Tropical Systems

[DaveOponic]

Sounds like a cyclone or hurricane but we don't get those in Brunei. Just lots of water and even more hot sunshine. Makes it hard to grow anything to eat and that's what led me to Aquaponics.

If you're doing AP in the heat and torrential rain and spent a lot of time trolling through hardware stores looking for that elusive 40 mm PVC elbow or tee joint then you might like to share your stories in this folder.

and if you live in a temperate country or have to shovel the snow off your footpath to get into your heated glasshouse to turn the heater up on your fish, you are still welcome to post here.

This is my 7th year in Borneo and have been playing around with AP for about the last six years. I still have plenty to learn though and like to see what others are doing in SE Asia or other tropical climes with fish and veges.

Dave "O ponic"

[AquaCouple]

The PH in my system has been going up and down for a week now, Yabbies4me gave me some great advice on bringing it down but can anyone tell me why it is doing this?
PH goes from 7.2 in the morning to 8.4 at night.
I do have an algae problem with the water already light green.

I run 1200 Lt Tank and 500 Lt GB on a timer 15/45.. and the system has been running for 2 months.

Cheers,
AC

[Murray]

Take the pH reading at the same time every day. It is not uncommon to have pH swings in new systems, but don't chase pH by the hour, if you know what I mean......

[AquaCouple]

So far I have not done anything to change the PH.

This said should I worry about it getting up to 8.4?

[DaveOponic]

Is your FT covered? If the water is green, I would be doing a complete water change as a priority. Then make sure you restrict any direct sunlight entering the tank.

All my tanks are under cover, I.e. NO direct sunlight entering the fish tank.
My GB's are also pretty well covered with shade cloth. There is some green algae in GB's but very little ever gets to the tank.

From my own experience, algae can cause pH swings. More importantly it sucks the DO out of the water.

Dave

[Castaway]

Just a tip. If you think the pH is excessive or wildly different. Take another reading. Its not uncommon for your test vial to become contaminated. A couple of times I've had a wild reading and was about to pour some acid into the system when a second test confirmed that the pH reading was wrong. Clean the glass vial and do another test.

[AquaCouple]

OK that's all very good advice and I will let you know of the outcome.

Thank you

AC

[WendyLou]

Oh I like this thread,

It's comforting to know that I'm not the only one struggling to find the simplest of plumbing accessories, looking with envy at the handy flexible hose and neat little taps everybody else gets to use, never mind “shade cloth” all I get when enquiring about that is .. Eh???
Have to say though I do enjoy the challenge :)

Have attached few update pics of my little ramshackle system, growth is great right now, the squash seem to be running away over the wall! and the fish seem happy.
I've had a couple of tank covers made to tidy things up somewhat, it appears though that the carpenter used something they call “stone wood” around here, so called cause it weighs as much !
The regular veg garden is doing well too, it's the start of the rainy season we've a few months to grow our veg, after that it becomes to hot and dry for much to survive.
Hence my interest in Aquaponics, we've managed to grow various types of veg in these three beds all year around :)

W

[Murray]

That is a great result WendyL. In a climate like yours those off season veggies are very valuable.
When I lived in PNG I have seen shade covers made with brush from the bush held up by some bush posts and some chicken wire. It could be made to look nice with a bit of effort.

[DaveOponic]

Yesterday I put up some shade cloth between two fences using one inch ag pipe tied to the fence posts in arcs to support the shade cloth. I plan to move my grow beds under the shade cloth as the heat is just killing my plants.

I am also working on solar powering my system, with 4 eighty watt panels on the roof and another 14 panels to use. I have regulator connected but still need another battery or two and a reliable inverter. the last inverter I bought lasted about six months and fried. Cheap Chinese junk.

we don't have the extreme dry season of Ghana but it can get very hot here and at times we have had haze conditions that make it even worse.

Availability of hardware is a huge issue for me here. This week I have been on a search for star pickets but so far, come up with nothing. Will have to settle for angle iron. Even god quality shade cloth is hard to find at a sensible price.

