flow out through the overflow at the side of the tank. But things are different now, I have an additional grow bed which adds to the surface area collecting rain. The tank outlet, which has strainer holes, probably got clogged by poop and couldn't let water out faster than the input from the rain. Over time, the water level will rise till the rim of the tank. Also with the addition of the second grow bed, there is a rare chance of both grow beds flushing at the same time. When this happens, the tank water will rise by 10 centimeters in less than a minute. With the water level already at the rim of the tank, a double flush will create a surge strong enough to push even large tilapias out of the tank.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-az0BUeWt_q0/UFMd_AAUqjI/AAAAAAAAAbc/HfwNfvWNAr0/s1600/IMG_0977.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-az0BUeWt_q0/UFMd_AAUqjI/AAAAAAAAAbc/HfwNfvWNAr0/s320/IMG_0977.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Although there is a slight rotting smell, they looked fresh with their gills still red. I decided to freeze them to make food for stray cats in the future.<br />
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Thanks for reading!William Aska Limhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00109734144886159049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4762757430161374588.post-20850729122565839392012-09-06T02:01:00.003+08:002012-09-06T02:04:34.289+08:00New Grow Bed - Putting it all togetherWith all the components ready, I assembled the new grow bed today. I'm too tired to type now, so I'll just present some pictures along with some descriptive text on the construction process.<br />
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I begin by positioning the grow bed at the desired position.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jPbCeBdDC_g/UEeEboZIM6I/AAAAAAAAAY4/bru2U9b8mrc/s1600/IMG_0955.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jPbCeBdDC_g/UEeEboZIM6I/AAAAAAAAAY4/bru2U9b8mrc/s320/IMG_0955.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Positioning the grow bed</td></tr>
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Next, I fixed the strainer pipe at the bottom of the tank<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_1mDOlWBYHo/UEeEcRIlWqI/AAAAAAAAAY8/BzTmEl-fC2c/s1600/IMG_0956.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_1mDOlWBYHo/UEeEcRIlWqI/AAAAAAAAAY8/BzTmEl-fC2c/s320/IMG_0956.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A 25 mm hole drilled at the center</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-do0Yovwf5KI/UEeEdMj62WI/AAAAAAAAAZE/0jKW6edzKec/s1600/IMG_0957.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-do0Yovwf5KI/UEeEdMj62WI/AAAAAAAAAZE/0jKW6edzKec/s320/IMG_0957.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fixed a bulk head fitting together with the strainer holder</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TW6drT-dthc/UEeEdj6uH1I/AAAAAAAAAZQ/A96jOQfB-ks/s1600/IMG_0958.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TW6drT-dthc/UEeEdj6uH1I/AAAAAAAAAZQ/A96jOQfB-ks/s320/IMG_0958.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Strainer pipe held securely by the strainer holder</td></tr>
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I then filled the bottom 3 inches of the grow bed with river pebbles. This is to provide extra drainage at the bottom to minimize anaerobic zones.<br />
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<span id="goog_738755109"></span><span id="goog_738755110"></span>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-K9W71FB_PAQ/UEeEegXz_wI/AAAAAAAAAZY/wh6sS-8iBGM/s1600/IMG_0960.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-K9W71FB_PAQ/UEeEegXz_wI/AAAAAAAAAZY/wh6sS-8iBGM/s320/IMG_0960.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The gap in between the strainer pipe and the tank floor is narrow enough to not let any pebbles through.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7VjmJA--Q10/UEeEftFuSCI/AAAAAAAAAZc/GVonIV90FtQ/s1600/IMG_0961.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7VjmJA--Q10/UEeEftFuSCI/AAAAAAAAAZc/GVonIV90FtQ/s320/IMG_0961.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I used water as a guide to help me level the pebbles.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Next was the washing of 3 bags of new expanded clay balls. Bought them for RM70 per bag.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vYGqeVYtFsY/UEeEgTZ88vI/AAAAAAAAAZk/lBBBmfOGtmw/s1600/IMG_0962.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vYGqeVYtFsY/UEeEgTZ88vI/AAAAAAAAAZk/lBBBmfOGtmw/s320/IMG_0962.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I learned a convenient way to wash them from the Backyard Aquaponics forum. Just fill the bag with water until full. Shake it. Then poke some holes to drain the water out.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kuhWlwNrfLg/UEeEhNSGi5I/AAAAAAAAAZs/h-a2l5iVDqA/s1600/IMG_0963.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kuhWlwNrfLg/UEeEhNSGi5I/AAAAAAAAAZs/h-a2l5iVDqA/s320/IMG_0963.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Make a hole at one corner and insert a hose into the bag. Start filling it with water.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KyziG80CaiI/UEeEiO5ZloI/AAAAAAAAAZ0/qosfaA0WY-Q/s1600/IMG_0965.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KyziG80CaiI/UEeEiO5ZloI/AAAAAAAAAZ0/qosfaA0WY-Q/s320/IMG_0965.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Poke several small holes at the bottom to release the dirty water.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Once cleaning is complete, I poured them into the new grow bed.<br />
Aaah~~! A new grow bed filled with fresh growing media!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qtILXAQJs6E/UEeEizasI-I/AAAAAAAAAZ8/LBlHnEB4OMY/s1600/IMG_0967.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qtILXAQJs6E/UEeEizasI-I/AAAAAAAAAZ8/LBlHnEB4OMY/s320/IMG_0967.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Virgin Grow Bed!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I then thought about utilizing that empty space underneath the new grow bed. It's a nice shady place protected from falling tree debris from above. The guppies would love it there.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GGVhBDcusws/UEeEjcfwVgI/AAAAAAAAAaE/yv6StcX4qXc/s1600/IMG_0968.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GGVhBDcusws/UEeEjcfwVgI/AAAAAAAAAaE/yv6StcX4qXc/s320/IMG_0968.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A new location for my guppy tank.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0AxG8ilqplc/UEeEkDsn_4I/AAAAAAAAAaM/TVIqyDsN3WI/s1600/IMG_0969.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0AxG8ilqplc/UEeEkDsn_4I/AAAAAAAAAaM/TVIqyDsN3WI/s320/IMG_0969.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Guppies now enjoy clean water directly from the grow bed. Excess water is drained back into the tilapia tank.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zN7vdwbQFY0/UEeEk2Hn0AI/AAAAAAAAAaY/s6sKF-MOY0o/s1600/IMG_0970.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zN7vdwbQFY0/UEeEk2Hn0AI/AAAAAAAAAaY/s6sKF-MOY0o/s320/IMG_0970.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Tee-connector divides the water flow in to both beds.</td></tr>
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<span id="goog_738755115"></span><span id="goog_738755116"></span><br />
Thanks for reading!William Aska Limhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00109734144886159049noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4762757430161374588.post-53657203928992969402012-09-05T01:05:00.000+08:002012-09-05T01:14:26.653+08:00New Grow Bed - Grow Bed StandIn this post, I will explain how I construct my grow bed stand. Like most DIY-ist out there, improvements from previous design is a must. My previous stand was made out of slotted angle iron and was designed badly with various newbie flaws. The new grow bed stand will also be made from angle iron but without those flaws.<br />
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<br />
<u><b>Some Tips on Slotted Angle Iron... </b></u><br />
<br />
Before I talk about my grow bed stand construction, I would like highlight a few things I learned when constructing my previous growbed stand:<br />
<br />
Notice that a slotted angle iron bar consists of segments repeated throughout its length. Each segment is precisely 3" long. The red lines in the picture below marks the locations where cuts should be made. Due to this, it is important that all the dimensions in your design are in multiples of 3 inches. For example: 21", 30", 9", 63", etc...<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MFju6yVNRag/UEYPtDsX5TI/AAAAAAAAAXw/c5MF-aFZhao/s1600/angleiron.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="65" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MFju6yVNRag/UEYPtDsX5TI/AAAAAAAAAXw/c5MF-aFZhao/s320/angleiron.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cutting points</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
