Urban Farming Guys in India

I woke up this morning to a cool e-mail from the Urban Farming Guys. Theyd gone to India, to the isolated city of Imph?l, to install a barrelponics system for an orphanage.

The e-mail contained three videos. The first two minutes of the first video gives you a glimpse of the barrelponics design they were installing. Then next 30 minutes of video mostly gives you a sense of the beautiful people they were serving, and the primitive conditions with which they had to work.

UFG goes to India (14 min) : http://youtu.be/xSTh-UnuqgQ

part 2 (8 min) http://youtu.be/Zqgu5MfWEc0

part 3 (10 min) http://youtu.be/9A24Bbtjsdg

Thinking back, I initially didnt like the barrelponics system. The blue barrels and lack of aesthetics bothered me. But after over a year of trying to figure out elegant ways to create DIY systems one can create from local materials, the barrelponics concept is growing on me. And I think it would be possible to modify this system to make it less screamingly blue plastic DIY-ish. Anyway, check out at least the first couple of minutes of the Urban Farming Guys video if youre just interested in plumbing ideas. The rest of the video is fun if you want to experience another world.

Another cool thing I discovered this week is the website Gaisma, where for any major city in the world you can find sunrise, sunset, and averages for the amount of sunlight ("insolation" in kWh/day taking into account weather and cloudcover), the amount of rainfall, windspeed, and temperature. For example, here is a portion of the Gaisma page for Imph?l.

At a glance you can see the amount of sun a location gets in each month of the year, the average monthly temperature, and the amount of rain (you can change the units if youre not used to the default measurements (e.g., inches of rain versus mm of rain)). Using Gaisma.com for my location, I was able to calculate the amount of rainfall I could expect per year on my greenhouse, in case I wanted to limit my rainwater harvesting to the relatively-clean plastic roof over my garden. In my case, it comes out to almost 2500 gallons per year for my little 8x12 greenhouse. Crazy!

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Letterboxing A Fun Free Outing For the Whole Family

  

 

Several years ago, my wonderful sister-in-law introduced us to the hidden world of letterboxing.  Letterboxes are little secret boxes tucked away all over the world, found only with clues.  Over the years, we have found dozens of letterboxes.  It has been such a fun activity for our entire family and has become a tradition on every trip we take.  Letterboxing is great for all ages, it gets you outdoors, and its FREE. 

 

  

 

 

So exactly what is letterboxing?  Think of it like a treasure hunt with the treasure being the letterbox.  The boxes are hidden by people, who then log their boxes and clues by location on various letterboxing websites such as letterboxing.org and Atlas Quest.  Then people like us search the websites to find letterboxes in their area.  Print out the clues and the hunt begins!   Boxes are usually hidden in state and metro parks, so hiking is usually required.  But we have found them right in the middle of town before, too. 

 

 

 

 

When you finally do find the letterbox, heres what you can expect.  Almost always, they are slightly hidden in stumps or under leaves, so you really have to look.  Boxes also need to withstand the elements, so they are also almost always in a plastic food container of some sort.  Inside usually contains a log book and a stamp.  The log book is like a guest book so the people who planted them can see who has found them.  We always write the date, our names and where we are from.  The stamp is for you to use in your own log book, if you have one.  That part is optional, but it is fun to keep a log book of all the letterboxes youve found.  And dont forget to hide the box when youre done.

 

 

 

 

The pictures are from our hike last week where we found the letterbox we planted last fall.  Even though we have yet to log the clues online, our little book was filled up with people signing in to say they found it.  Someone was even generous enough to add a lighter to our little box!  Letterboxing has been such a rewarding experience for our family and something I hope our girls do with their own families someday.

 

 

 

 

P.S.  There is also something called geocaching that is very similar and requires a GPS.  I have family members that geocache and love it, but we have never tried it.  Im sure its just as fun though.

