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Looking For Some Feedback On Ap Pond


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#1 oceanarium

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Posted 23 February 2014 - 08:39 AM

I am in early stages of planning an AP system, just tossing some ideas at the moment. Thinking of making the main grow tank as a below ground pond. Not sure how much cleaning of solids is required in AP systems? If the below ground might be problematic with sediments ? 

 

I have a house on slight hill with the way the ground falls away  we have a good 4.5m high shading for the pond from the north / west side. I was considering making a grow bed on the south east side at ground level to create more shade and some screening using banana trees, then the veg beds behind that again. 

 

I imagine the bananas might become top heavy and need a deep grow bed ? I have a dwarf banana variety here that only grows 2m tall, but we struggle to get ripe bananas as the fruit coincidences just when the high heat of summer kicks in, they are only gravity fed some water so dry out too much, I figure they should do well with the AP?

 

Cheers for any feedback  :)

 

Pete


Edited by oceanarium, 23 February 2014 - 08:40 AM.


#2 werdna

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Posted 23 February 2014 - 09:22 AM

If you have a flat bottom tank all you need to do is have the pump in the middle of the tank.

All return lines should point sideways when entering the tank, then the water swirls causing solids to build up in the middle.

 

Bananas grow fine in AP, and you wont need as deep a bed as you think. BYAP in Jandakot grow massive Ferns in theirs and the beds are only 300mm deep, they would be vastly larger than a banana.

I don't shade my tank at all and have no algae build up, the water is clear, so don't think it is a necessity.

 

You will get MASSIVE evaporation with bananas, so if you are topping up a few hundred litres every day in summer don't think you have a leak.

The bigger the leaves, the more evaporation.

 

Another option is blue barrels.

Check these babies out, grown in Narrogin

 

Attached File  barrels.png   387.42KB   6 downloadsAttached File  greenhouse%20no2.jpg   45.66KB   6 downloads



#3 mattt

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Posted 24 February 2014 - 06:33 AM

+1 for creating a swirl.

 

If you have alot of fish they will stir up the muck aswell if you have an odd shaped pond that a SLO would be ineffective 



#4 ice

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Posted 24 February 2014 - 07:13 AM

Theres some monster bananas in barrels like that at the AP place on Warton road also.



#5 oceanarium

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Posted 24 February 2014 - 07:21 PM

Thanks guy's, I dropped into the Woodvale fish place today and had a helpful talk to them, Warton road is on the list too soon as i get the chance. 

 

Glad you mentioned your tank in  direct sun Werdna, I read your journal and was wondering about that. Interesting read, you need to get off your arsse and update it  :P

 

Pete



#6 shayne

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Posted 24 February 2014 - 07:34 PM

i too would be interested in that update and anything to do with your murray cod [imagine a smile here,lost my emoticons at the moment]

#7 werdna

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Posted 24 February 2014 - 09:20 PM

I sold all the Murray Cod.

Preferred Rainbow trout

Now have 50 Silver Perch



#8 Ivan Sng

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Posted 25 February 2014 - 08:26 AM

Thanks guy's, I dropped into the Woodvale fish place today and had a helpful talk to them, Warton road is on the list too soon as i get the chance. 
 


Don't forget about BYAP Jandakot.


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#9 malawiman85

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Posted 25 February 2014 - 10:05 AM

Have had some good and some bad experiences with Woodvale. Had and have heard of some others that have had issues with fish from there. Also some of the advice I have been given and have heard given to others has just been plain wrong.

But they are very friendly and offer goods at great prices.



#10 oceanarium

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Posted 01 April 2014 - 03:46 PM

Plans are progressing, thinking at the moment on one of these 4500ltr WA poly culture tanks for the fishes. I can semi set it below ground for a gravity feed back from the planted side. They make them to order, so i cant look before I buy. Anyone have opinions on these pro's ,cons?

 

Also been looking at the tank master options though they don't really suit my application so well. I love the ones with base and center sump though difficult to set below ground. 

 

Started some site works had to clear some fencing and move some retic. Pretty much ready to dig the hole :) 

 

Pete 



#11 Ivan Sng

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Posted 01 April 2014 - 10:40 PM

Firstly, have you actually worked out how big an AP system you want? I know that people would tell you that getting a tank with bigger volume is better for temperature stability, you can keep more fishes, etc etc... but have you considered how you are going to catch those buggers when they are plate size? Assuming you are keeping edible fishes. I have problems with two nets catching the bigger fishes in my 2000L tank. I would think that with 4500L, you might want to just go swimming with them to catch them. Probably need to consider some crowding net or similar.


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#12 oceanarium

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Posted 02 April 2014 - 08:58 AM

Thanks, I was a little worried about that side it is a little deep. I was also considering leaves etc blocking the pump at 1.3 meters deep I might just have to get in to clear it. No doubt that would be pretty cold water in winter  :o

 

I was once upon a time a collector for aquarium fishes so have plenty of fish nets to sort out the concentrating and catching side. I have one with a 4 mtr drop I think it will work just to drop the lead line down to the bottom and pull through like a seine, I can just lift it up at the other side to create a pocket. Pretty sure I will get something to work, worst come to it I can drain part the tank.

 

I was thinking of making a pipe out from the bulk head fitting at the side wall right across the tank width with slots cut via angle grinder for the pump strainer / debris clean up. that should negate much chance of blockage from a few leaves that might get through bird netting. 

 

I am not really to limited on the veg side via room there is plenty of space to expand with size. I was going to start with a several bannana and one or two pawpaw and three 500ltr ish  grow beds for annual veg. If I can think of any more perennial food plants I like that will suit I will try them too. 



#13 rsevs3

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Posted 02 April 2014 - 06:12 PM

It doesnt sound like you are planning to fully bury you tank, but one thing to keep in mind for anyone who is, water runoff during rain can be catastrophic. Whether it is off your roof or from the ground, you just dont know what will be in the water. I have read quite a few threads on another forum where people have had all their fish go belly up after a rain and runoff has washed a poison etc into their AP system. It would be pretty devastating i imagine to have to drain your entire system and clean all your media again with the chance that all that work might not be enough. Obviously rain straight into your system isnt a problem.

 

Pawpaw grow excellently in AP. Once my system is up and going again properly, I will be chucking one in for sure.

 

To save the hassle of detritus in your tank, you could chuck some bird netting over your tank. The last thing you want is blocked pump in the middle of the night.






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