When buying them, most hardware shop sells them in 10 feet bars only. That means one bar consists of exactly 40 repeated segments - no little extras at either ends! Before going to the shop, write down the number and lengths of all the pieces needed in your design on a piece of paper then plan out a cutting strategy that uses the least amount of full length bars and minimum wastage. At the shop, they will either let you use their cutting tool to cut them yourself or you can provide them with your measurements and have them cut them for you.<br />
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When cutting them, try to cut them precisely across the center of the oval hole at the cutting point. Too much error may prevent the holes from aligning properly when forming corner joints. For the sake of precision, I prefer to cut them myself. I don't trust the hands of others.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--0f58nwuJOY/UEYPyjuTmbI/AAAAAAAAAYA/k8BXcRQ33gw/s1600/IMG_0951.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--0f58nwuJOY/UEYPyjuTmbI/AAAAAAAAAYA/k8BXcRQ33gw/s320/IMG_0951.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A cut made at the cutting point</td></tr>
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A worker at the hardware shop I purchased these said that my cutting style is wrong. Well, I learned this tip from a website of a company that manufactures slotted angle iron! <br />
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<br />
<u><b>Grow Bed Stand Construction</b></u><br />
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Materials:<br />
4 x 30" slotted angle iron<br />
4 x 21" slotted angle iron<br />
6 x 36" slotted angle iron<br />
4 x angle iron rubber caps<br />
16 x corner brackets<br />
60 x nuts & bolts<br />
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* notice that the lengths of all the angle iron are in multiples of 3".<br />
* total angle iron purchased: 4 x 10 feet bars<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LFmFC44_Qjg/UEYPxz6a7GI/AAAAAAAAAX4/V4ANmn3XCf0/s1600/IMG_0948.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LFmFC44_Qjg/UEYPxz6a7GI/AAAAAAAAAX4/V4ANmn3XCf0/s320/IMG_0948.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I didn't took any pictures during assembling so here's a picture of the final product: <br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gQ8xnQ8ieXM/UEYPzdaB8yI/AAAAAAAAAYI/_71KxmaJPG4/s1600/IMG_0952.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gQ8xnQ8ieXM/UEYPzdaB8yI/AAAAAAAAAYI/_71KxmaJPG4/s320/IMG_0952.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-njsVrFJqyWw/UEYP0WYLISI/AAAAAAAAAYQ/LH44fIqCu44/s1600/IMG_0954.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-njsVrFJqyWw/UEYP0WYLISI/AAAAAAAAAYQ/LH44fIqCu44/s320/IMG_0954.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Pretty neat isn't it?<br />
It looks a lot better than my previous stand. All the corners looks perfectly square. It looks like I could even lay a piece of plywood at the bottom section.<br />
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Thanks for reading! William Aska Limhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00109734144886159049noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4762757430161374588.post-32345213497056363562012-09-04T21:26:00.002+08:002012-09-05T01:05:49.594+08:00New Grow Bed - Siphon StrainerIt has been months since my last update. Lots of bad things happened to my system - powdery mildew on okra, potassium deficiency, unexplained guppy deaths, and a dead plecotamus. The pleco was my favourite fish and I still couldn't find a proper place to respectfully bury it so I froze its body in the freezer.<br />
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I am now constructing a second grow bed to double the filtration capacity of my current system. In this post, I will roughly show how I designed my siphon strainer. My siphon design is based on Affnan's time tested mini siphon design. I also designed a strainer holder as I do not like the idea of gluing the strainer to the bottom of the grow bed.<br />
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I am a perfectionist and I love geometrical symmetry and patterns. To make sure my design is "perfect", I drew guide lines using a mechanical pencil to mark the points where I will be drilling or cutting. I measured them precisely to the limits of my visual acuity. I used various techniques to draw those parallel lines on the pipe. I also figured out a way to obtain the very center of the end cap. There are a total of 4 x 16 holes on my strainer each 10mm in diameter. A chose a triangle design for the strainer holder to minimize obstruction.<br />
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To make perfectly aligned holes, I start by drilling 1mm diameter holes precisely on the marks. I then gradually increase their size by using larger and larger drill bits until I reach the desired 10mm diameter size. Drilling the holes using the largest drill bit right away will cause too much slipping as I am using a hand held power drill.<br />
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The end cap is cut using a hacksaw with a piece of straight wood used as a guide. The hole in the middle is cut out using a 25mm holesaw.<br />
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I removed all access plastic using sandpaper and grind stones. I used an orbital sander to speed up the process. Erased any remaining pencil lines using an eraser. Any stubborn price tag or sticky tape glue can be removed easily using lighter fluid or paint thinner.<br />
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I drilled a drip hole on the bulkhead fitting as advised by Affnan. I then removed a piece from the bottom end of the short 20mm pvc pipe so that the drip hole is not blocked by it. I can also close the drip hole simply by rotating the pipe.<br />
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Finally, I tested my strainer holder design by assembling all the parts together. The modified end cap is able to hold the strainer securely without obstructing the holes too much. Measuring precisely pays off!<br />
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Thanks for reading!William Aska Limhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00109734144886159049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4762757430161374588.post-24657601840319230582012-06-20T02:29:00.001+08:002012-06-20T02:30:10.292+08:00Disaster - System switched OFF for 7 hours!On Sunday, my parents came over to stay... My mom, as usual, goes around the house looking for something to clean, arrange, or replace... Monday night, she noticed a power socket switched to ON in the living room... Without caring where the inserted plugs lead to, she flipped the switch...! :facepalm:<br />
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6am in the morning, after 7 hours have passed, I went outside to check my system and realized that it was silent... The pump wasn't pumping water!<br />
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25 to 30 guppies died that day... The tilapias were fine as they were saved by the aerator's backup power but the water had a slight rotting odor probably due to accumulated ammonia...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xrjLYjdp1-8/T-C8e90848I/AAAAAAAAAV4/Zwp_RZj9CNA/s1600/IMG_0852.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xrjLYjdp1-8/T-C8e90848I/AAAAAAAAAV4/Zwp_RZj9CNA/s320/IMG_0852.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Floating guppy carcasses sucked by the drainage pipe...</td></tr>
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The thick layer of gunk collected at the bottom of the guppy tank may have also contributed to their death as it contains loads of greedy bacteria competing against them for the remaining precious oxygen...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aVVrdQMEOWQ/T-C8rC7gXfI/AAAAAAAAAWY/loH12dp_VYI/s1600/IMG_0859.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aVVrdQMEOWQ/T-C8rC7gXfI/AAAAAAAAAWY/loH12dp_VYI/s320/IMG_0859.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some gunk netted out...</td></tr>
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As for the plants, strong winds have been the main problem this few days... After being knocked over by the wind repeatedly, all my okras had given up and none could stand upright properly now... I got to think of a solution fast...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FaV-9a5Cbrk/T-C8l9GH7uI/AAAAAAAAAWQ/gNhFUiOpfa0/s1600/IMG_0857.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FaV-9a5Cbrk/T-C8l9GH7uI/AAAAAAAAAWQ/gNhFUiOpfa0/s320/IMG_0857.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Monstrous Kang Kong...</td></tr>
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Thanks for reading... :-DWilliam Aska Limhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00109734144886159049noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4762757430161374588.post-39242827655964201342012-06-02T00:17:00.001+08:002012-06-02T00:20:44.926+08:00System Update - 1st June 2012So... it has been 2 weeks since my last update. The system seems to be doing fine, except for the cloudy water, some dead guppies and one tilapia death.<br />