 

To learn more, here is a great article:  http://www.oregonlive.com/outdoors/index.ssf/2010/07/letterboxing_its_like_geocachi.html

 

 

 

 This post has been shared at:  Homestead Blog Hop, Country Fair Blog Hop, HomeAcre Hop

 

 

 

 

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Best Practices and Tips for Raising Chickens in a Small Backyard

We added chickens to our little homestead this year and couldnt be happier with our decision!  In this video, I share with you tips and best practices for raising chickens in a small backyard.  We are so excited about the things we did to make the coop as maintenance-free as possible. 

We have setup and designed our chicken coop in ways that make it possible for us to go away for a long weekend without asking someone to feed the chickens.  We know you will want to implement these same ideas in your chicken coop as well.

To learn more about how we built the automatic feeder for under $20, click HERE.

To learn more about how the watering system was constructed, click HERE.

Dont hesitate to let me know if you have any questions!

Thanks for stopping by!




Products used:

 

This post was shared at:  Homestead Barn Hop, The Backyard Farming Connection Hop, HomeAcre Hop, Simple Lives Thursday

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Hydroponic Supplies Australia Complete aquaponic systems equipment growing supplies information and training in aquaponics Download NOW!

Wold You Like AN AQUAPONIC SYSTEM For Your Home? Read More!

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The Easiest Approach to Develop Organic Meals with Aquaponics

Today there is this developing trend of consuming only organic food. Yet, not all the merchandise claiming to become organic are constantly this way. Furthermore, you are able to invest more on merchandise claiming to become organic and get lower quality than the typical vegetables grown with pesticides. The only way youll be able to be sure that the food you are consuming is 100% organic is always to begin increasing it oneself. Now it really is incredibly effortless with aquaponics.

This new variety of farming is extremely simple to place in practice, very practical and profitable. You will find very handful of things you are going to need in an effort to set it up, issues which are also very cost-effective, so youll not need to devote a fortune on pricey gear. In addition to that, its so easy to mount and begin the aquaponic farm that you simply will require only few minutes to understand the principles and an additional couple of to put them in practice. Within a matter of days you may location your aquaponic program and start off growing your fish. Their function is the fact that of generating the bio-nutrients for the plants. Once there are sufficient nourishing substances in the water, you will be in a position to propagate the seeds and then wait for them to grow. Meanwhile you will have to take excellent care from the fish, so that they continue to create food for the plants. The excellent this can be that you wont need to clean the water for the fish your self, as this really is what the plants will do with their roots. Hence, it will be easier not just to grow plants, nevertheless it may also be easier to grow fish this way than should you have been setting only an aquaculture.

One more benefit from the aquaponic system would be the fact that it really is easy to assemble and disassemble, to ensure that it is possible to take it with you in case you modify homes. You are able to put it everywhere within your residence or within your garage so long as the plants possess the required level of light to make their food. Yet, make sure that you harvest all of your crops, as you lose all of the plants when disassembling the aquaponic technique.

Acquiring organic food has in no way been so easy! Just setup your aquaponic farming system and you will really feel the actual taste of organic food. A accurate delight for you personally and your family members!

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Top five Motives For Making use of Led Grow Lights

To be able to create power needed for their development, plants need to have light. Although the sun is the greatest source of light, it isnt accessible twenty-four hours per day. Also, youll find specific places exactly where there is not adequate sunlight. It really is when artificial sources of light come in, examples of which contain LED grow lights, incandescent lamps, and fluorescent lamps.

When the upfront cost of purchasing any of those lamps is concerned, LED plant lights have a tendency to become a lot more expensive. Nonetheless, you will find excellent motives for that. Listed below are the prime five causes:

1. Energy-Saving

Certainly one of the advantages of LED grow bulbs more than the other plant lights is the fact that theyre energy-saving. Plant growers who use these lights get to save up to 75% of electrical energy price in comparison with those that use incandescent lamps. One particular explanation for this really is that they dont make too significantly heat. Yet another reason is that theyve built-in fans, hence, they dont demand accessories such as fans and cooling systems. Considering that they may be energy-saving, they may be not just friendly to plant growers but to the environment as well.

