A Sneek Peek

[RupertofOZ]

Just back from a busy, and rainy couple of days in Sydney at the Inner Sydney Montessori School...

A collaboration with Charlie from Ecolicious...

Who designed an aquaponics system.... comprising a lined pond, aquaplated grow bed with siphon, and a bath tub with a loop siphon...

All filmed for a forthcoming episode of Gardening Australia... hosted by the indominable Costa...

Even the "stars" don't get to avoid gravel/clay washing...

Talking to the kids... as Costa does best...

Beds in progress

Showing the viewers a "rainbow trout"... before release...

[RupertofOZ]

Trout getting used to their new home...

Costa wrapping up...

Finished job... (almost)....

Episode goes to air July 14/15th...

[mjacko88]

Trout getting used to their new home...

Costa wrapping up...

Finished job... (almost)....

Episode goes to air July 14/15th...

That bath looks about as stable as a one legged donkey!! and the growbed doesn't look much better either!:D

[Murray]

Good to see you helping Ecolicious especially considering the pasting Charlie copped over at BYAP after he was featured on Better Homes & Gardens about a year back....Whistling
Everyone benefits when AP stories go to air. It is all good.

[Castaway]

That bath looks about as stable as a one legged donkey!! and the growbed doesn't look much better either

:eek: Yes I hope the grow beds are sturdy.

I can just read the news headlines.

"TV star remanded in custody along with two accomplices as school bathtub slips and crushes child...socialist experiment fails (again) crushing special needs student as three men build fish death trap at Sydney Montessori school...police have seized video evidence and are investigating the matter."

:(

[RupertofOZ]

Good to see you helping Ecolicious especially considering the pasting Charlie copped over at BYAP after he was featured on Better Homes & Gardens about a year back....Whistling
Everyone benefits when AP stories go to air. It is all good.
Things are not always as they might seem, or appear...

Charlie rang me after the segment went to air.... and in response to some of the comments...

But mainly because he himself was concerned as to how the BHG segment had been compiled, edited, presented... and some things, like pouring in the "Prime"... that had nothing to do with himself...and even some of the info posted by others on websites concerning his "aquaponics" experience...

This shoot was a lot more "scripted" than the BHG show... and Costa is a much better presenter... and we do get to see the edit before it goes to air... ;)

Basically Charlie wants to promote aquaponics... and do it right... and he's happily taken on board comments made... listened, learnt and made adjustments... and continues to do so.... most of the time... :D


Don't know when it will go to air.... but Better Homes & Gardens will also be doing a shoot about another system in the next few weeks... and I'm sure this segment will be a lot better than the last one.... ;)

[RupertofOZ]

With regards to the grow bed supports.... I raised the issue with Charlie myself... and he assured me that they're a lot sturdier than they might appear in the photos...


The photos were shot between filming over two days.. and the rain... and the system has been dressed up since...

There's actually railway sleepers, and other bolted supports under both beds.... and much of the weight is actually supported by the pond itself...

The grow beds were actually "fat bastard" tested at one stage.... with Charlie and another person actually standing and jumping on them...

[Yabbies4me]

Hey Rupe... did they bring along a make-up girl... you know, to powder the top of that dome before the shoot? :D

[RupertofOZ]

Hahaha... yeah, already chipped Charlie about getting "that" shot.... :D

[Castaway]

Good on you Rupe. I like to stir you up a bit. Good to see Costa promote AP and Charlie and yourself feature in it as well. (Now about those trout stocking densities... I notice you were a bit quiet about that...)

[benwalters]

that looks cool..........
re. cantilever on bath tub, you would think that being a school you wouldn't want to push the boundaries too much...:eek:
but i looked back at the first photo and bath slopes a lot at front, so probably okay
water plus gravel is darn heavy so i think is important for all of us to over engineer

a fat bastard test is fairly useful if you happen to have one handy !!!!!!!:tongue:

what is the effect of planting vegetation in the pond its-self ? couldn't nutrients be better used in AP beds?

re. stocking density - room for about 150 trout i suppose :rolleyes:

[RupertofOZ]

that looks cool..........
re. cantilever on bath tub, you would think that being a school you wouldn't want to push the boundaries too much...:eek:
but i looked back at the first photo and bath slopes a lot at front, so probably okay
water plus gravel is darn heavy so i think is important for all of us to over engineer


Indeed... and Charlie has responded by adding besser blocks under both beds... as extra insurance....




what is the effect of planting vegetation in the pond its-self ? couldn't nutrients be better used in AP beds?


Perhaps.... but this system was designed more as an "eco" system... primarily for educational purposes... rather than as a pure food production system...

And Charlies main focus is pond design... often as a retrofit... to include an aquaponic element.. both for filtration... and some vegetative growth, usually edible...;)

[llewelynj]

to knock over the GB wold take a lot of force. my system is less sturdier as i have supported on bessa block. the GB in above pictures are solid. it would take a few blokes to knock them over and they would have to do it through a brick wall or use rope.
on the other hand how many kids or adults do you know that can roll 400kg block?

id say its as solid as it needs to be

[Castaway]

I caught a glimpse of Gardening Australia on the TV yesterday. Costa mentioned something about DIY gardening and school aquaponics being featured on next week's show. Could be Rupe's big debut! I will try and remember to watch it.

[RupertofOZ]

Mine is just a cameo appearance Castaway.... delivering the fish.... if in fact they even decided to include it...

[Castaway]

Spotted Rupe on Gardening Australia tonight. A brief cameo appearance, a bit like Alfred Hitchcock appearing in his own films. Rupe delivered some trout to a school system. Complete with white goatee beard, Rupe could have passed for a climate Change scientist on Gillard's panel of senior advisors. Very distinguished. I was most impressed. Costa introduced him as "John"
It was a pity rain interrupted the final construction. Wasn't sure if it was flood and drain as the builder Charlie is quite partial to constant flow.

[RupertofOZ]

So busy getting the fire going... and cooking tea... I forgot about it.... until I saw the EPG as I switch over to the news...

Ah well... have to catch the rescreen tomorrow at 13:00... or wait until they send the DVD to me...

[revelation19]

John, you can already have a peek here:

http://www.abc.net.au/gardening/video/download.htm

Btw. Costa reminds me on Catweazle, only some hundred years younger....

Greetz

Daniel

[RupertofOZ]

Thanks Daniel... didn't think it would be posted until tomorrow at best..

[jono81]

nice work.. good looking system.

[Yabbies4me]

I just watched the show on ABC, but missed the first few minutes, didn't even see anything about aquaponics, was it right at the beginning?
.

[revelation19]

Yep, just after the intro trailer...

[Yabbies4me]

Cheers,

Will watch when the boss has put her whip away for the day!
.

[tpilk]

Nice project - looked like the kids enjoyed as well.

The shocker for me was seeing Charles Manson out of jail, but with an Aussie accent....