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Water test results:<br />
pH: 6.0<br />
Ammonia: 0.5<br />
Nitrate: ~50<br />
Water has a slight fish poop odor...<br />
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This isn't good. The pH is too low for nitrification to take place
efficiently. I'll perform water changes this Sunday. For the time being,
I added roughly 5 kgs of corals to gradually bring the pH up...<br />
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Here are plenty of photos to enjoy:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lnJEkTPfpgs/T8jqu0Ny9tI/AAAAAAAAAVo/mO9A9E6nRfo/s1600/IMG_0845.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lnJEkTPfpgs/T8jqu0Ny9tI/AAAAAAAAAVo/mO9A9E6nRfo/s320/IMG_0845.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Full system shot...</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-a5wVm0LkeIo/T8jb8AKxqOI/AAAAAAAAASs/ABwBHXpvB28/s1600/IMG_0803.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-a5wVm0LkeIo/T8jb8AKxqOI/AAAAAAAAASs/ABwBHXpvB28/s320/IMG_0803.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Growbed shot...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-36pYPRTUFaM/T8jb8_hw-sI/AAAAAAAAASw/yV6nmoypHag/s1600/IMG_0806.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-36pYPRTUFaM/T8jb8_hw-sI/AAAAAAAAASw/yV6nmoypHag/s320/IMG_0806.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An okra pod (3 days old, I think)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TKW8b9KAb0A/T8jb9UnEHCI/AAAAAAAAAS8/74cOb6WfChE/s1600/IMG_0807.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TKW8b9KAb0A/T8jb9UnEHCI/AAAAAAAAAS8/74cOb6WfChE/s320/IMG_0807.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two more okra pods</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GE-lslAy4VY/T8jb_dI7-0I/AAAAAAAAATA/WPAmch3JBHM/s1600/IMG_0810.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GE-lslAy4VY/T8jb_dI7-0I/AAAAAAAAATA/WPAmch3JBHM/s320/IMG_0810.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">3 pods and a flower... The lowest pod is 8 days old... I won't be harvesting as I want to collect their seeds...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6bPgQQjtGPg/T8jcVq_Bl4I/AAAAAAAAATM/Op-qb93WlwY/s1600/IMG_0811.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6bPgQQjtGPg/T8jcVq_Bl4I/AAAAAAAAATM/Op-qb93WlwY/s320/IMG_0811.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This strange kangkong prefers to grow long thin stems...</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-j3PAfdH56cY/T8jcWZGTvcI/AAAAAAAAATQ/7TXhd_J0uF8/s1600/IMG_0813.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-j3PAfdH56cY/T8jcWZGTvcI/AAAAAAAAATQ/7TXhd_J0uF8/s320/IMG_0813.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kangkong growing downwards between the wall and growbed...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NWC3hO-0mGw/T8jcxu1yqeI/AAAAAAAAATk/W5RP5rwmJzw/s1600/IMG_0804.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NWC3hO-0mGw/T8jcxu1yqeI/AAAAAAAAATk/W5RP5rwmJzw/s320/IMG_0804.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Largest kangkong plant in the system...</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hWnf73_VDIo/T8jcsBaezTI/AAAAAAAAATc/BSnDhHcILNQ/s1600/IMG_0819.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hWnf73_VDIo/T8jcsBaezTI/AAAAAAAAATc/BSnDhHcILNQ/s320/IMG_0819.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look how big are the leaves!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KAqD_F2YGp8/T8jdIu1_-aI/AAAAAAAAAT0/7uYmavzdjTo/s1600/IMG_0814.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KAqD_F2YGp8/T8jdIu1_-aI/AAAAAAAAAT0/7uYmavzdjTo/s320/IMG_0814.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pest attack on kangkong... I just let this little beetle enjoy its meal since I won't be harvesting any veges this round...</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eTe25EtzZs4/T8jdJjHSHPI/AAAAAAAAAT8/P6vDuaaZuUc/s1600/IMG_0815.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eTe25EtzZs4/T8jdJjHSHPI/AAAAAAAAAT8/P6vDuaaZuUc/s320/IMG_0815.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I don't know what creature did this... I hope I'll find out soon...</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-exnGpMl56ew/T8jdLX66GwI/AAAAAAAAAUE/6Q0sUl9oX6A/s1600/IMG_0822.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-exnGpMl56ew/T8jdLX66GwI/AAAAAAAAAUE/6Q0sUl9oX6A/s320/IMG_0822.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Strange insect on a mint leaf... There were two of them...</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OnTf8RzPVn0/T8jc_jRr9mI/AAAAAAAAATs/B9AZfs6dvYA/s1600/IMG_0842.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OnTf8RzPVn0/T8jc_jRr9mI/AAAAAAAAATs/B9AZfs6dvYA/s320/IMG_0842.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Weird looking grasshopper... It has been hanging around the growbed for the past 3 days... I don't know what is it doing there...</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PBhvWBcylGY/T8jdXpolnFI/AAAAAAAAAUM/tQ-fvVXKXKM/s1600/IMG_0824.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PBhvWBcylGY/T8jdXpolnFI/AAAAAAAAAUM/tQ-fvVXKXKM/s320/IMG_0824.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I found something interesting... Recently, all the new leaves of my okra plants takes on a different leaf design...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0IIu49Yb8Jk/T8jdYVFK0_I/AAAAAAAAAUQ/sMlrh-pAi_w/s1600/IMG_0825.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0IIu49Yb8Jk/T8jdYVFK0_I/AAAAAAAAAUQ/sMlrh-pAi_w/s320/IMG_0825.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Compare the above leaf with an older leaf at the lower part of the plant... So much difference...</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mzUsPZZKLBU/T8jdbd0qaxI/AAAAAAAAAUo/HTPcFAfEAJM/s1600/IMG_0838.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mzUsPZZKLBU/T8jdbd0qaxI/AAAAAAAAAUo/HTPcFAfEAJM/s320/IMG_0838.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This strange kangkong is reaching for the sun by coiling itself around the okras...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5fg2C3IeKHs/T8jdcJZrJSI/AAAAAAAAAU0/JQY2KMIaV9g/s1600/IMG_0839.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5fg2C3IeKHs/T8jdcJZrJSI/AAAAAAAAAU0/JQY2KMIaV9g/s320/IMG_0839.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Why does this kangkong exhibit such growing behavior while the others just grow fat stems?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NiBpoZ4DwNw/T8jdZF2y4XI/AAAAAAAAAUc/JWUdRmiqdRI/s1600/IMG_0836.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NiBpoZ4DwNw/T8jdZF2y4XI/AAAAAAAAAUc/JWUdRmiqdRI/s320/IMG_0836.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh my... mint? Does mint plant actually grow underground suckers?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iGDeBM_gTrg/T8jdakOGTII/AAAAAAAAAUg/7MNBkt2T_aI/s1600/IMG_0837.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iGDeBM_gTrg/T8jdakOGTII/AAAAAAAAAUg/7MNBkt2T_aI/s320/IMG_0837.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Those fallen berries from the tree above are germinating... Interesting...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TaxmdQqJ8-Q/T8jdtJDFGRI/AAAAAAAAAU8/lN0ZTbISmWQ/s1600/IMG_0826.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TaxmdQqJ8-Q/T8jdtJDFGRI/AAAAAAAAAU8/lN0ZTbISmWQ/s320/IMG_0826.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Guppy tank... The bottom is quite dirty... I had removed them after taking this photo...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-URoW3avmwL0/T8jdt7zNQuI/AAAAAAAAAVE/FQXP285b4h4/s1600/IMG_0829.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-URoW3avmwL0/T8jdt7zNQuI/AAAAAAAAAVE/FQXP285b4h4/s320/IMG_0829.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Guppy shot...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DlPJ1eHQBfY/T8jduxK_7TI/AAAAAAAAAVM/19qpJsJ3NQk/s1600/IMG_0831.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DlPJ1eHQBfY/T8jduxK_7TI/AAAAAAAAAVM/19qpJsJ3NQk/s320/IMG_0831.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tilapia tank... Water is a little cloudy...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WQw6eNwYjTI/T8jdvsGVQ3I/AAAAAAAAAVU/wrefqJIODP4/s1600/IMG_0832.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WQw6eNwYjTI/T8jdvsGVQ3I/AAAAAAAAAVU/wrefqJIODP4/s320/IMG_0832.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After feeding them, they are no longer interested in me... :(</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DsgtNPA0GLU/T8jdwtDTslI/AAAAAAAAAVY/c9iqHDMB7ns/s1600/IMG_0833.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DsgtNPA0GLU/T8jdwtDTslI/AAAAAAAAAVY/c9iqHDMB7ns/s320/IMG_0833.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finally, my pleco... Right there, by the pump...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Thanks for reading...<br />
<br />