2. Efficient

Unlike other lights for plants, the wavelengths that LED bulbs for plants generate are targeted. They generate the two major wavelengths that plants require for their development, that are the blue light and also the red light. The blue light is specifically required in the earlier stages of plants, while the red light is specifically beneficial inside the later stages. Additionally, utilizing LED lights enable plant growers to adjust the level of blue light and red light made, hence generating positive that the plants get the correct kind and volume of light they require for their quick and wholesome development.

three. Significantly less Heat

Incandescent lamps have a tendency to make also considerably heat, which can burn and harm the plants. Making use of LED as lights for plants assists avoid this from happening. The lights, when touched, are truly comfortably warm, so customers on the lights do not have to be concerned about acquiring themselves burnt. An additional advantage from the lights not producing also considerably heat is that the plants dont have to be watered frequently.

four. Lengthy Lifespan

While other plant lights can only perform for as much as 5,000 hours, LED plant lights can work for up to 50,000 or one hundred,000 hours, which can be about equivalent to 10 to 15 years. They usually do not call for frequent changing, therefore saving the plant growers the time, income, and effort needed in frequent altering of plant lights.

5. Zero Noise

Bu using LED as lights to grow plants, plant growers do not have to cope with the distracting and disturbing noise that other plant lights, such as fluorescent lights, tend to make.

For these factors, might be deemed as an investment. Some plant growers may be overwhelmed by its upfront expense, however they also need to consider about the lights long-term benefits. Within the long run, theyre going to ultimately get the most of what they have paid for.

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Building Aquaponic Grow Beds Time Lapsed

This is a time-lapsed video showing me building a deep water culture (DWC) bed and a media bed. For details about the entire build, please see this video series:   Youtube playlist

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Aquaponics System Design Selecting and Adding Fish

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Check out this video to learn more about selecting, shipping, and adding new fish to your aquaponics system.  I have had my system running for about a year now with my feeder gold fish and it is finally time to get some real fish started! The only way an aquaponics system is sustainable is if you are using edible fish that can help to supplement the costs of running your system and that day is finally here for us.

 

 

 

I have done quite a bit of research and pondering on the question of which fish to get for our system here in the basement. After careful consideration I chose to go with breed of Tilapia called Blue Tilapia. There are quite a few different options in the Tilapia line but the Blue breed is and good all around choice for us. They survive in colder temps, breed less often, but grow quickly to a weigh of about 6-8 pounds. I had considered perch as well but in the end the benefits of the Tilapia breeds outweighed the options I had for perch.

 

There are other options out there as well and I would recommend doing some research to determine what will work best in your own system. What are your water temps? Do you heat the tanks year round? how much room do you have for breeding? These are many of the questions you need to be asking when looking for your ultimate aquaponics fish choice.

 

Finding a reliable supplier is key and one of the hardest things to do when you first get started. I was originally trying to find something local, a fishery or sporting goods store. There are some options but nothing for the fall or winter months when I wanted to get mine started. I finally found an excellent website called fishkis.com with the best prices I was able to find anywhere. I immediately placed my order in the dead of winter (below 0). My first order arrived all dead:( However, unlike many companies today the folks at fishkis worked with me right away for a reshipment when weather was a bit warmer and a few weeks later I received my full order plus 15 free fish! All were alive, healthy, and happy little Tilapia swimming  around in their shipping bad.

 

 

I am excited to get these fish growing and put into the system to start feeding my plants and getting ready to provide my family with many future meals. I will be slowly getting rid of the goldfish this summer and finding them suitable homes. Check back for the progress (and likely mistakes) along the process of growing out these fish!

For the best prices and quality on Tilapia check out this site - http://fishkis.com/

 

 

 

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Music - "Once Tomorrow" by Josh Woodward. Free download: http://joshwoodward.com/song/OnceTomorrow.com/song/OnceTomorrown

 

 

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Where Must You Place Your Aquaponic System

If you are decided to setup an aquaponic technique in which to develop vegetables and fish for you personally and your family members, you can find some issues which you need to know. The varieties of fish, the seeds which may be propagated and also the details in regards to the appropriate water conditions are the basic notions you need to know prior to venturing in this activity. When you know that you are able to start off putting all the pieces of the puzzle collectively. Yet, yet another question arises: where should you place your aquaponic mini-garden?

