Aquaponics / Pondponics System - Will It Work??🤔

[@bmelloyello]

the Basic Title was a nice touch. I liked that part. XD

[@RobsAquaponics]

Thanks BMY. 👍

[@Bigelowbrook]

looking forward to seeing how the experiment works out.

[@RobsAquaponics]

Cheers Rob. Just realised I forgot to link the grips Shall do that now. Cheers mate.

[@Thewildmindofmike]

A worthy experiment 🤠

[@RobsAquaponics]

Cheers Mike. I've had a number of folks inquire over the years if it could be done. Next on the to do list with the ponds/dams are Chinampas. 😉👍 Have a top one mate.

[@everythingisbroken-q8z]

I've wanted to try a backyard version of a traditional chinampas style aquaponics setup for years now, so this little test is very exciting for me to see a concept actually getting tried. Looking forward to updates!

[@RobsAquaponics]

This is the first part of the series Morgan. I've had folks suggest that a raft will grow like the chinampas but I don't think it will (which I'll get into ion a later video). I will be setting up a chinampa so we can get a true comparison. Cheers & have a top one.

[@queenslandfarmer]

Very interesting Rob. Look forward to seeing how this turns out.

[@RobsAquaponics]

It's something I've been asked a lot about over the years Chris. It's great that I now have personal experience so can tell folks not to bother. 😉 The water raised so much on the weekend I though the raft might have been ripped off the stakes.

[@hopechannelcat5462]

a new adventure. pondponics.

[@RobsAquaponics]

Not 100% convinced it will work as well as some would hope.😉 Had a good number of folks ask about it over the years. Hope all's well with you mate.

[@garryrepp5505]

Hi Rob, Looks like a good idea. It will be interesting to see how it produces. Good luck!

[@RobsAquaponics]

Thanks Garry. I've been asked about growing on ponds for years so this will hopefully help folks Hope all's well with you.

[@poland153]

looking good! might have to go for a swim if that float ever gets loose and drifts into the middle of the pond hehe

[@RobsAquaponics]

😅 No need to go swimming. I have a few ideas in mind to make a boat out of an IBC tank.... 🤔 Cheers mate.

[@kwg5044]

0:33 "her highness" subscribed :)

[@RobsAquaponics]

Cheers. 😁👍

[@bigwavefla161]

Keep up with the make shift aquaponic system......reminds me of you really old systems as you built them up. Cheers Rob!!!!

[@RobsAquaponics]

Thanks BWF. I have a few more ideas I'd like to play with when it comes to the ponds/dams. Cheers mate & have a top one.

[@lissette80]

What a good son in law. Great that you get abit of help.

[@RobsAquaponics]

It's been great having them here. He is a motivated soul so likes to keep his hands busy. He's helped knock off a number of jobs we've been wanting to tackle. Hope all's well with you Lissette.

[@lissette80]

@@RobsAquaponics We just received the nut cracker Rob. One more xmas gift out of the way😁. Thanks👍

[@RobsAquaponics]

That's great Lissette. I hope they very happy with it. That model will be discontinued very soon.. 😥

[@prubroughton1864]

Yes lots of people in no use plastic bottles (a) to and ( b) to hold the pump intake to keep it out of the sludge 😊

[@RobsAquaponics]

I have a drum aside for the pump intake that we'll be using later on. Cheers Pru.

[@dksfollies4772]

Good job brother . This goes very well with fish ponds especially the paved ones .

[@RobsAquaponics]

I'm not thinking it will work as well as an aquaponics build. I've been asked a lot about growing on ponds so it's great I'm finally able to show folks how it goes. Hope all's well with you mate.

[@dksfollies4772]

@RobsAquaponics plants will grow so.it.will.work.

[@Knight8365]

Best of luck with this project Rob. I have seen others do similar, so I am optimistic for you.

[@RobsAquaponics]

Thanks TCOA. Hope to have a follow up video showing preliminary results in the next few weeks. Cheers & have a top one.

[@G-3-A-R-Z]

nice idea 😁

[@RobsAquaponics]

Cheers mate. 👍

[@niamhfox9559]

I don't know if you are familiar with strawberry hoops, we had a billion at one point from putting in new plants during a heatwave/drought. They are surprisingly versatile and could be a very lightweight frame if you can find some second hand or thrown out.

[@RobsAquaponics]

I have seen them for sale Niamh & would work well I think. 👍 I'm trying to be a cheapskate at the moment so using what we have on hand. 😉 Hope all's well with you & yours.

[@renerere2232]

Pretty cool that you are trying this. I always wondered how those maya chinampas looked like in real life. Maybe you can build something like that. A floating raft without styro foam. P.S: you forgot to remove the "basic title" at 11:05

[@RobsAquaponics]

The Chinampas are very different to this as they are a soil based system. I've been asked about rafts on dams/ponds & chinampas a lot over the years so thought I'd make a few videos on both. Rafts first as that will give us a good base line for nutrient load in the water. Cheers & have a top one.

