Bioreactor Composting & Mini Aqua Update

[@qawihossain9861]

Your videos got me inspired to start my very own startup here in Bangladesh! Climate change is gonna render a lot of our land unsuitable for agriculture. Aquaponics can save lives here!

[@qawihossain9861]

Good morning! I agree! My startup "Ponchagro" is me trying to facilitate the adoption and use of symbiotic agrotech here. It's tough though! Perceptions need changing!

[@RobsAquaponics]

I hope the venture goes well for you Qawi. Are there many aquaponics farms over in Bangladesh?

[@qawihossain9861]

Appreciate it Rob! No there aren't many aquaponics farms here. It's still mostly a novel method for people here. It's got immense potential though!

[@mio.giardino]

I love 💕 how we take what others do and adapt them to our context.

[@RobsAquaponics]

It is a great idea Rosa👍 I think I've learned more from other channels on YT more than any other social media site. One thing I found at the start here on YT was that we had to tweak a lot of ideas to fit our climate as most of the gardeners at the start were from North America or Europe. Cheers & hope your garden is growing well. 🌱🌱

[@LearnToGrow1]

I miss watching your videos! Life has been so busy in recent years. I hope you are well! Take care Rob!

[@RobsAquaponics]

I have found it hard to keep up with everyone myself Misilla. 😥 I've noticed a lot of the gardening folks I started following 10 or so years ago have stopped posting. Hope you & yours are doing well.

[@chickensrcool67]

Thanks Rob ,brilliant as always amigo! We just had the worst winter storm in decades here in Oklahoma USA, nice to see sun ,warmth and your smiling face!

[@RobsAquaponics]

Have seen how hard a few states copped the blast Rob. Did it cause much damage to infrastructure there? Am glad you enjoyed the video mate.

[@sallyweiner4180]

Your backyard is really coming along!

[@RobsAquaponics]

Slowly but it's getting there Sally.😁 Have been trying to get the retaining walls sorted but so far only 1 company has bothered to show up to do a quote out of the dozen or so we've contacted. 🤔 Hope to have some good news on that front next week all going well. Hope you & yours are all well & happy.

[@EuropeanOnion]

I’ve been waiting for this video. Nice one! Thanks a million Rob!

[@RobsAquaponics]

Hope you found the vid helpful Danny. Cheers & happy growing. 🌱🌱

[@neilcalliou896]

Everything looks awesome Rob! Ya Diego has some great ideas! Take care my friend!!!

[@RobsAquaponics]

Thanks Neil. Hope all's well with you & yours mate. 👍👍

[@neilcalliou896]

@@RobsAquaponics you bet, everything is amazing! I hope you and your family are awesome as well!!!

[@OneMansWorld]

Great job mate looks awesome Great to see ya today 👍👍

[@RobsAquaponics]

It was great to catch up mate. 👍 H & family are very grateful as well & said thanks. 😁😁 Cheers & shall chat soon.

[@texaspatty4697]

Well done!

[@timsbitsca]

Looking good mate

[@RobsAquaponics]

Cheers Noel. 👍

[@martysgarden]

G'day Rob, this looks really cool. Always wanted to see one getting set up. Thanks mate,,Marty

[@RobsAquaponics]

Glad you enjoyed it Marty. 👍 Cheers mate.

[@madhumitaroy4756]

Thank you

[@RobsAquaponics]

You're welcome. 😁 Happy growing.

[@downunderfulla6001]

Awesome can’t wait to see how it goes.

[@RobsAquaponics]

Will be doing updates fairly regularly hopefully mate. 😉 Cheers Bradley &b have a top one mate. 🍻👍

[@McDowallManor]

I wouldn't have picked the kookas as a problem. Gave me something to think about. LOL at your comment about the pigeons peas. My Rosie wants me to deal with a few of mine as well.

[@RobsAquaponics]

😂 I had to mulch a small patch worth because of B's intolerance to them popping up everywhere mate...... 😥 Think we need to start a PP support group. 😉 I also heard the magpies we feed knocking bit's over under the deck today so am thinking that the kookaburras may not be the only bird to blame. 🤔 Cheers Andy & all the best mate. 😁👍🍻

[@alexcalabro8140]

Damn Rob, now I've got another project lol. I guess my midterm tests will have have to wait lol. Hope all is well!