The answer is straightforward: you are able to place it anywhere you like as long as the place has sufficient light to provide the plants. As you almost certainly know, the plants want light to prepare their food. When the spot where theyre put has no or few light, theyll be unable to prepare their food, which in time will bring about their death. This can be one thing you do not want! However, should you have a space (no matter if it truly is your kitchen, living area or garage) where theres a moderate light, then theres where you need to place your aquaponic garden.

In case you live in an area with intense temperature or weather conditions, there are also some other items you will need to take into consideration. First, the temperature: your fish like to possess a moderate temperature (usually varies based on the type of fish you decide on), so you must monitor it to meet your fish

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The way to Make A Hydroponic System - Aquaponic Solutions

A hydroponic system is just not that complex to setup but not really easy as well. And for starters, understanding the best way to make a hydroponic system may possibly come a little challenging specifically for those who have no background of it to begin with. It includes a series of measures which can overwhelm anybody who wishes to begin constructing from scratch without having any form of guide to adhere to. Even so, developing one from scratch is quite significantly possible need to youve fairly the idea of what tends to make a hydroponic method works its magic.


There are lots of various varieties that you can go for so you may need to do some browsing to possess a much better idea on how each method differ from one an additional. And should you be fairly unaware on the actions to creating a single, it truly is advised that you simply must get a guide which will provide you with all the measures you have to know on the best way to make a hydroponic technique. Or to produce factors easier, you could desire to go for readymade hydroponic kits and all you have to do is usually to assemble the materials it comes with.

Nevertheless, readymade kits can price greater than you consider. And if you may lack the budget to buy an off the rack hydroponic system, it is possible to constantly start finding out the basics then develop your very own out from scratch. Based on the number of plants you might be preparing to grow, this can be where you should pattern the size in the program you are going to make.

Considering that you already possess a guide to pattern your design and style, the next step should be gathering all the required supplies. You are able to often follow each of the instructions you might discover within a guide but that does not imply you can no longer do some adjustments.

Practically nothing compares to the joy that doing one thing out of your personal efforts can bring. And with that mentioned, it is protected to say that any person can just understand how to make a hydroponic method. But to become on the safest side of issues, far better grab the top guides to decrease your spending.

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Footprints Aquaponics and Being Green

The conversation these days is full of talk returning to whole-grain foods and "being green." Yet its not always clear what advertisers and green activists mean by "green." There are three different views of what "green" means:

• Reducing our reliance on petrochemicals, our carbon footprint
• Reducing our consumption of natural resources, our ecological footprint
• Reducing our consumption of fresh water, our water footprint

Most folks focus simply on saving fossil fuel, the carbon footprint portion of the equation. This becomes contentious because reducing fuel use is often equated with changing existing market models. If youre in mixed company (e.g., liberals and conservatives) arguments will likely break out where those benefitting from the status quo and those advocating for change coming to near fisticuffs over the science behind "carbon footprint" and global warming. Typically proponents of the status quo claim "green" scientists and liberals are idiots. The UN target is ~2.0 metric tons of carbon per person per year. The current world-wide average is ~4.0 metric tons per year, and the average person in an industrialized nation produces more like 20.0 metric tons per year. Oops.

A more comprehensive measure is ecological footprint, how many "worlds" worth of earths resources we consume, or how many "worlds" worth of earths resources would be consumed if all earths inhabitants lived like us. The science behind ecological footprint isnt as likely to be challenged, because it is less well-understood. Besides, the slogan "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle" is pretty catchy and obvious. We are "sustainable" if we use only as many resources as the earth can renew in a single year. Currently humans worldwide consume resources it takes the earth 1.5 years to produce.