:-DWilliam Aska Limhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00109734144886159049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4762757430161374588.post-74163540852653183282012-05-18T18:49:00.003+08:002012-05-18T18:49:50.278+08:00Heavy Rain & Strong Wind...Two days ago, after 4 days without rain, an abnormally windy storm hit my area 4 am in the morning. I couldn't do anything to protect my plants since my soul had been completely sucked by Diablo III that day...<br /><br />In the morning, I saw this:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FAQd2Fq2wNI/T7YjoVbJIcI/AAAAAAAAAR4/0CKDHm7pCpw/s1600/IMG_0792.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FAQd2Fq2wNI/T7YjoVbJIcI/AAAAAAAAAR4/0CKDHm7pCpw/s320/IMG_0792.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looks like the screen protector was pushed down by the heavy rain...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-O6fXnqEeUxU/T7YjpepaqiI/AAAAAAAAASA/3EY_W3_tgfM/s1600/IMG_0793.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-O6fXnqEeUxU/T7YjpepaqiI/AAAAAAAAASA/3EY_W3_tgfM/s320/IMG_0793.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No casualties it seems... The screen wasn't damaged...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
As for the plants:<br /><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-u_z-V9j94iM/T7YjqecWlxI/AAAAAAAAASI/RSG4iuRhg1s/s1600/IMG_0794.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-u_z-V9j94iM/T7YjqecWlxI/AAAAAAAAASI/RSG4iuRhg1s/s320/IMG_0794.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Most plants were bent over by the rain and strong winds...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_ClbAd5JPEQ/T7YjrRktZXI/AAAAAAAAASQ/VdgErtf8aow/s1600/IMG_0795.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_ClbAd5JPEQ/T7YjrRktZXI/AAAAAAAAASQ/VdgErtf8aow/s320/IMG_0795.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Okra with a 90 degrees bent... The flower buds were undamaged</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EivN4kWDpDo/T7YjszJzDuI/AAAAAAAAASU/zfYXEQAY_2Y/s1600/IMG_0796.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EivN4kWDpDo/T7YjszJzDuI/AAAAAAAAASU/zfYXEQAY_2Y/s320/IMG_0796.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kangkong and mint were flatten down by the rain... They were standing straight before...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uDl-GXe_85w/T7Yjtlk2fdI/AAAAAAAAASc/mTsWqfsgAD4/s1600/IMG_0797.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uDl-GXe_85w/T7Yjtlk2fdI/AAAAAAAAASc/mTsWqfsgAD4/s320/IMG_0797.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Whole growbed shot...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The okra flower buds take so long to bloom. I'm wondering if this is normal...<br />The older leaves of the mint plant are dying. It looks like the large okra leaves are blocking out most of the sunlight thus slowing the mint's growth rate.<br />
I really need to build a greenhouse to cover my entire system soon. The surface of my growbed is covered with tiny fruits from the tree above... and now the tropical storm...William Aska Limhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00109734144886159049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4762757430161374588.post-64521652322473629752012-05-10T00:45:00.002+08:002012-05-10T00:55:54.708+08:00Flowering OkraMy okra plants are flowering!<br />
I have not much to type about... so, just enjoy some pics:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-B9bn_z2CBo4/T6qbz4h1_XI/AAAAAAAAAQ4/VLIJL5AwmvM/s1600/IMG_0755.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-B9bn_z2CBo4/T6qbz4h1_XI/AAAAAAAAAQ4/VLIJL5AwmvM/s320/IMG_0755.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Whole growbed shot...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xtotCEdStlM/T6qb1a_Q1II/AAAAAAAAARM/mg__94C10dY/s1600/IMG_0758.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xtotCEdStlM/T6qb1a_Q1II/AAAAAAAAARM/mg__94C10dY/s320/IMG_0758.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Biggest okra leaf...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span id="goog_1226513721"></span><span id="goog_1226513722"></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RA8x8Rchx-8/T6qb0qrgnRI/AAAAAAAAARA/DKObVdYKC_I/s1600/IMG_0757.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RA8x8Rchx-8/T6qb0qrgnRI/AAAAAAAAARA/DKObVdYKC_I/s320/IMG_0757.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flower buds of the okra plant in the previous pic...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7i-gl7BNUCA/T6qb2P5vZ3I/AAAAAAAAARQ/qEmMgtN_bCU/s1600/IMG_0760.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7i-gl7BNUCA/T6qb2P5vZ3I/AAAAAAAAARQ/qEmMgtN_bCU/s320/IMG_0760.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flower buds of another okra plant...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
And here are some extra random pics:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--KGPouvv6Yo/T6qgWUY5WLI/AAAAAAAAARg/Btsqw3_WYQo/s1600/IMG_0752.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--KGPouvv6Yo/T6qgWUY5WLI/AAAAAAAAARg/Btsqw3_WYQo/s320/IMG_0752.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Germinating seedling of a tree on the plastic shade cloth...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dPwOsbYxFiQ/T6qgXdK92RI/AAAAAAAAARk/IfGApNiJmBs/s1600/IMG_0759.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dPwOsbYxFiQ/T6qgXdK92RI/AAAAAAAAARk/IfGApNiJmBs/s320/IMG_0759.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fallen debris from the tree above scattered all over the growbed among the clayballs...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Thanks for reading...William Aska Limhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00109734144886159049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4762757430161374588.post-33035857711187227932012-05-04T20:20:00.001+08:002012-05-04T20:32:44.078+08:00System Update - 4th May 2012It has been 9 days since my last update...<br />
This is a photo taken on 25th April:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/---d604oyewM/T6O_7ugYfNI/AAAAAAAAAOQ/zKXAelr06yA/s1600/IMG_0713.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/---d604oyewM/T6O_7ugYfNI/AAAAAAAAAOQ/zKXAelr06yA/s320/IMG_0713.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I accidentally broke that kangkong... :-(</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
and here's a photo taken today:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xEFPw-A8UCM/T6O_8hBvkEI/AAAAAAAAAOU/_lT2uUrFRGA/s1600/IMG_0714.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xEFPw-A8UCM/T6O_8hBvkEI/AAAAAAAAAOU/_lT2uUrFRGA/s320/IMG_0714.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That broken kangkong raised up, fell the other way, and raised up again...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Notice that I had added more clayballs into the growbed... I used Hydro-Korrels:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bNlDRsDBTjg/T6PGXjSTEYI/AAAAAAAAAQI/TeX-UJeOdJI/s1600/IMG_0712.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bNlDRsDBTjg/T6PGXjSTEYI/AAAAAAAAAQI/TeX-UJeOdJI/s320/IMG_0712.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
And now some closer pictures to show the size of the plants:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dUbFZXFOcGk/T6PA59E9kYI/AAAAAAAAAOg/DI3YPQJvYZ4/s1600/IMG_0720.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dUbFZXFOcGk/T6PA59E9kYI/AAAAAAAAAOg/DI3YPQJvYZ4/s320/IMG_0720.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look how big this kangkong is!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HOb4FY_qeEA/T6PA6rTLbII/AAAAAAAAAOo/lH8pj0anIag/s1600/IMG_0721.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HOb4FY_qeEA/T6PA6rTLbII/AAAAAAAAAOo/lH8pj0anIag/s320/IMG_0721.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The largest okra in the growbed...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aH6bykzuPyc/T6PA7ZeU9EI/AAAAAAAAAOs/VxNNV7C8D28/s1600/IMG_0728.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aH6bykzuPyc/T6PA7ZeU9EI/AAAAAAAAAOs/VxNNV7C8D28/s320/IMG_0728.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mint leaves are two times larger than when I first bought them from the market!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I also have problems with pests:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1U-OzFAwU-U/T6PCwlCcU5I/AAAAAAAAAPI/weXBRZGOC_8/s1600/IMG_0730.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1U-OzFAwU-U/T6PCwlCcU5I/AAAAAAAAAPI/weXBRZGOC_8/s320/IMG_0730.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Miner inside okra leaf</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pCarPf52HL4/T6PB6FY3XII/AAAAAAAAAO4/eJmlNPP4vec/s1600/IMG_0719.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pCarPf52HL4/T6PB6FY3XII/AAAAAAAAAO4/eJmlNPP4vec/s320/IMG_0719.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dead leaf miner... I squished it while still inside the leaf... XD</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cWWR22Px2Gw/T6PDDK1QEXI/AAAAAAAAAPY/j8Kxum74i2w/s1600/IMG_0723.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cWWR22Px2Gw/T6PDDK1QEXI/AAAAAAAAAPY/j8Kxum74i2w/s320/IMG_0723.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Adult leaf miner...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0MYegswpiUU/T6PB6wUZC3I/AAAAAAAAAO8/BM-JS3Gbx6g/s1600/IMG_0726.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0MYegswpiUU/T6PB6wUZC3I/AAAAAAAAAO8/BM-JS3Gbx6g/s320/IMG_0726.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kangkong leaf eaten by a beetle</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-t1bG3LudlV4/T6PCxIk4k_I/AAAAAAAAAPM/7aRHL9x8mKA/s1600/IMG_0731.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-t1bG3LudlV4/T6PCxIk4k_I/AAAAAAAAAPM/7aRHL9x8mKA/s320/IMG_0731.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's the shiny little guy...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Other than bugs, I also have problems with foliage damage caused by falling fruits from the tree branches above... <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PnSHPJMwzIQ/T6PFLt0HZJI/AAAAAAAAAPg/EiTw1Om1Obc/s1600/IMG_0715.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PnSHPJMwzIQ/T6PFLt0HZJI/AAAAAAAAAPg/EiTw1Om1Obc/s320/IMG_0715.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0iQUsm7NMqU/T6PFNTiozyI/AAAAAAAAAPw/g_tqLuKBFs0/s1600/IMG_0717.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0iQUsm7NMqU/T6PFNTiozyI/AAAAAAAAAPw/g_tqLuKBFs0/s320/IMG_0717.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