[@RobsAquaponics]

😀 Sorry for providing a distraction but they don't take long to knock together if that's any consolation.😉 Cheers & hope you do well in the tests Alex. 👍👍

[@alexcalabro8140]

@@RobsAquaponics thanks, the real test was finding one of those ibc frames that wasn't being used lol

[@RobsAquaponics]

@@alexcalabro8140 I used the concrete mesh for the round ones. Works out fairly cheap too. 👍

[@alexcalabro8140]

@@RobsAquaponics ah yes great idea! I just took down our chicken run so that will be perfect to recycle that chicken wire.

[@deadfred821]

Definitely going to check out Diego’s video next. It’s like huglekulture without the soil… plus a air flow core. I like this idea…

[@RobsAquaponics]

I'm thinking it's going to speed up the process a fair bit DF. 👍 Cheers & have a top one mate.

[@robertbakerii5469]

Thanks so much for this video! This is definitely interesting to me. I love it.

[@RobsAquaponics]

Glad you enjoyed it Robert. 👍 Cheers mate & have a great one.

[@jeremyhicks6367]

Thanks for sharing!

[@RobsAquaponics]

No problem Jeremy. 👍 Cheers & have a great one.

[@giovannifiorentino8947]

Looking forward for results.

[@RobsAquaponics]

The cage was let go & has basically become soil. 😕 We never got around to building the beds it was going to be used in unfortunately. It will be a topic that I revisit in the future once we work out if we're staying here or selling up. Cheers.

[@Javinkay]

Great video, I put a screw in my solids outlet because I was afraid I’d have the same problem

[@RobsAquaponics]

Hey Javinkay. Looks like the birds have given up so no screw needed here for the time being. 👍 Cheers & have a great one mate.

[@tinkernaut8736]

I built one of those reactors and so far its looking great!!

[@RobsAquaponics]

Nice one Tinkernaut. 👍 What material did you add into the cage?

[@dubplatekid23]

cheers for the bioreactor idea/tip :)

[@RobsAquaponics]

No worries 👍 Hope your's works well for you if you have a crack. 👍

[@robellett8156]

So funny, I asked about black soldier flies last week and here they are! I'm surprised that the jade perch are not interested in the self harvested larvae. I think that bsf might be a very important factor for the world's food supply in years to come

[@RobsAquaponics]

I just posted a video on them yesterday if you wanted to check it out Rob, kzbin.info/www/bejne/bYurcmahoMtsm68 I have been told that you can train them to feed on the BSFL but am yet to try that myself yet. Still need to knock together the farm for them.... 🤔 Cheers & have a top one mate.

[@TheCosmicChariot]

That's a fantastic idea may have to try it out one day

[@RobsAquaponics]

The slow composting method has worked great for us & think this adaption will make the process a lot faster TCC. 👍👍 Chewers & happy growing. 🌱🌱

[@AJsGreenTopics]

I like how you problem solved with the bird. 🐦🦜

[@RobsAquaponics]

We had a few more issues with the fish that I ran through in this weeks video 😕 But I think I've fixed the issue well & truly now. Cheers AJ & have a top one mate. 😁👍

[@HP-fn4bo]

Wow you are impressive!

[@RobsAquaponics]

Thank you M Lady. Have a great one. 😁

[@eddluireg]

Thanks !

[@RobsAquaponics]

No problem!

[@gafrers]

Wonderful.

[@RobsAquaponics]

Thanks Gafrers. 👍 Have a top one.

[@Murphyslawfarm]

G'day Rob very interested how this bioreactor works out. Great video mate

[@RobsAquaponics]

Am thinking it will do swimmingly ML. 👍 Noticed the temp was pushing 45°C/113°F so think the bacteria are well on their way to colonising the pile. Cheers & have a top one.

[@Murphyslawfarm]

@@RobsAquaponics Ya at 45º it is cooking good. Have a good one too mate 👍

[@Sasquatch6987]

First comment! Lol I'm eating this stuff up from all across KZbin; one day I'll send you some photos of my homestead, when I finally get it up and going! Keep it up, brother!