I would love to use more bamboo here too and would make a good fence to pretty up my system.... But the last time I put bamboo near the ground it was eaten by termites after a few months.

Dave

[Murray]

But the last time I put bamboo near the ground it was eaten by termites after a few months.

I have had similar experience with Bamboo. The termites appear to regard it as a delicacy !! Great material if you can somehow keep it off the ground. maybe a piece of angle iron set in the ground and the bamboo fastened to that 50 or 75mm above ground. A bit like building stirrups used to build patios etc.
http://www.hardwarefast.com.au/cubecart/images/uploads/thumbs/thumb_GSUG0865.jpg

[WendyLou]

Good morning Murray and Dave.

Thank you for your comments Murray, yes come dry season I'll have to sort out something like that for shade, right now the tree hanging over the beds seems to be helping out .

Your right Dave those damn termites, at the moment they are munching through my corn stalks, one by one they are falling over .. most depressing,We still await the rain it keeps promising but then blows over I'm told that's why the termites are munching in my veg patch .. lack of rain.
I'd have to treat the bamboo, the locals build with bamboo so they must have something they use to repel those nasty munchers.

I have no idea what a Star picket is lol the main problem I'm having here is the names of stuff, I tend to draw it and show the plumbing shop guys, of course that gets lots of laughs and questions about what this crazy “Obloni” ( stranger- white person) is doing and suggestions that I actually get a plumber to come and do the job properly! Since I obviously have no clue lol

Seeds aren't easy to come by here, I chat up my pals to send me seeds every year. This year I got a lovely bag full of organic seeds sent from an American friend they all seem to be doing great so far.. one of these years I might actually succeeded with tomatoes! :)

I have to say though that Ghana is a vast improvement to Nigeria, where I lived most of my life, I could hardly grow a thing there, lived in the south (Port Harcourt) most of the time is feels like you are swimming through the air and lack of availability of bits and bobs there would have made it next to impossible to try aquaponics.


W

[Gratilla]

Termites #1: These are particularly attracted to younger bamboo high in soluble sugars. Older bamboo 3-4+ years is lower in sugars and less attacked by termites.

Termites #2: One way of dealing with termites is to lay down piles (1cm+) of wet newspaper/cardboard at strategic locations. Examine every week or so and burn when infested.

Bamboo Preservation: Many ways listed on the web. One particular way I'm familiar with is smoking it (with bamboo offcuts/sawdust). This has been used in Japan for 100s of years and is responsible for the long-term preservation of many items of antique bamboo.

Bamboo as Pipe: Many years ago I saw the occasional example of this in Indonesia, but it is labour intensive to make and high maintenance. I haven't seen any for some time now which probably indicates that even in low-labour-cost areas people prefer to lay PVC pipe and forget about it for 20 years.

Wicking Beds: For hot/dry areas/seasons you might care to look into/consider these. (Lots of info here on this forum and on the Web.)

[DaveOponic]

Ha ha!!! Murray, you haven't seen Brunei termites! If you think that will stop them!!

I will have to take some photos of the back lawn. It's like a superhighway with termite mounds all over the place. They make their clay tracks over the wire fence and will have a mound surrounding a new shrub within weeks.

Dave



I have had similar experience with Bamboo. The termites appear to regard it as a delicacy !! Great material if you can somehow keep it off the ground. maybe a piece of angle iron set in the ground and the bamboo fastened to that 50 or 75mm above ground. A bit like building stirrups used to build patios etc.
http://www.hardwarefast.com.au/cubecart/images/uploads/thumbs/thumb_GSUG0865.jpg

[davidl]

I will have to take some photos of the back lawn. It's like a superhighway with termite mounds all over the place

Do chickens eat termites?
Our 2 chickens have solved our ant mound problem.