These pink fruits may be tiny, but they are quite hard. When they fall from 20 feet above, they hit hard! One fell on my head once...<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UL7zh23C0Zk/T6PFX5MpzZI/AAAAAAAAAP4/jig9SyogNh4/s1600/IMG_0733.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UL7zh23C0Zk/T6PFX5MpzZI/AAAAAAAAAP4/jig9SyogNh4/s320/IMG_0733.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_mz-1GXE7G8/T6PFYjfW02I/AAAAAAAAAP8/j2oJQv-Kkos/s1600/IMG_0748.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_mz-1GXE7G8/T6PFYjfW02I/AAAAAAAAAP8/j2oJQv-Kkos/s320/IMG_0748.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Finally, the fish...<br />
After several more fish deaths, I checked the pH and it was 6.0...<br />
Ammonia was at 0.5, Nitrite at 0... I'm not sure what is causing the tilapias to die... Could it be the pH?? But I thought tilapias are very resistant...<br />
So I refered to an aquaponics proverb:<br />
<br />
"When in doubt, do a water change"<br />
<br />
and that's what I did...<br />
I removed 100 litres of water, and added new water till the tank is almost full... I also added back the corals to buffer the pH...<br />
<br />
Since then, no more deaths!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TwrZfuVI74k/T6PHML-oybI/AAAAAAAAAQk/4oXNY3DX2e8/s1600/IMG_0741.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TwrZfuVI74k/T6PHML-oybI/AAAAAAAAAQk/4oXNY3DX2e8/s320/IMG_0741.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tilapias awaiting food</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yhi7slLkMqI/T6PHLWOnOcI/AAAAAAAAAQg/f4TJikouIJ4/s1600/IMG_0739.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yhi7slLkMqI/T6PHLWOnOcI/AAAAAAAAAQg/f4TJikouIJ4/s320/IMG_0739.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tilapias derping around...</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GWEG6b93Qt8/T6PHEvbaRJI/AAAAAAAAAQQ/4s1_v0GwTxY/s1600/IMG_0743.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GWEG6b93Qt8/T6PHEvbaRJI/AAAAAAAAAQQ/4s1_v0GwTxY/s320/IMG_0743.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pleco eating tilapia food...</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EpCToaKs450/T6PHFZ0p3pI/AAAAAAAAAQU/bnS6iSyeE1g/s1600/IMG_0746.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EpCToaKs450/T6PHFZ0p3pI/AAAAAAAAAQU/bnS6iSyeE1g/s320/IMG_0746.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ikan Bandaraya aka Plecotamus... Grow big so I can ride on you one day!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Thanks for reading... :-DWilliam Aska Limhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00109734144886159049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4762757430161374588.post-59911968593713423552012-04-25T14:00:00.002+08:002012-04-25T14:02:39.169+08:00Disaster - Guppy Tank Overflowed!<div style="text-align: justify;">
When I check my system this morning, the water in the guppy tank had
overflowed spilling water on the floor below. Several guppies were found
on the floor and on the tilapia tank mesh covering. Luckily, most were
still alive and I scooped them up with a dry leaf. Some dead ones were
probably killed by ants.</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--390XXMQBGY/T5eOxZU2NPI/AAAAAAAAANM/PJ-n25mB1T0/s1600/IMG_0701.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--390XXMQBGY/T5eOxZU2NPI/AAAAAAAAANM/PJ-n25mB1T0/s320/IMG_0701.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lrb5dOUNNek/T5eOyMnJyNI/AAAAAAAAANQ/USbvrj2IH1A/s1600/IMG_0702%2528marked%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lrb5dOUNNek/T5eOyMnJyNI/AAAAAAAAANQ/USbvrj2IH1A/s320/IMG_0702%2528marked%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Guppies on the floor... Still alive because the floor is wet...</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-q-YhDzYOrgg/T5eOywOs62I/AAAAAAAAANc/Inw-wFLfkFY/s1600/IMG_0705.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-q-YhDzYOrgg/T5eOywOs62I/AAAAAAAAANc/Inw-wFLfkFY/s320/IMG_0705.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Killed by ants...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0n5vuM0mIAw/T5eO0IOP4nI/AAAAAAAAANg/xSS5nvZQPeY/s1600/IMG_0706.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0n5vuM0mIAw/T5eO0IOP4nI/AAAAAAAAANg/xSS5nvZQPeY/s320/IMG_0706.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some were found inside the shade cloth...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The reason this happened is due to the modification of the outlet pipe that I made yesterday. I wanted the outlet to draw water from the bottom of the guppy tank to suck debris at the bottom. The outlet pipe also has a fine mesh that prevents tiny guppy fries from exiting the outlet...</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MLoGceCDoJE/T5eO2du6ekI/AAAAAAAAAN4/fJD5P3lkQUQ/s1600/outlet.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MLoGceCDoJE/T5eO2du6ekI/AAAAAAAAAN4/fJD5P3lkQUQ/s320/outlet.gif" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The T-connecter is used to prevent a siphoning action from happening. It also allows easy insertion and removal of the green mesh for cleaning...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bMoRW4XApdo/T5eO3c36iPI/AAAAAAAAAOA/UlMvWPGvJJc/s1600/outlet2.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bMoRW4XApdo/T5eO3c36iPI/AAAAAAAAAOA/UlMvWPGvJJc/s320/outlet2.gif" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Problem happens when too much poop got stuck at the green mesh preventing water from exiting through the outlet fast enough causing an overflow...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Lbkgd9VBTJw/T5eO0qUAcvI/AAAAAAAAANo/jxgGq2C0cFY/s1600/IMG_0708.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Lbkgd9VBTJw/T5eO0qUAcvI/AAAAAAAAANo/jxgGq2C0cFY/s320/IMG_0708.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo of fish poop stuck on the green mesh...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Luckily not much water and guppies was lost from this tragedy. I'll need to redesign a better filtered outlet pipe this time. I also did a water quality check:</div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-a3uC5EmWQ1w/T5eO1jnIjwI/AAAAAAAAANw/BQxP79HuJn4/s1600/IMG_0711.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-a3uC5EmWQ1w/T5eO1jnIjwI/AAAAAAAAANw/BQxP79HuJn4/s320/IMG_0711.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Traffic light... Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate...</td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
Ammonia: still green... 1.0</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Nitrite: strangely, yellow color... < 0.5</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Nitrate: photo is too dark... Its actually cherry red... > 50</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Nitrite levels are lowering... This is sign of bacteria growth!</div>William Aska Limhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00109734144886159049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4762757430161374588.post-41367884280161236062012-04-20T09:30:00.001+08:002012-04-20T10:15:59.996+08:00More Fish Dying...Hadn't fed the fish for the past 2 days yet ammonia and nitrite stayed at 1.0mg/l... So I decided to check the bottom of the fish tank and what I found was shocking - 5 dead tilapias! I'm not sure what caused their death... Their mouths are open... Sunken belly... Could it be a bacteria infection spread from the guppies? I'm not sure what to do now... I'm expecting more deaths coming... >_<<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kjRN6ndkXZk/T5CytKFaDoI/AAAAAAAAALk/ovMxefUzLPQ/s1600/IMG_0697.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kjRN6ndkXZk/T5CytKFaDoI/AAAAAAAAALk/ovMxefUzLPQ/s320/IMG_0697.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gruesome...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