[@RobsAquaponics]

Cheers Jonathan. Good luck with the the homestead mate.

[@greatskytrollantidrama4473]

Oi mate, sprinkle a teeny bit of lime, or marble, limestone, or shells on top. I use marble rocks, I toss em in a few at a time and get them back out of the shovel hatch, eventually.

[@RobsAquaponics]

Do you add them in for extra calcium? Normally I'd add in a few rock minerals so the bacteria can break them down but thought I'd go all natural this time. 😉 Cheers GST.

[@greatskytrollantidrama4473]

@@RobsAquaponics no brother, it's the PH levels, activity is generally acidic, a tiny amount of marble or shells gives spots of neutral ph that melts in slowly, worms and bacteria will use these spots to escape the acid.

[@RobsAquaponics]

@@greatskytrollantidrama4473 I don't normally have that issue that I can recall. Once the piles stop cooking it doesn't take long for the worms to move in & smash through the remaining compost here.

[@SlackerU]

Try a wet-bioreactor. With aerated with a screened bottom & valve, you could harvest your compost as a biosolids-slurpee. Same as the fish-waste.

[@RobsAquaponics]

Might have a go at a methane one if we end up getting out own farm down the line. Have seen folks harvest the "juice" from them for the veggies. Cheers Bob.

[@darrenbenham1890]

In several videos you talk about the screws you use in your pipes when you don't use glue. What size/length is the screw? Does it go through the pipe (and into the water) or just into the pipe?

[@RobsAquaponics]

I use a small 6g/3.5mm 316 stainless steel screw that's no longer than 10-15mm/½" long for the larger pipes. I do have some shorter ones for the 25mm/1" pipe as well as I don't want it to impede the water flow too much. Hope that helps.

[@nathangardenfawkes2910]

289,k subs!! I remember when it was 9K :)

[@RobsAquaponics]

Was talking about that last night with a mate. I'm still not sure what folks se in my delivery mate. 😉 Cheers & take it east Nathan. 🍻🍻👍

[@karlagriffiths454]

Does it matter if it rains and gets the bioreactor wet. How much rain could it cope with before getting to wet.

[@RobsAquaponics]

It does if you're in a high rainfall area. 👍 I have seen some folks cover the top with sheets of tin or tarps. It's best to make sure there is some air flow under the covering as well.

[@drrahilakurdi5943]

💕💕💕💕💕

[@RobsAquaponics]

😁😁😁

[@chaddavis4895]

Hello from Florida, I also have an issue with my stand pipe. I think I have visitors at night, possibly a raccoon or a possum. Update: I added a grow bed to my system and currently making my first wicking bed.

[@RobsAquaponics]

Have had a few folks say that racoons can be an issue in aquaponics. Birds are about all we have here that would go the larger fish I think & then there's only be a few game enough to have a crack at them. Nice one on the expansion too Chad. 👍 Are you using an IBC for the wicking bed or making it up from scratch?

[@chaddavis4895]

@@RobsAquaponics I am making one from scratch using a 55 gallon, 2' x4' ... haven't decided if I will use it for carrots or possibly some bell pepper. Plan on using rock & vermiculite mixture base for wicking.

[@neverwinterfarms]

Do you use a gas powdered or electric mulcher?

[@RobsAquaponics]

It's an electric mulcher as we only have small branched to deal with here Allen. 👍

[@owensfunhouse7582]

Hey mate, what kind of mulcher was that you were using? Any good?

[@RobsAquaponics]

It's a cheap Ozito from the B store. 👍 OK for the small stuff that we get but no good for larger branches. Have seen folks say that they don't handle palm fronds that well either. Cheers Owen & have a top weekend mate. 🍻🍻

[@katmoses2892]

Super interesting guy to listen too but hard to find fish in nz that can be raised in a system you'd like to eat

[@RobsAquaponics]

I have had a load of folks say the same to me Kat. I was told that you can use grass carp by someone online but I'd double check before you fish a few out of the rivers for your system. This might help with who to contact, www.doc.govt.nz/get-involved/apply-for-permits/interacting-with-freshwater-species/options-for-weed-control/grass-carp/ Cheers Kat & have a top one.