[DaveOponic]

Thanks for your comments Gratilla, I have tried smoking bamboo but it gave me a nasty cough. Seriously though, I tried heating bamboo over a slow fire in the yard. It did improve the quality of the poles. My bamboo awning has held up quite well for about 5 years but starting to deteriorate lately.

The newspaper idea would be a waste of effort here. Just too many termites. I have about half an acre of yard and probably a quarter of it is prone to termite activity. Our wooden fences are being eaten away by both termites and dry rot.

Since we rent the house, it is not my problem ( I would have made steel fences) but the termites do eat a lot of stuff I plant. They destroyed a huge passionfruit vine by eating away the roots.

[Walks-In-Storms]

Yesterday I put up some shade cloth between two fences using one inch ag pipe tied to the fence posts in arcs to support the shade cloth. I plan to move my grow beds under the shade cloth as the heat is just killing my plants.

I am also working on solar powering my system, with 4 eighty watt panels on the roof and another 14 panels to use. I have regulator connected but still need another battery or two and a reliable inverter. the last inverter I bought lasted about six months and fried. Cheap Chinese junk.

we don't have the extreme dry season of Ghana but it can get very hot here and at times we have had haze conditions that make it even worse.

Availability of hardware is a huge issue for me here. This week I have been on a search for star pickets but so far, come up with nothing. Will have to settle for angle iron. Even god quality shade cloth is hard to find at a sensible price.

I would love to use more bamboo here too and would make a good fence to pretty up my system.... But the last time I put bamboo near the ground it was eaten by termites after a few months.


Dave

You seem to have a situation not unlike mine (being very frugal by habit and cultural lifestyle, however, I like to "jury rig" and improvise), such that I deal with many of the same problems. If I may offer my own experiences with home-built power sources, I learned quickly that inverters must be protected from humidity. I had mine in a cabinet on a fence outside, and even with a de-humidifier in the box, the inverter fields absorbed moister and shorted. Repaired and inside the house, the same inverters have functioned flawlessly for months now. Also - I'm not sure it was a factor, however - I coated everything inside the inverter shell with silicone spray paint.

Also (and having read further here), we're having a termite inspection today, they're being a constant threat here. We have a number of ways to deal with them (the inspection today being due my wife Rita's insecurity with my homely tactics for such things), including things like traps (with which I've had great success in dealing with the feasome clouds of mosquitos we have here). One of the things I've used for a long time with posts, stakes, and the like is to set them in a PVC or other plastic up, sometimes sealing the top with parafin or the like - lately, I've been using auto body filler resin (the little bandits hate that). I'll write more about that, should anyone be interested.

[Gratilla]

Do chickens eat termites?
Our 2 chickens have solved our ant mound problem.

Ants and termites are high in formic acid, so I would imaging chickens would avoid them (just as our house gekkos do), although I'm sure they would go for the grubs. Chickens probably scratch away at the mounds to get at the grubs; polishing off the "young generation" would effectively extinct the whole colony.

[EwanAp]

Hey Dave, It is nice you start a discussion regarding Tropical systems. I am also from Brunei, me and father visited your place few months ago and now, I have expanded my system with 4 half barrels. The system itself is still new, a few weeks old so it haven't cycle yet.

Just wondering, I read from your post (if i'm not mistaken) that you are using solar power was it? How much does it cost you? and also where can it be found?

[DaveOponic]

Hi Ewan

Good to see you have joined the forum. Welcome. I hope your expanded system is going well. It is a great hobby and very satisfying once you start producing fish and vegetables. I have been very busy since your visit, but have managed to put up a few solar panels and I am on the way to powering my system. As usual in Brunei, sourcing hardware is a big problem. I had planned to make welded steel frames for the growbeds but it has been almost impossible to find someone who can fabricate the frames at a reasonable price. After Chinese New Year hardware stores shutdown, I found it hard to find any blue barrels. I still have people waiting for compost drums but no supply. Same story with IBC's. While I see them being used by government departments and contractors, Iam yet to find a supplier.