To reduce ammonia further, I scooped out as much rotting plant matter and poop at the bottom of both fish tanks. I found that lots of tilapia poop remained stuck in the guppy tank due to the outlet being a standing pipe which only sucks water from the surface.<br />
<br />
I also removed all the pegaga plants as they aren't doing well probably due to iron deficiency. I'm afraid that their rotting leaves will only contribute to more ammonia.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FhdkaQ0qpOw/T5CyuN1XIoI/AAAAAAAAALo/__2MSx-2v_w/s1600/IMG_0699.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FhdkaQ0qpOw/T5CyuN1XIoI/AAAAAAAAALo/__2MSx-2v_w/s320/IMG_0699.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hmmm... Their roots have grown much... Just their leaves wilting...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-e9_LrBrG_YY/T5CyvH5SJBI/AAAAAAAAALw/7EQLw1Lyh-s/s1600/IMG_0700.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-e9_LrBrG_YY/T5CyvH5SJBI/AAAAAAAAALw/7EQLw1Lyh-s/s320/IMG_0700.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looks cleaner now...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="color: red;">Edit: One more dead tilapia found along with several other broken pieces of fish spine... Aahh... I've lost count of the number of deaths... >_<</span>William Aska Limhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00109734144886159049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4762757430161374588.post-79856010782289533262012-04-19T08:50:00.003+08:002012-04-19T08:50:53.934+08:00First Pest!!!Oh...oh... Look what I found this morning...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RHYZ8517Fcg/T49aZNIHWXI/AAAAAAAAALI/vUPbBNCqrkc/s1600/IMG_0689.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RHYZ8517Fcg/T49aZNIHWXI/AAAAAAAAALI/vUPbBNCqrkc/s320/IMG_0689.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
One of my tilapia feed bags got ripped open! It's even the unopened larger sized pellet bag which I won't be using until the tilapias had grown bigger!<br />
And the culprit...? a SQUIRREL! /(>_< \) =3<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-e_mfL4f0QXY/T49aYea8mtI/AAAAAAAAALE/ka3aFZUKIdc/s1600/IMG_0688.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-e_mfL4f0QXY/T49aYea8mtI/AAAAAAAAALE/ka3aFZUKIdc/s320/IMG_0688.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He's hiding behind the fish tank!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GSuhK6E_Z-4/T49dStKL9nI/AAAAAAAAALU/JbeJ4WUa5QY/s1600/squirrel1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GSuhK6E_Z-4/T49dStKL9nI/AAAAAAAAALU/JbeJ4WUa5QY/s320/squirrel1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Enlarge the picture...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7OSjWN0mhPQ/T49dTWv9nXI/AAAAAAAAALY/DEsQvtC6fYs/s1600/squirrel2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7OSjWN0mhPQ/T49dTWv9nXI/AAAAAAAAALY/DEsQvtC6fYs/s320/squirrel2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Got trolled by a squirrel...!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
So I thought, should I catch him and feed him to the tilapias like how most aquaponics pests end up? That might introduce unwanted diseases into my system though. For the time being, I'll need to find a large container to store those bags safely.<br />
<br />
I'll have to deal with that squirrel someday. It's only a matter of time before he starts munching on my crops. I won't resort to killing him as he may have a family...William Aska Limhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00109734144886159049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4762757430161374588.post-18772823675423098422012-04-17T11:28:00.001+08:002012-04-17T11:28:54.430+08:00System Update - 17th April 2012<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span id="goog_407000007"></span><span id="goog_407000008"></span>Here's an update on my system...</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Ammonia: 0.5</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Nitrite: 0.5</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Ammonia and nitrite were at 1.0 yesterday. The reason was due to 2 dead tilapia at the bottom of the fish tank. I've been feeding them irregularly, sometimes 1 tsp per day, sometimes 2 tsp, and sometimes none...</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Tilapia left: 88</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i8YLiKL4qag/T4zVaEzoeVI/AAAAAAAAAJ0/6_sud1vyBfQ/s1600/IMG_0670.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i8YLiKL4qag/T4zVaEzoeVI/AAAAAAAAAJ0/6_sud1vyBfQ/s320/IMG_0670.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The insect screen is doing its job well. Here's 3 days worth of fallen debris over the guppy tank. There should be more as I had removed accumulated leaves for the past few days...</div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6qQf3I2ucCQ/T4zVcNhPOJI/AAAAAAAAAJ8/Z1ZJyjr1b4Q/s1600/IMG_0672.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6qQf3I2ucCQ/T4zVcNhPOJI/AAAAAAAAAJ8/Z1ZJyjr1b4Q/s320/IMG_0672.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span id="goog_407000029"></span><span id="goog_407000030"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
To reduce algae in the system, I shaded the fish tank using 50% shade cloth folded over several times. It's quite dark inside there.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jN_rD2MBHEE/T4zVc1tJQNI/AAAAAAAAAKA/_Ddi4_7h5qg/s1600/IMG_0673.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jN_rD2MBHEE/T4zVc1tJQNI/AAAAAAAAAKA/_Ddi4_7h5qg/s320/IMG_0673.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
I also bought a new Resun aerator with auto-switching backup power for RM170. Comes with a flowrate controller dial and consumes electricity at the rate of 10W. This thing weighs like a brick...!</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_8H8w5kRlwc/T4zVYsQbpdI/AAAAAAAAAJs/AHguTHya6co/s1600/IMG_0668.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_8H8w5kRlwc/T4zVYsQbpdI/AAAAAAAAAJs/AHguTHya6co/s320/IMG_0668.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
Because this aerator is meant for indoor use, it has to be shielded from direct sunlight and rain. Hooking it underneath the growbed should be good enough. I tied cotton strings across the iron bars to act as support for the aerator body. This is only a temporary solution, since the aerator is pretty heavy and I shouldn't risk having the aerator fall and tear through the green insect screen into the fish tank below. I need something stronger for support...</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1PbPZ9aZrgc/T4zVivLpbeI/AAAAAAAAAKo/k3i1bOTLZug/s1600/IMG_0681.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1PbPZ9aZrgc/T4zVivLpbeI/AAAAAAAAAKo/k3i1bOTLZug/s320/IMG_0681.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I hope that with this amount of aeration, the tilapias will be happier... :-)</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-c55OsI2ykcM/T4zVjhDYX9I/AAAAAAAAAKw/RxwDQ1s3xf4/s1600/IMG_0683.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-c55OsI2ykcM/T4zVjhDYX9I/AAAAAAAAAKw/RxwDQ1s3xf4/s320/IMG_0683.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I'm not sure the reason, but some of my tilapias appear to be gasping at the surface. They had been behaving like this since I bought them. I don't think the current level of nitrites can block so much oxygen absorption. Could it be a permanent gill damage caused by the stress endured during the one hour journey from the farm to my house?</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-syIEBqM-4zw/T4zVkccMtcI/AAAAAAAAAK4/UPNAK4vT9U4/s1600/IMG_0686.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-syIEBqM-4zw/T4zVkccMtcI/AAAAAAAAAK4/UPNAK4vT9U4/s320/IMG_0686.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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As for the plants, mint is growing strong. They are also starting to droop sideways... Have they begun executing their plans of conquering the entire growbed already?</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GNPuQvP-qGk/T4zVeeyO-MI/AAAAAAAAAKI/2AW3p6E7i7M/s1600/IMG_0674.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GNPuQvP-qGk/T4zVeeyO-MI/AAAAAAAAAKI/2AW3p6E7i7M/s320/IMG_0674.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Kangkong still taking its sweet time...</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oO8A9QDFM_I/T4zVfEOk1EI/AAAAAAAAAKQ/c0EgDGdBZ0g/s1600/IMG_0676.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oO8A9QDFM_I/T4zVfEOk1EI/AAAAAAAAAKQ/c0EgDGdBZ0g/s320/IMG_0676.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Pegaga showing signs of deficiency. Older leaves are turning brown while some dried up and rot. Iron deficiency? </div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cJWGArUPknY/T4zVgxtUbXI/AAAAAAAAAKc/1IaKRh39gjQ/s1600/IMG_0677.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cJWGArUPknY/T4zVgxtUbXI/AAAAAAAAAKc/1IaKRh39gjQ/s320/IMG_0677.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Okra seedlings are actually growing very fast... That single true leaf wasn't there 2 days ago... </div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lOD8ZuvdeqQ/T4zVhsiWmzI/AAAAAAAAAKg/61DdPq6YYh0/s1600/IMG_0679.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lOD8ZuvdeqQ/T4zVhsiWmzI/AAAAAAAAAKg/61DdPq6YYh0/s320/IMG_0679.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Thanks for reading...</div>