[@katmoses2892]

@@RobsAquaponics Thank you so much for the advice cheers

[@Gayle.M]

Can you use urea from any animal(cat)? I use wood pellets for a fire stove as cat litter, it changes to sawdust when it gets wet. It’s cheaper, smells better when used, and, once I decide it’s time to change out the box, I don’t have to throw it in the landfill. I’ve been throwing it in a pile, minus the poo, and my theory was after a couple years of it being washed by the rain, I could use it in the compost. But maybe I could use it in the compost right away?

[@RobsAquaponics]

I know that bottled aged human urine is generally safe but am not sure about cat urine soaked material sorry. It would definitely breakdown into plant-available nutrients Gayle but I would be concerned about pathogens being passed on to us if the material wasn't composted at a high enough temperature. I would suggest you look into the possible diseases that might be transmitted & the best way to compost the material so it wouldn't be an issue. Sorry I'm not much help with this one.

[@matthewg4956]

Just a theory Rob. What if the birds are actually landing on your PVC uptake pipe to eat the fish food. Upon taking off, it jars your pipe off. That would definitely spook me if I was a fish. Looks like your getting some good temps from your new compost pile!

[@RobsAquaponics]

Hey Matthew. I think they're a bit to big to be landing on there. I dare say they might have tried & that's what caused it though. The day after I filmed this the fish were back on the feed & haven't seen the kookaburras up near the house so I think we're all good now. Cheers mate.

[@PeytonWind]

I was thinking somewhat along the same lines: The food is attracting the birds perhaps because they think they've spotted insects on the water.

[@RobsAquaponics]

@@PeytonWind It was happening before the food was added to the tanks. I normally hang around until all food is eaten most days. 👍

[@prubroughton2327]

about how long does the bin full take to decompose approximately

[@RobsAquaponics]

The tree material cages without the breather core normally take about 4+ or so months in our subtropical climate Pru & am thinking this might turn into compost a bit quicker. I have made up cages with only a small amount of tree trimmings that broke down in around 3 months but they also had a lot of spoiled luceren/alfalfa hay & horse manure in them. They compost a lot faster as the worms move in as soon as the pile cools down & speed up the process. Cheers & have a great one.

[@Sparrow420]

Hey Rob, love your videos. I'm planning on doing a small indoor aquarium with an aquaponic herb garden, around 50L. I'm gonna stock it with neocaridinia shrimps and a few guppies/tetras and some water plants, it's gonna be next to a big window and i'll give it an extra CFL on the top and scatter a few 1W LEDs around just for the aesthetics. any advice you have for such small projects?, I'm doing everything DIY (besides stuff like pumps obviously, hehe)

[@RobsAquaponics]

Am glad you're enjoying the videos Sparrow. 😁 I haven't got any personal experience with the smaller builds sorry. I have been told by a few folks that they found running the beds as a constant flow was easier for them rather than making up a siphon. If you do want the beds to flood & drain a small timer might be the best way to go. Hope that helps at least a small bit & have fun with the build. 👍

[@Sparrow420]

​@@RobsAquaponics That was pretty much the plan, pump the water up though a mesh and bio filter to the grow bed where it flows down constantly as a waterfall aesthetically. I need to look through more of your videos, do you have anything on herbs? parsley, basil, mint, rosemary, etc

[@RobsAquaponics]

@@Sparrow420 Not individual videos on them. Mint will take over a small system & is a challenge in a larger one so I don't recommend growing it in AP. Parsley & basil do really well. 👍 You will be told rosemary won't grow in AP by some but it all depends on how the beds are set up as they like air around their roots. I had one in a flood & drain bed that grew massive. It had a 400mm+ / 15¾" root ball when I ended up removing it. Hope that helps some.

[@Sparrow420]

@@RobsAquaponics The plan is for the mint to go wild, I drink a LOT of herbal tea, haha When I did research on ap rosemary I found the same, thanks for confirming! your replies and videos are super helpful, thanks again!