More recently the United Nations has begun focusing on water use. When it comes to water, there is no fossil fuel resource we can tap. The fresh water available is a finite resource, and mankind is not doing a good job of managing this resource. An old saying goes "Beer is for drinking, water is for fighting." Many of us forget that water is limited because all we have to do is turn a knob and water gushes forth. But lack of water is the natural "disaster" responsible for the greatest number of premature deaths across the globe.

When I grow food using aquaponics in my own backyard, I am arguably saving fuel relative to what Id "spend" driving to the store. But as researchers have carefully measured and Ive observed, aquaponics uses only 1/10th the water required for traditional gardens.

Aquaponics might not strike everyone as sustainable, since some of the components must use electricity or at least be made from relatively modern materials. However once you have your infrastructure in place, aquaponics is one of the most sustainable or "green" ways to grow food, particularly from the standpoint of saving water.

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Preparing for Winter

Daffodils - Plant in Fall for a Spring Treat

Today I wandered by the hardware store and bought various things for upcoming projects. The daffodils were a splurge, but something I knew my daughter would enjoy.

Ive got two projects in the works - the greenhouse-style shed, so I can show you how to finish off the greenhouse at the ends, and a solar heater, to keep things toasty in the greenhouse as it gets cold outside.

I posted the Cansolair video yesterday, but Im doing a DIY version, our of pop cans. A particularly good set of instructions can be found online at http://solar.freeonplate.com/solar_panel_DIY.htm. Though Im still at the beginning of the process, Ive figured out a couple of improvements.

• Use an empty soup can to brace the aluminum cans as you start cutting. The closer it is in size to the aluminum cans, the better. The point is that your aluminum can will not buckle (twist, tear, shred, undergo other plastic deformation) as you work, because the soup can will stabilize the perimeter. This is good.
• Having a massive nail/spike and tin snips is nice, but all you really need is a 1-1/4 inch spade drill bit. I put the bit in my power drill, not because I want to use the power tool, but because the tool gives me leverage and control. The idea is to push the bit into the ends of the soda can - it slices through like a hot knife through cold butter.

Some argue that you dont actually have to punch holes in the cans, but wanted to post these tips for those who want to do the "classic" soda can solar heater construction technique.

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Top Bar Bee Hive From Reclaimed Materials 2

Ever wanted to have your own source of honey? Honey and beeswax have so many uses around the homestead and this is something my wife has wanted for quite some time. So, with our anniversary just around the corner I thought what better to make than a top-bar bee hive!

This is part two of the series on how I am building this hive....

I began by marking the angles on each side piece to match the angle of the end pieces. Using the table saw I matched the angle I had marked and ripped each side board at that specific angle. I was then ready to start assembly. 

I placed the end piece on the level surface of my workbench and propped the side pieces up against it at a right angle. I pre-drilled and countersunk each hole (4 per side) and attached the ends to the sides using 2 inch deck screws and wood glue. While the Glue was drying I started working on the legs. 

I clamped the legs in place on the end of the hive to match the angle of the sides. I then marked the extra that was hanging to be cut off. Once these were cut to length I then did some finish sanding on the legs and the main body of the hive to clean things up. The legs were used as a temporary stand and a coat of spray lacquer was applied to the hive and legs. 

The legs were attached to the hive using 2.5 inch deck screws and pre-drilled holes. I did not use any wood glue here in case I want to take the legs off or make changes to this later. At this point all that is left in this step was to connect the bottom of the hive.

The bottom of the hive will need to open and close so that it can be open in Summer to allow ventilation. I will also install a piece of hardware cloth to keep pest out while the bottom is open. I attached two hinges and a small latch to the bottom panel and then connect it to the hive. 

Once the lacquer had dried I did some light sanding on the surface and then applied a second coat on the entire hive. I am not applying any finish to the inside of the hive as I am not sure if this would be good for he bees. The inside will be kept dry and should not need any sealers anyway. 