[@ahowl7mx]

Time to get Rob a set of waders so he can get in there! :) I think a pvc cage would work better for a floating system.

[@RobsAquaponics]

A sealed PVC would work better I think l but I didn't want to spend much on this build. 😉

[@qazer90]

You can buy more of that aluminium and plastic tees at AASM in Bundy. Corner of enterprise and commercial st.

[@RobsAquaponics]

Thanks Tom. Just bookmarked their site. Cheers mate. 👍

[@regenerativelifewayne]

If you would add a small floating panel attached to your grow panel a small solar panel attach to a small air compressor and hoses with small airstones under the floating panel with plants they would have lots of airflow for the roots while floating in your pond all solar powered and cheap simple

[@RobsAquaponics]

I'm banking on the air gap allowing enough O2 to get to the roots. It worked in our Kratky hydroponics system so should work here as well I think. Cheers Wayne & have a top week mate.👍

[@craftilyrecycled]

Looking good for the first attempt! I did wonder about the lack of gum boots or bare feet. 😂 Me, being me, I have suggestions... but not going to clutter the comments. Instead, I hope to remember them for the next hang out. 😊

[@RobsAquaponics]

😅 Just didn't feel like getting muddy Janis. I doo need a decent pair of gummies though. I was looking for some with caps that I bookmarked ages ago. I think they were Blundstone's from memory. I'm looking forward to the next hangout. Will set it up later this week so folks have early notice. Thanks for the PM as well. 😁 Hope you're having a top one.

[@craftilyrecycled]

@RobsAquaponics Blundstone are a good Aussie brand, especially for steel capped gummies.😊

[@robsturgeon8284]

With great beard, comes great responsibility.🎉

[@RobsAquaponics]

Indeed. I've had a few suggest that it needs to come off this week! 😮😅

[@TheFoxOfThredneedleStreet]

I thought about this before but I was going to add a solar panel on a pole and a bubbler under the root system with a lip on the tray.

[@RobsAquaponics]

The air gap should be enough I think. Had great success with just an air gap growing with the Kratky method. Cheers Mate.

[@Eric-gi9kg]

Instead of applying rocks.. add equal amount of water to the flotation bottles

[@FishFloraFowl]

I came here to say that.

[@marcusk7855]

Yep. It will make it more stable in the wind too.

[@pixelrancher]

The additional weight of the plants as they grow may cause issues keeping the air roots out of the water once the plants are a little more established. Rocks will be easier to add or remove than adjusting water levels in the bottles.

[@RobsAquaponics]

It would be difficult to remove the water from the bottles as @@pixelrancher suggested. Removing Rocks/weights from the top will be the easiest compromise I think. Cheers folks & have a top one.

[@oznews1]

Cheers mate👍🏻✌🏻

[@RobsAquaponics]

Back at you Oz News. 👍👍

[@ronyerke9250]

You might find smaller bottles in a health food shop. Protein drinks and such come in small sizes. That would allow the rafts to sit closer to the water if you still want. It looks like a small boat or canoe would be helpful. A set of fisherman's waders might do as well. I got to thinking that an inflatable child's boat might be a cheap and quick solution. It won't last especially long, but it could be a useful short-term solution.

[@RobsAquaponics]

I'm seriously thinking of making a small boat from an IBC tank Ron. 🤔 I've seen a few online with small outboards on them as well. Might be a it of overkill for what we need though. Some steel capped gumboots are definitely on the shopping list though.

[@ronyerke9250]

@RobsAquaponics Well, I hope you don't encounter stability issues. IBCs aren't exactly boat shaped. A small electric trolling motor would be nice, but you'll need to re-inforce a transom. Alternatively, you could just use a long pole to move it about if the water isn't too awfully deep. A pole could also be used to feel out the depth. I saw your trees, so you have lots to choose from to make a pole.

[@RobsAquaponics]

It will have extra barrel outriggers. 👍 I've seen folks that just used a cut IBC. They didn't stay vertical for very long. 🤣 Cheers mate.

[@ronyerke9250]

@RobsAquaponics if you hung on to them, a few of your 10 liter water jugs might be easier to reach over when servicing the floating garden. Barrels just seem a bit wide to me.

[@annakramar5088]

Just a suggi. I would've sewn the 3 pieces of netting together to make one piece to throw over the frame work🪡🤔

[@RobsAquaponics]

But that's what zip ties are for Anna. 😅😜 I'm actually rethinking the whole cover idea & the netting will be a lot neater if I build it. Cheers.

[@downunderdan]

If it floated independently from the securing stakes, it would automatically adjust for changes in the water level

[@downunderdan]

Maybe cable tie the raft to a pvc pipe sleeve slid over a stake, allowing the raft to rotate? If you wanted to get carried away, you could put a Sun following 'apparatus' on the raft

[@VandDangle]

My suggestion would be to anchor the raft with 2 horizontal poles that are staked in on the shore. When you want to access the raft undo one side and pull on the pole swinging the raft around to the shore for easy access / maintenance. \_/

[@RobsAquaponics]

That would have made it a lot easier to work on. 👍

[@cannabiss9433]

chuck some fishing sinkers on the net

[@RobsAquaponics]

The water looks to be keeping them down OK at the moment. Cheers mate.