[@FinnBearOfficial]

I find keeping urine up my sleeve greatly hinders my courting.

[@RobsAquaponics]

I'd have to agree, doesn't make the best cologne. 😉🤣🤣 Cheers FB. 🍻

[@Paul_Au]

Hi Rob, from a fellow "Ipswichian" (or is it Ipswichite?). I'm interested in "keeping urine up my sleeve". I have started putting my urine in to the compost but I was of the understanding that it couldnt be kept for more than a couple of days unless some Bicarb is added due to the ammonia concentration increasing dramatically. From what I was able to read it seemed to me to be a bit hit and miss as to how much Bicarb was needed, so I just add mine fresh to the compost. Do you have any sources of info I can look to that could help me to learn more about it?

[@RobsAquaponics]

Hi Paul. I used information I found on one of the UN (I think) sites for developing countries but can't find the links now sorry. This PDF may hep you some, www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/wastewater/urineguidelines.pdf I don't recall ever reading that Bicarb be added in the online material or what I learned in my PDC. I do like to keep it in bottles for a couple of months if I'm going to use it as a fertiliser. Hope that helps you out some.

[@Paul_Au]

@@RobsAquaponics Thanks for the reply. I can't find the stuff I was reading re the adding bicarb and it appears that aging the urine is actually benificial and the build up of ammonia is actually a good thing because the increased ammonia appears to kill antibiotic resistant bacteria. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/01/200122080500.htm Cool! I'll start "keeping some up my sleeve" too. Cheers.

[@RobsAquaponics]

@@Paul_Au 🤣 Don't forget the gloves mate. 😉

[@justgivemethetruth]

I think this idea is very interesting and I'm curious to see it work - experimental results are the only thing that counts. But, the one thing I think is not correct in Diego's theory is that he *equates* *the* *volume* *of* *the* *air* *with* *air* *circulation* , *but* *isn't* *the* *air* *circulation* *actually* *more* *related* *to* *surface* *area* *exposed* *to* *the* *air?* ... assuming that air is circulating freely, which it clearly can do in both designs - but probably a little less so in the tube design. In the "columnar" design there is a 2 foot cylinder with a circumference ( using circumference because no need to multiply by the height ) of ( 2 x pi x radius ) or 2 x 3.1415 x 1' or *6.3* *feet* of area exposed to the air . With the pipe system you have a circumference PER PIPE, assuming a 4 inch pipe, of 2 x 3.1415 x 1/6 or *1.0* *foot* *per* *pipe* *that* *is* *exposed* *to* *the* *air.* With 6 pipes then, there is 6 feet of surface area exposed to the air. ( But, you can also add pipes, right? ) The 2 foot columnar flow system has 5% more surface area compared to a tube system with 6 tubes. ( But you can also add pipes, right? ) This is assuming that the outer circumference is the same. BUT, the tube system can add more tubes, but the columnar system is fixed in the 2' centered column, and that area is actually a drawback because the space in the middle is wasted/unused land. The "volume" argument seems to work against the columnar system because the variable that allows airflow is surface area, not volume. The smaller the "tube" the less area inside the reactor is unused on the inside where the compost is, up to the point where the tube is so small that it might impede airflow. It would be interesting to see if there is some way to use smaller tubes that push pressured air though the compost pile by a vent that faces into the wind.

[@RobsAquaponics]

I think he;s doing a trial with both at the moment if I remember correctly. I did see he just posted a vid looking at one that is now ready to pull down. Am yet to watch it myself. Cheers JGMTT. 👍

[@dismayedtrinket2518]

This method works best when all of the material is added at once.