<br />William Aska Limhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00109734144886159049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4762757430161374588.post-58113330944541484512012-04-12T20:27:00.002+08:002012-04-12T20:28:26.619+08:00Problem from above...The problem with my current system is that it is located under a tree. Everyday, I would find 10 to 20 leaves on the growbed and in the fishtank. To make matters worst, when the tiny flowers and fruits from this tree fall into the fish tank, they get stuck on the pump filter which I need to clean every 3 days. This is becoming a chore now and so I decided to do something about it...<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QMMsAxz3QDI/T4bBTEpbkRI/AAAAAAAAAJc/VOE1oA9pDwY/s1600/STB_0667.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QMMsAxz3QDI/T4bBTEpbkRI/AAAAAAAAAJc/VOE1oA9pDwY/s320/STB_0667.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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By covering the fish tanks with plastic insect screens...!<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FouiDJ_hnuw/T4bBK7nFU0I/AAAAAAAAAIk/f-2t0fPj4Mo/s1600/IMG_0651.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FouiDJ_hnuw/T4bBK7nFU0I/AAAAAAAAAIk/f-2t0fPj4Mo/s320/IMG_0651.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3nHKgIRIgtg/T4bBNH0vciI/AAAAAAAAAIo/O64o6G1YXZo/s1600/IMG_0652.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3nHKgIRIgtg/T4bBNH0vciI/AAAAAAAAAIo/O64o6G1YXZo/s320/IMG_0652.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8Y98_qLQJRo/T4bBN9k9NcI/AAAAAAAAAI0/k_oZiza0IbM/s1600/IMG_0653.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8Y98_qLQJRo/T4bBN9k9NcI/AAAAAAAAAI0/k_oZiza0IbM/s320/IMG_0653.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Oh... and here are some photos of the plants:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FopfwLLLUEE/T4bBPIgzdkI/AAAAAAAAAI8/6LD3Az_WrsA/s1600/IMG_0655.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FopfwLLLUEE/T4bBPIgzdkI/AAAAAAAAAI8/6LD3Az_WrsA/s320/IMG_0655.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mint is starting to grow fast...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Oe-GHghmjkk/T4bBQFeZQII/AAAAAAAAAJA/gFY5Q5vSDu4/s1600/IMG_0656.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Oe-GHghmjkk/T4bBQFeZQII/AAAAAAAAAJA/gFY5Q5vSDu4/s320/IMG_0656.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kangkong is growing well... Two okra seedling at the top of the picture...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-j5H_5ez-gC0/T4bBQzRAxyI/AAAAAAAAAJI/ASw_R7DIu98/s1600/IMG_0657.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-j5H_5ez-gC0/T4bBQzRAxyI/AAAAAAAAAJI/ASw_R7DIu98/s320/IMG_0657.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pegaga not doing so well. They did grow some new leaves but they look pale...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Tilapia left: 90<br />
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Thanks for reading...<br />
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</div>William Aska Limhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00109734144886159049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4762757430161374588.post-77107105671118062402012-04-12T01:51:00.002+08:002012-04-12T02:09:39.544+08:00New Herbs For My Garden...<div style="text-align: justify;">
It's 1:26 am now...</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Went to a nursery yesterday and bought some herbs. I have always
wanted to have a herb garden at the back of my house where I can just
pluck some leaves and eat them right away. I bought thyme, stevia, oregano, lavender, and bird's eye chili. They are organically grown and can be safely consumed...</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ammu4-GegxA/T4W_2SXBbvI/AAAAAAAAAIE/wD-Tbr8d3eM/s1600/IMG_0643.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ammu4-GegxA/T4W_2SXBbvI/AAAAAAAAAIE/wD-Tbr8d3eM/s320/IMG_0643.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From left to right: Lavender, Oregano, Stevia, Thyme... They came in nice plastic protectors...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5-HsFlZ0gCE/T4W_3NLLNnI/AAAAAAAAAIM/cp26suTz9FU/s1600/IMG_0644.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5-HsFlZ0gCE/T4W_3NLLNnI/AAAAAAAAAIM/cp26suTz9FU/s320/IMG_0644.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bird's eye chili</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-A8pep8gV1mU/T4W_4r4vjDI/AAAAAAAAAIU/JLfjyaJy7kY/s1600/IMG_0647.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-A8pep8gV1mU/T4W_4r4vjDI/AAAAAAAAAIU/JLfjyaJy7kY/s320/IMG_0647.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clockwise from top left: Stevia, Lavender, Oregano, Thyme</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I will be leaving them in their soil filled pots for the time being. I'll only plant them into the growbed once I had done the planned water change mentioned in my earlier post. I don't want plastic chemicals in my herbs but I couldn't do that water change until the system is cycled...</div>
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I later did a water quality test.<br />
Ammonia : < 0.5 mg/l<br />
Nitrite : 0.5 mg/l<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oe-DBzgsGeE/T4W_5-5z5RI/AAAAAAAAAIY/_FjEGi6K14o/s1600/IMG_0649.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oe-DBzgsGeE/T4W_5-5z5RI/AAAAAAAAAIY/_FjEGi6K14o/s320/IMG_0649.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ammonia & Nitrite test</td></tr>
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4 tilapia died since my last update. I'm not sure what was the cause of their death. Some were injured by other tilapias while others just died without any physical clue telling the cause. I noticed that some of them have brownish gills and they sometimes appear to gasp at the surface... A lack of oxygen or nitrite poisoning? I'll have to increase aeration... I also noticed that the tilapias kept pooping even though I had stop feeding them for two days straight. They are probably eating the floating algae since their poop is dark green in color... After that test, I fed them with 2 1/2 teaspoons of pellet feed...</div>
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Tilapias left: 92<br />
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Time to sleep.........William Aska Limhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00109734144886159049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4762757430161374588.post-58063423526392499252012-04-08T00:06:00.001+08:002012-04-08T00:09:18.034+08:00System Update - 7th April 1012It's already 00:00 am 8th April at the time I type this sentence but it's an update of what happened yesterday.<br />
Found a dead tilapia in the morning with its corpse half eaten.<br />
Didn't fed them for the whole day... I did fed the guppies though...<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5EQ0SMC_GsE/T4Blm2--udI/AAAAAAAAAH8/CbRin0-_Mx4/s1600/IMG_0639.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5EQ0SMC_GsE/T4Blm2--udI/AAAAAAAAAH8/CbRin0-_Mx4/s320/IMG_0639.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Ammonia : 0.5<br />
Nitrite : 1.0<br />
Tilapia left : 96<br />
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Would be holding back on feed tomorrow.William Aska Limhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00109734144886159049noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4762757430161374588.post-90528596579824536172012-04-06T19:36:00.000+08:002012-04-06T19:41:00.128+08:00System Update - 6th April 2012<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zQOUE6VPxxU/T37PxAlVBcI/AAAAAAAAAHs/dTTf68Thfqw/s1600/IMG_0636.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zQOUE6VPxxU/T37PxAlVBcI/AAAAAAAAAHs/dTTf68Thfqw/s320/IMG_0636.JPG" width="320" /></a><b>7:30 am</b><br />
<u>Water Chemistry</u><br />
Ammonia: 0.5 mg/l<br />
Nitrite: 0.5 mg/l<br />
pH: 7.0<br />
<br />
<u>Feed Given</u><br />
Tilapia: 1 teaspoon<br />
Guppy: 1/3 of usual feed<br />
Pleco: 1/3 teaspoon<br />
<br />
found 1 dead tilapia...<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mW5zdWrIwh4/T37PyeQoXxI/AAAAAAAAAH0/fl66BXF5J88/s1600/IMG_0637.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mW5zdWrIwh4/T37PyeQoXxI/AAAAAAAAAH0/fl66BXF5J88/s320/IMG_0637.JPG" width="320" /></a><b>5:30 pm</b><br />
<u>Water Chemistry</u><br />
Ammonia: 0.5 mg/l<br />
Nitrite: 0.5 mg/l<br />
Nitrate: 25 mg/l (dropped due to water change)<br />
<br />
<u>Feed Given</u><br />
Tilapia: 2 teaspoons + 1 caterpillar<br />
Guppy: 1/2 of usual feed<br />
Pleco: 1/2 teaspoon<br />
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Number of tilapias left : 97<br />