Tools used in this video - 
Dewalt chisel set - http://amzn.to/1BbC4zv

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Music - "Crazy Glue" by Josh Woodward. Free download: http://joshwoodward.com/song/CrazyGlue

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Grow Room Temperature Step by Step How to Build Your Own Aquaponics System See more

Complete Step-By-Step Instruction On How To Build A Fully Functional Aquaponics System Using Simple Components! Read More!

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Aquaponics - The New QWay of Expanding Plants - Fast

That is one of probably the most frequent concerns around those who 1st learn about aquaponics. In case you usually do not alter the water, nor clean it in any way, what happens using the excrements fish leave behind? Effectively in an effort to answer to this query we should go back towards the very basic principle on which aquaponics relay.

Aquaponics is a way of taking benefit of the interdependence which can be created among fish and plants. Fish are placed within a tank and left there for a whilst. The aim is usually to keep them alive so that they consume and poop inside a typical way, because the fish poop will probably be used as food for the plants. This may possibly sound fairly strange at first as the fish excrements contain ammonia, that is toxic for the fish and may possibly endanger their lives.

This dilemma is solved naturally, because the ammonia is decomposed, within the presence of oxygen, into nitrites and afterwards nitrates, which are benefic for the plants. When the amount of nitrites reached the suitable level, seeds are propagated in netting pots. From them plants grow and assimilate the nitrates, thus leaving the water fresh and clean for the fish.

A full cycle requires as much as 3 months, this is why it really is suggested that the seeds is going to be propagated after 3 months from the acquisition of the fish. Simply because this can be a continuous cycle, there will not be periods in which the plant will not have enough supplies to develop, unless the fish will not be in excellent condition. As a result, apart from the truth that you develop fish for your meals, you may also require the fish poop to set the aquaponic method as this can be the beginning point on the complete company.

Great factors start certainly from easy factors, as you can see! Therefore in case you hated cleaning your fish tank, this aquaponic system will solve your dilemma and will give you fresh, healthy and organic veggies for you personally as well as your family. With numerous benefits, you ought to truly give it a attempt! It will be easier than maintaining only a fish tank in your house and will definitely be far more convenient!

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Hydrogen Peroxide For Hydroponics

Hydrogen peroxide for hydroponics is a superb tool for your hydroponic garden. Hydrogen peroxide for hydroponics works to add oxygen to your plants and assists to ward off hazardous germs or bacteria that could harm your garden. Whenever you use it effectively you are going to see how well your garden will grow whenever you use hydrogen peroxide.

Hydrogen peroxide for hydroponics might be utilised on other forms of gardens, however it is better to get a hydroponics program since it aids to defend the naturally increasing plants from any all-natural bacteria that could be damaging. Hydrogen peroxide consists of a H2O2 chemical formula, that is a mixture of hydrogen and oxygen. Usually its like water, only it has an added oxygen atom.

Hydrogen peroxide for hydroponics is important for your hydroponics program because it will assist to destroy hazardous forms of bacteria. When hydrogen peroxide for hydroponics is utilised extra oxygen is going to be given for the plants and anaerobic bacteria will be killed as a result. This kind of bacteria is a single that doesnt thrive well in normal oxygen. This contains bacterial wilt and a variety of types of fungi that may harm plants. When hydrogen peroxide for hydroponics is employed the hydroponic garden is going to be protected from any harm from these types of bacteria, as the oxygen in the compound will work to destroy the bacteria and keep it from spreading.

A standard drug shop will feature hydrogen peroxide for hydroponics for sale. Even so, this can be a hazardous choice. The hydrogen peroxide sold at these stores generally comes in 3 % remedy kind, which can be unsafe because the hydrogen peroxide will be unstable inside a reduced answer percentage. Also, you can find chemical compounds utilized in it to keep it from breaking up and spreading very easily. The much better sort of hydrogen peroxide for hydroponics requires forms that function acetanilide. This can be a compound thats normally identified in hydrogen peroxide solutions that are of thirty-five percent in composure, which implies that its much more stable than the regular variety youd see at a drug shop. Even so, it truly is hugely acidic and must be utilised with caution. It is possible to get that variety of hydrogen peroxide for hydroponics at a hydroponic gardening store.