[@alch3myau]

Im sure I saw this in BTTF2

[@RobsAquaponics]

🤣🤣🤣

[@bsod5608]

Is there any update on this? Could not find any

[@RobsAquaponics]

There isn't sorry. I think I mentioned it in some round up videos here & maybe on the supporter pages. It worked well & created compost faster than the cages with no air flow in the centre. I'll be using this method again once we get settled on the farm to build soul for our wicking garden beds. 👍👍

[@bsod5608]

@@RobsAquaponics thanks for info. I have tried a similiar setup, but using woodpallets for walls and some scrap-piping that I had athome. It works okay for me too. But I have not optimized size of air-pipes or anything. Its not superfast, but not labour intensive and cheap (100% scrap). Better than a simple pile or row

[@dksfollies4772]

Very nice bio reactor sesign brother . Please try to keep your fish tanks covered for thr dark time and fish wont be bothered by the hunting birds

[@RobsAquaponics]

Need to keep the lid open or they will get spooked every time we open it to feed them. We're looking at getting some bird netting to cover the opening to stop the Kookaburras from perching on the edge of the tank. Cheers & have a top one mate. 😁😁👍

[@matthewg4956]

@@RobsAquaponics I think they’re landing not just on the edge. Hence the dislodging of your pipe.

[@dksfollies4772]

@@RobsAquaponics yes brother exactly this was what i was also thinking about . Some mesh or net to cover the fish tank .

[@chuckfarlie6133]

You’re look SO much better. How are you feeling? Great video. 👍

[@RobsAquaponics]

Am feeling good thanks Chuck. Knowing the spores were the issues was a godsend. Glad you enjoyed the video as well mate. 👍

[@christopherstaples6758]

mine are doing the same barley touching anything , only 10% of the tanks are eating , was a hot/humid day today maybe storm brewing ? 2x tanks they are camping the top as if they want feed but take nothing 3x tanks are eating like normal , the rest are pretty docile , checked oxygen levels and are fine , tweaked a few that had lower levels and running a extra pump for now ~ 100lpm of air going into each tank/growbed system , but their has been sign of bird shit , and a tank I recently split that should have had 96 in only had 86 in it , night time I normally here a thud and a few splashes but can not really see anything around like a cat or anything so unsure what is visiting @ nighttime

[@RobsAquaponics]

Whereabouts are you located Christopher? I was thinking about getting a trail cam for the area just to see what's going on. We're starting to see evidence of rodents as well so wouldn't mind seeing what they're up to as well.

[@hyperfocushobbies]

How's it going? 1 year on?

[@RobsAquaponics]

Fairly much broken down & the base has been invaded by roots. 😕 I'll be posting a video on it at some point soon.

[@pierreshasta1480]

@@RobsAquaponics Hello Rob, this is an interesting test, and I would also be interested in an update.👍👍

[@RobsAquaponics]

@@pierreshasta1480 I've been swamped & have not filmed the video. 😓😓 I can tell you that it has broken down to next to nothing & is full of tree roots now.

[@cannibalcanna3427]

being in a dry climate you need the check out the johnson-su bio reactor, best static pile.

[@RobsAquaponics]

That's what this is roughly based off of as I mentioned in the video. 👍 Cheers.

[@ramoneoliveira5851]

Like

[@mandiegarrett1706]

Seems like no one has discuss about rain. Don't you need some kind of cover from the rain? Rain would add too much moisture since it has to be 70% moisture. Thank you.

[@RobsAquaponics]

I haven't worried about it with any of mine Mandie. There would be some nutrient washout I would think so it would be best to keep a cover a few feet above the piles if you live in wetter climates.

[@mandiegarrett1706]

@@RobsAquaponics Thank you.

[@TheHotEndChannel]

Great stuff Rob, could you come do mine now :) cheers Anthony

[@RobsAquaponics]

🤣 With these governments, not likely 😉

[@garthwunsch]

Here’s a link to the original - the real thing - www.csuchico.edu/regenerativeagriculture/_assets/documents/johnson-su-bioreactor.pdf#page11. After following the JS fb page for a long time and watching the reports of others... I think you may be setting up for anaerobic production in parts of your bin. Pity to do something for a year and have it go sideways. Dr. Johnson says to not add material once the process starts. Dr. J says 6” from each side for a total of 12” - not 24”

[@RobsAquaponics]

It worked fantastically well & can't really see any anaerobic zones. Last time I checked it was packed full of compost worms. Hope to do an update on it soon when I harvest some material for a worm farm & the aquaponics.

[@pingpang2929]

Liam neeson

[@RobsAquaponics]

🤣🤔 I don't see the similarities myself. Cheers Ping Pang.