Update 30th Dec - Okra

Finally my internet connection getting better. The service provider are now laying fibre optics cable everywhere for High Speed Broad Band, by early next year my place may have 10mbps line :) cool.

This is a quick update on Okra. As photo you can see they are doing well.
However only 2 plant bear fruit, those Okra I am letting it to ripen so that I could collect more seed for planting.



The plant are flowering, If I have more Okra plant then it will be more Okra :) , each growbed I would recommend about 3 plant and mix them with others since Okra will grow quite tall.

I will replant, new Okra from seeds that on the earlier photo.

We are learning, so Okra check.... :)

Update 20th Dec 2009 - Okra

The Okra is flowering. This one just flowering today, over the weekend I was away and earlier another flowered.



Some of the Okra plant do well, especially those near the water inlet. Further away from inlet, they are not as big as these.
From the difference in size within the same growbed, shows that fish solids do play some important role in providing nutrient to the plants.
Next time I'll redo the water inlet so that fish solid are evenly distributed within the bed.

Okra suppose to be one of the best vegetable for our health, high in vitamins and fibre. Its gentle on the stomach and intestine due to the slimy fluid within the okra and because of the high fibre its good for cleaning our digestive track.
Underneath the Okra, I planted few Tumeric. These are plants with rhizomes, I am testing these because normally they will not survive water logged soil. The rhizomes will rot and not able to multiply.
We use Tumeric, either their leaves or the rhizomes. Those part that look like ginger root. I guess its more appropriate to call root then.
Been raining daily, water a bit high. few more days like this I will need to adjust water level. That reminds me next round I need to put bricks underneath those growbed to make them higher so that I do not require to adjust water level even if its rain all week long.

Update 13th Dec 2009 - Main Setup

It was very hectic for me this last few months, last minute request for various aircraft type courses around the world. Suddenly everyone want to learn.. :)
Its been quite a while since my last update. Nothing much change except the plants getting bigger and few fish gone to the pot.

My main setup above as you can see from the photo are stabilizing. Okra and chillies are my latest addition to the growbed.
BTW : That's my little boy Amir, he just can't help it wanting to be in the picture.

Chillies I planted, very slow to progress. This particular growbed the black tub are giving me problem that I can't detect from day one. Its identical to the rest but its having problem. The others, those Blue tub works flawlessly hardly any maintenance or adjustment. Could it be the color black giving any effect on the system.


Okra, I need to make a video on this one looking into the different sizes of the plant as it move away from water inlet. The bigger plant are flowering, will see whether it will fruit.
Those Basil bush, Mint, Water Celery and Viet Coriender are wild. These are easiest to grow and for new setup these herb is a good way to get started.
Fern, after the last trimming and replanting last October are recovering and showing sign of progress. Fern are slow growing if planted from sapling, they are good water purifier to make sure fish water is clean. They are also good at repelling pest, what if we blend some of these fern frons and make it into insecticide or something like that for other plants in the growbed.
An overview photo of the Fern that I planted on the ledge using rain gutter. High winds tend to uproot them occasionally. I need to do something for these fern. Those located further away from water inlet not doing so well compared to those near.
Fishes grown up, I did not add any new fish. I am trying to let those Tilapia breed and see. Few already gone to the pot and smaller one getting bigger.
More photo of the fish, water outlet from the flush are working like clockwork. I set timers to switch off the pump at night and switches on aerator.
Water outlet, some are flushing.
More water flushing and fishes. Those that make same flush system as mine hope you got great success. These that I use looks like it works without any problem - well except occasionally the one in that Black Grow Bed.
Ok that all for now. I need to make a video update but my SD card just not around.

Cheers.

Update 13th Dec 2009 - Home Kit

Back from LA, its along flight back. I lost my videocam SD card ahhh..!!! No video for this next few days.

Update of my homekit, its doing fine no problem what so ever. The flush works like clock work and no maintenance done on it. Sometimes it scare me seeing it work day in day out. That 12 watt pump sufficient for the job.

I installed a timer just before my departure to the States, cannot rely on someone else to switch it on and off for me.

Above pics, shown its flushing. The herb I planted as shown doing great and overflowing the growbed. They provide me enless supplies of Basil, Water Celery, Thai Coriender, Mint and other herb.
I have trimmed few times yet they just grow wild, gave it away most of the time I can't use all of it anyway.

Tilapia previously in this tank I've move it to my main concrete tank and replace with 2 Koi, 4 Barb and a gold fish. Testing out whether they can supply enough poo to the plants.

Water quality, looks good, its been long time since I last check for Ph value. Mostly it remain stable around 7 ~ 7.5 ph.




Time Out - Hollywood Boulevard

I've been busy these pass few weeks, one of it is this trip to United States, currently I'm in LA and I don't want to miss the chance to snap few pictures of these famous area.



Will be back home soon, then hope fully :) settle down to check on my aquaponics setup progress. Its been a long time since my last trip to USA, and a lot have chance.


Most of my previous trips are to Seattle WA, Springfield MO, San Antonio where the Alamo Is, and few other places like Maine. But mostly Seattle in the late 80's and early 90's

Cheers