Fortunately I have a friend who sourced the solar panels for me at auction and he got a great deal, so both of us have been able to power up our AP systems.
I am still looking for an inverter. Seems Hua Ho don't sell the taiwanese inverters any more.

The present hot conditions have motivated me to put all my GBs under shade, so I am constructing a hoop framed shade house and in the next fortnight plan to move everything under shade cloth.

Cheers

Dave

[EwanAp]

Hey Dave,

You can purchase the 'L' shaped steel from hardware store, at a cost of $20-30 6 metre. I purchase mine and welded all together with one of my worker spending almost $100 on the steel frame. It is taller than the fish tank, and can fit up to 4 half barrel grow bed. Since wooden frame is a bit expensive for me, I just use the 'L' shaped steel to make the stand of my grow bed.

Its a good move you moving your grow bed under the shade, it is more hotter now a days. What plants are you growing now? I have been growing brocolli, lettuce, cucumber and sawi putih (pak choy) at the moment as well as tomato.

Its bit hard to find materials here, but you can try going to Asia enterprise in Kilanas for agricultural products. I think they also have a compost bin there as well, but i'm not so sure. Yes its really hard to find IBC, i heard they can be found in Muara and KB but these areas are to far for me since i'm in Tutong. I am thinking of making my grow bed from fibreglass. I heard they were supplier here in Brunei, but i'm not sure of the location.

Just wondering, do you have problems with pest? such as the red small ants? they seems to like my chili plant so much. but doesn't go for other plants in my grow bed.

[WendyLou]

Yaay!

I finally found another tank, I'm thinking of using it for the fish since it's complete rather than hacked up and patched like the others I've bought.

Question though, it has metal casing all around, is that going to contribute to over heating for my fish you think ? I could probably get it off but it'd be a swine of a job.

W

[blitzeer]

hi guys, we have a solution to your bamboo-termite problems. here in central philippines, we sort of cure the tip of the bamboo which will be buried in the soil with "used engine oil". we've used it in my greenhouse. it's effective. try it.

http://i1069.photobucket.com/albums/u470/blitzeer/aquaponics%2010/IMG_20121005_144805.jpg

[portukid]

Hi Blitzeer, good to "see" someone from Cebu in the "AP in the tropics". I'm living here in Sydney, Australia for 30+ years now but I'm originally from Lapulapu City. Retired and taking AP as a hobby, hoping that someday, with all the knowledge I gain out of this, can be implemented there in my late mother's village. To teach them how to grow vegies and at the same time fish, without the use of dynamite and cyanide.

[WendyLou]

Hi Blitzeer,


I like that used engine oil idea, will surely give it a go.


It's got many uses that stuff, few years ago shortly before we relocated from Nigeria to Ghana one of the dogs had terrible skin problems after 2 years of trying to treat her and several vets later, a Russian vet suggested smearing used engine all over her, out of desperation we did .
She's been free of Skin problems since then and was able to travel to Ghana with us.:)



W

[dakine2448]

Powder post beatles love bamboo and it doesn't last long.

[Khungar]

"I'd have to treat the bamboo, the locals build with bamboo so they must have something they use to repel those nasty munchers."

Termites are a big problem in India as well. A couple of things they do out here to prevent termites eating the bamboo... 1. Paint the bamboo stalks which go in the ground upto a foot above the ground with old engine oil,m or cashew oil ( if you get that in your country). 2. Put generous quanty of sand around the whole area near the legs

best of luck
Khungar

[Murray]

Hi Khungar, are you coming to the Aquaponics training here starting on Wednesday?

[Khungar]

Hello Murray,

Unfortunately, I will be unable to make it given loads of other activities happening on my farm. But, I have met with kalyan and he's shared with me what the workshop is all about. Love to meet with you on your return to Bangalore. Like to invite you to our organic farm just outside the city...where I've setup an experimental AP system. I'll work thru' Kalyan to see what works best for you on 31st March or on 1st April in Bangalore.

Have fun at Porta-village. I'm sure it will be an experience....

Khungar