It is strongly recommended that you use two or 3 milliliters of hydrogen peroxide for hydroponics in every single gallon of water that you simply use on the plants. It is possible to use as much as 5 milliliters per gallon in the event you feel like it although. Also, if you water the plants you should let the hydrogen peroxide for hydroponics circulate about the plants for about half an hour to be able to be specially efficient in destroying dangerous bacteria inside your hydroponics technique.

The effects of the hydrogen peroxide for hydroponics will final for about 4 or 5 days, so be sure you maintain a schedule of once you is going to be generating treatment options. Also, you ought to be confident that the hydrogen peroxide is mixed in to the water well adequate prior to you commence watering the plants with it.

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3 Setting Up the Tanks

Tanks and materials for the 365 Aquaponics System

The first thing you need to have in an aquaponics system is a way to hold water.

In order to achieve system stability and grow an interesting quantity of food and fish, you’ll want to shoot for a water volume of 250 gallons. That’s a lot of water.

There are a lot of options. Concrete ponds, International Bulk Container (IBC) totes, 55-gallon drums, wood structures lined with plastic. For the 365 Aquaponics system, I chose stock tanks.
Here are my reasons for using stock tanks.

They are an existing and proven product. Stock tanks were designed to hold water for cattle, sheep, and other large livestock. They were designed to withstand day to day abuse from such livestock and the elements in which the livestock lives. Because plastic stock tanks are rugged, large capacity, and constructed from food grade plastic, they are often used by restaurants for food storage and preparation. Perhaps most important, they should be locally available.

When you’re buying something this big and having it delivered to your home, you’ll pay a hundred dollars or more just for shipping. If you can get it in stock from a local agriculture store, the shipping to the store has already been covered by the store as part of the cost of doing business.

They require little modification, if any. Grow beds in the 365 Aquaponics System have a single easy to drill hole (1” if using ‘English’ units, 25 mm if using metric). Beyond stacking some cinder blocks and planks, I don’t need to build support structures.

So here’s a video clip showing me preparing the stock tanks for the 365 Aquaponics System.

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Advantages of Aquaponic Farming

Aquaponics is actually a new way of approaching farming. As opposed to conventional agriculture exactly where you needed plants to grow vegetables, with aquaponics you need water and fish in an effort to have healthful meals in your table every day. Essentially, aquaponics relies around the interdependence between fish and plants: the fish produces bio-nutrients for the plants, while the plants clean the water, making a perfect atmosphere for the fish to develop and create. Its a blend of aquaculture and hydroponics that has a lot of benefits. In the event you want some motives to have your own personal aquaponic system started, then here are several of the positive aspects youll get once you assemble it.

For starters you are going to have fresh organic food on your table each and every day, irrespective of the hour when you decide to cook your meals. You merely take your tomato, cucumber of ones basil from the aquaponic "field" and use it for your meals. Its as straightforward because it sounds.

The second very best issue about it really is that you just not simply grow vegetables, but you also have plenty of fish. No matter whether you need them for cooking tasty meals or simply for the d?cor, theyre a fantastic addition in your house! In addition they have a practical purpose, as youll in no way need to use chemical fertilizers in your plants, therefore obtaining true organic meals.

Should you ask how hard is this technique to put in practice, the answer is really simple. Not simply will you have the ability to assemble it all by yourself, with out the help of your family or neighbors, but you are able to also place it wherever you want. In case you move from a single home to another, then you definitely just disassemble the method and take it with you! What can be less complicated than that?

Yet another fantastic benefit from the hydroponic farming is that it offers you financial independence and manage over your cash. You know specifically just how much you should commit on your food and also you will no longer depend in the marketplace for your veggies supplies.

Final, but not least, it requires no dirty hands and clothes, no bending and digging, no land and tiny maintenance time, so its going to be like your veggies and fish grow all by themselves! Really a simple to put in practice system, appropriate for all kinds of individuals, even for busy and impatient ones!