[@agess658]

i would of fallen into the pond like 3 times knowing my luck but awesome video

[@RobsAquaponics]

🤣. I almost did as well. Was going to add it as a blooper at the end but we didn't catch it on "film". Cheers mate.

[@alch3myau]

probably need a bit more shade

[@RobsAquaponics]

They look to have helpd up ok over the past few warm days. Had a couple of days around 35C/95F & they look to be holding up OK. Cheers mate & have a top one.

[@alch3myau]

@@RobsAquaponics 41c here today... you know it all goes west to east ;p

[@RobsAquaponics]

@@alch3myau 😅

[@bradaxe2641]

I think you might need to invest in some wading pants or gumboots if this dam aquaponics turns out to be successful. Curiosity would get to me. I’d be floating out on a tyre and poking around pool poles for depths.

[@RobsAquaponics]

I want to build a boat from an IBC. Have seen a few online, some with small electric outboards. 🤣 Cheers Brad & have a top one mate.

[@bradaxe2641]

Definitely do that. Make a good KZbin vid.

[@CoulterDuncanA]

Half fill the bottles with water

[@RobsAquaponics]

That would work while the plants were small. The problem comes when they grow & water needs to be removed from the bottles. I think rocks/weights are an easier way to regulate the buoyancy for now. Cheers & have a top one.

[@PaulSage]

Looks neat but not as convenient to work on - why not set up your gear & put a pump in the pond and use it as both fish tank and sump?

[@RobsAquaponics]

I really don't thing there's enough nutrient load in there to sustain many veg to tell you the truth Paul. Time will tell though. Cheers mate.

[@realvipul]

wow yt algo finally put your vid in my feed . i was binge watching trump videos. yt algo must have thought im hardcore trumpo guy. i need to ease up on that and watch videos of my real inrests such as this.

[@RobsAquaponics]

😅 I know what you mean. I'm getting stuff shown to me I've never really shown any interest in over the past 3-4 months. Also noticed an overnight fall in views when it first happened so I'd say they've "tweaked" the algorithm yet again.

[@rw-xf4cb]

So we will know who to blame when bok choy surpasses giant rats tail grass as the pest plant in the area!

[@RobsAquaponics]

🤣 I don't think that will be an issue looking at how they're doing at the moment RW. 😅😉 Cheers mate.

[@cryptoscalpers9603]

punch that star picket in and pierce a hole in the clay blanket....then Rob....ask yourself why the dam seems to be leaking!

[@RobsAquaponics]

🤣 I had already looked into that & the clay runs deep there. 😉 If you've seen the earlier dam videos you'd know a couple of pickets is the least of our concerns. Cheers mate.

[@kerryevans2038]

Bit too far from house, but interesting idea

[@RobsAquaponics]

My thoughts as well but have to work with what we have. Cheers Kerry.

[@dustinmiklusicak4257]

Fish love to eat the roots of plants

[@RobsAquaponics]

Yep, so do the crayfish from what I've seen in folks raft beds. People have asked over the years if it's possible so I thought I'd show them. 😉

[@punns643]

Pond? you should call it a lake

[@RobsAquaponics]

😁 it's not really that large. I think it's the smallest by surface area of the 5 dams/ponds around the house paddocks. HJave a great one.

[@neverjabr8588]

What’s wrong with just walking out in the water?..🙃

[@RobsAquaponics]

I may have webbed toes but prefer to keep them dry. 😉 It's very slippery & the ledge is only a few feet out.

[@sza2bom]

tried this at my own pond, didnt work - not enough nitrogen. So depends on the pond I guess.

[@RobsAquaponics]

🤫 No spoilers. 😉 I've had a number of folks ask if it was doable over the years & I've never felt it would work. They keep sighting the Chinampas of Central America without realising that they are a soil based system. A small Chinampa build will be next so I can explain the difference. Thanks mate & have a top one.

[@anonomix1426]

This looks suspiciously like my potato farm in Minecraft

[@RobsAquaponics]

🤣🤣

[@jeans1712]

Water boots and leggings

[@RobsAquaponics]

🤣 I've been eyeing off a pair of steel capped Blundstone gummies Jean. I've also been playing with the idea of building a small boat out of an IBC.... 🤔 Hope all's well with you & yours.

[@MohdAradi]

better work that son while he is there.

[@RobsAquaponics]

😁 Yep. Yesterday & today have been rubbish runs to the waste transfer station. Hope all's well with you mate.

[@MohdAradi]

@@RobsAquaponics Never Better mate, all is well and the garden is booming. and hope to see you start growing some fruit trees from seeds. psst better start with pomegranate and date palms hehe.

[@RobsAquaponics]

@@MohdAradi 🤣 We have a number of avocados ready to go out. Just need to find a spot.