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I don't think feeding them is the main cause of the ammonia and nitrite levels. Most of the ammonia probably came from their gills anyway. The water had become less foamy now and smells less "fishy". I guess the existing bacteria in the growbed is handling the situation well. I'll be increasing their feed slowly to speed up cycling as long as ammonia or nitrites don't go over 1.0.William Aska Limhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00109734144886159049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4762757430161374588.post-18393003313362087182012-04-05T20:55:00.002+08:002012-04-05T21:17:24.466+08:00New Tank for the Guppies!<div style="text-align: justify;">
The old circular guppy tank is actually a plastic kitchen basin/tub that had been under the sun for about 4 years now. Its upper surface is turning to powder and should be very fragile by now. What I'm worried about is the amount of plastic chemicals that had been leaching into the system for all these years. In fact, there is a strong plastic smell when I sniff the basin's rim.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1bOc1SfxcOo/T32Rk7TfcWI/AAAAAAAAAHU/BYF1n_WTBCg/s1600/IMG_0632.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1bOc1SfxcOo/T32Rk7TfcWI/AAAAAAAAAHU/BYF1n_WTBCg/s320/IMG_0632.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Plastic surface turning into powder... The effects of 4 years of sun damage...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XQUUi7k6z7E/T32Rotyf77I/AAAAAAAAAHc/h6g739M3_Dg/s1600/IMG_0633.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XQUUi7k6z7E/T32Rotyf77I/AAAAAAAAAHc/h6g739M3_Dg/s320/IMG_0633.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">White patches are 4 year old stains from adhesive paper tape... Those lighter colored scratch marks are my attempts at removing the tape... Scratching the surface releases a lot of dust particles and smell...</td></tr>
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And so, I decided to get them a new tank today. It's smaller than the growbed but much bigger than the previous circular tank. After adding the new tank to the system, I realized that quite a significant amount of water was drawn up to the new tank lowering the water depth in the tilapia tank. I worry that the shallower water will now cause the water to heat up quicker during noon. And so I proceeded to add 3 more pails (39 litres) of water salted to 3ppt into the system.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B23Cyc5q28I/T32RsVvYtVI/AAAAAAAAAHk/iFl4JcIgP_s/s1600/IMG_0635.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B23Cyc5q28I/T32RsVvYtVI/AAAAAAAAAHk/iFl4JcIgP_s/s320/IMG_0635.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This photo was taken at 8:15 pm. It was already pretty dark during that time, but the camera's flash made it seems like it was taken during noon.</td></tr>
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Just to be safe, I will conduct further water changes in the future to remove any more lingering chemicals in the system's water. I won't be consuming any vegetables (the mint, pegaga, and kangkong) that was planted or will be planted before completing the future water change in case they had absorbed some chemicals in them. I won't be culling my guppies and pleco as I won't be eating them, but they might continue pooping out plastic tainted poo for some time which may go in to my plants or find a way into tilapia blood stream. I will ignore those minute traces of plastic chemicals and only seek to minimize instead of a total removal. I'm sure I should be worrying more about other pollutants such as vehicle exhaust and cigarette smoke than plastic chemicals leaching in to water.</div>
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Thanks for reading...</div>William Aska Limhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00109734144886159049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4762757430161374588.post-55876411984054591542012-04-05T16:15:00.001+08:002012-04-05T16:19:17.973+08:00System Update - 5th April 2012Found 3 dead tilapias this afternoon. Very few tilapias showing signs of flashing today. Guppies seem fine, no sick ones. Pleco explores the tank at night as usual.<br />
<br />
Tilapia left: 98 or less if I missed any deaths<br />
<br />
Here's the result of today's water quality check:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lQn53xuOHWc/T31QAQznsBI/AAAAAAAAAHM/BOxce9abLZw/s1600/IMG_0631.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lQn53xuOHWc/T31QAQznsBI/AAAAAAAAAHM/BOxce9abLZw/s320/IMG_0631.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From left to right: Ammonia, Nitrite, pH</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Ammonia : 0.5 mg/l<br />
Nitrite : between 0.5 - 1.0 mg/l (I downloaded the color chart from Sera's website)<br />
pH : around 7.0<br />
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I fed the guppies with 1/3 of their usual food, fed tilapias with 1/2 teaspoon of crushed pellets and 4 kangkong leaves, but won't be feeding the pleco as it looked like he sucked on one dead guppy last night. Since I had salted the system to 3ppt, they should be fine with that much nitrite.<br />
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In the previous update, I mentioned that I will be adding 3 pails of water in to the system today. But I changed my mind today since the rest of the tilapias looked fine and doing that will only stress the fish more.<br />
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Thanks for reading!William Aska Limhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00109734144886159049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4762757430161374588.post-2642059716858697382012-04-05T01:50:00.002+08:002012-04-05T19:46:59.504+08:00Salting My System<div style="text-align: justify;">
Around 7pm, I found my Pleco sucking on a motionless tilapia fingerling. I then took it out of the water to examine it. It didn't moved for a while and I thought it was already dead until it started gasping about a minute later. Its body looked fine except for its brownish gills. I ran a stream of water through its mouth for a minute... But then I rethought about it and decided to cull it instead as it looked hopeless and I don't want it to rot and contribute more ammonia into the system...</div>
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To help them cope with their stress, I salted the water to 3ppt. I calculated that my system is currently running on 256 litres of water which should mean that I need 0.768 kg of salt to obtain 3ppt of salt concentration.</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aTBYRuhxHJM/T3x74ma2-QI/AAAAAAAAAHE/bAOhpKPSFUU/s1600/IMG_0629.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aTBYRuhxHJM/T3x74ma2-QI/AAAAAAAAAHE/bAOhpKPSFUU/s320/IMG_0629.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the left: Roughly 0.76 kg of aquarium salt.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Here's how to obtain the required weight of the salt:<br />
<ul>
<li>3 ppt means 3 parts per 1000 in weight.</li>
<li>1 litre of aquarium water weighs very close to 1 kg.</li>
<li>That means you need 3 kg of salt for every 1000 litres of water.</li>
</ul>
Now you need to calculate the total volume of water in your system in litres:<br />
<br />
<b>Rectangular Tanks:</b><br />
<br />
<i>width(cm) * length(cm) * water depth(cm) = volume(ml)</i><br />
<i>volume(ml) / 1000 = volume(litre)</i><br />
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<b>Cylindrical / Circular Tanks:</b><br />
<br />
<i>radius(cm) * radius(cm) * <span class="st">π</span> * water depth(cm) = volume(ml)</i><br />
<i>volume(ml) / 1000 = volume(litre)</i><br />
<br />
<i>* <span class="st">π = 3.1415926</span></i><br />
<br />
<span class="st">Then you can obtain the amount of the needed salt by using this formula:</span><br />
<br />
<i><span class="st">Salt weight(kg) = ppt number / 1000 * volume(litre)</span></i><br />
<span class="st"><br /></span><br />
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<span class="st"><br /></span><br />
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<span class="st">When adding salt into your system, don't just throw those salt crystals directly into your fish tank. Fish are curious and love to swim around the thick briny water surrounding the salt crystals and have a "taste" --- I know my guppies do. If they indulge for too long, they'll get salt burns on their skin.</span></div>
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<span class="st">What I did was I diluted the salt in a pail of water from the system. Stir the water to speed up the dilution process otherwise it may take hours. Once all the salt had diluted, you can dump them into the fish tank. The salt water will gradually get mixed together with the rest as the pump circulates the water. This sudden change in salt saturation levels is important as it will shock and kill most parasites in the tank osmotically.</span></div>
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<span class="st">* Note: Snails hate salty water and plecos probably won't be enjoying above 3ppt of salt. </span>William Aska Limhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00109734144886159049noreply@blogger.com0