There are a lot benefits that the aquaponic technique can offer you! Your wellness as well as your comfort is going to be improved, even though your savings will significantly develop using the continuous use in the aquaponic sort of farming! If this is what you want, then why not give it a try?

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What To complete When Your Koi Fish Is Pregnant

When it comes to fish possessing babies, you will find two main ways that the females give birth. There are the fish that give live birth and you can find the fish that lay eggs on some sort of surface such as branches. Koi fish are a part of the group of fish that lay eggs. If you personal koi fish, it truly is nearly tougher for them to not get pregnant. Thats how typical it is.

For the individual koi fish owner, for those who have male and female koi fish in your pond there is a chance they could spawn babies. Truly, the females eggs will attach it itself to nearly any surface. For huge industrial operations along with enthusiasts who breed for entertaining, youll find certain products produced to help you out with the job. You can find specific grasses, water hyacinths, particular mops and also other devices that may be purchased at specialty shops and online.

Koi fish are usually able to have babies by the time they may be 3 or four years old. For the female fish to be in a position to have fish, you need to feed her higher amounts of protein prior to she mates with all the male. She could possibly get pregnant no matter her diet program, but its beneficial to help the method along.

If this can be a planned occasion, it makes sense to keep the male and female fish apart from one another to avoid possessing to clean up a huge mess. Also, it becomes quite challenging to alter the water soon after the female fish has provided birth. Should you do have a separate tank for mating, spot the female fish in initial within the morning and then the male fish a few hours later. This can allow you to maintain track of whats going on. The male fish push the female fish into what ever she is making use of to lay her eggs after which releases them. And thats how koi fish lay eggs.

Following the eggs are laid, its best to get rid of both koi fish in the separate mating tank (in case you have one). Once the fish are laid, adult fish are extremely apt to consume the eggs. Youll most likely wish to do a water adjust with the water from the separate tank.

The eggs will need careful care to get a handful of weeks. The water temperature need to be no reduced than 59 degrees, the water quality must be as best as you will get it and within a few days the new fish can commence to consume reside food for example brine shrimp. Within a number of weeks theyll be consuming fish pellets and will be on their method to becoming a typical koi fish.

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Bakin Bacon

So I celebrated my birthday a week ago and my wonderful step-father gave me this card.  Little does he know that I dont fry bacon anymore, and especially not in the nude.  No way, never.  But this card got me thinking that maybe there are people out there that do fry bacon naked.  And maybe, just maybe, those people need to hear about my method of bakin bacon. 

Baking bacon is so easy.  This method keeps most of the grease away from the bacon, its faster, cleanup is a breeze, and it frees up much needed stovetop space when making breakfast. 

And it keeps those painful splatters from splattering.

First, preheat the oven at 425 degrees and get out a cookie sheet and the aluminum foil.

Rip off a piece of aluminum foil about 6-8 inches longer than your cookie sheet and wad it into a big ball.

Next, loosely stretch out the aluminum foil and lay it over your cookie sheet.  This folks is where its at, the aluminum foil makes nice little valleys for the grease to drip into.

Lay your bacon strips out on the aluminum foil and bake for about 10-15 minutes, depending on how crispy you like it.  We like ours extra crispy, so we leave in longer.  Just keep checking it.  You will also want to turn your hood fan on because it can get a little smoky. 

And since bacon shrinks, I ended up throwing a few more strips onto the cookie sheet after I took that picture.  I can usually squeeze a pound of bacon on one cookie sheet. 

And that folks, is how I bake bacon.  If you have any tips or tricks on how you make bacon, please share, Id love to hear from you!

Blessings!
The SSL Family Mom




This post has been shared at:  Homestead Barn Hop

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How to Make Giant Candy Cane Decorations

I was asked to help with some props for the Christmas play this year and so I signed up to make some giant candy canes, seems easy enough, right? I started by looking around on Pinterest, Google, and YouTube for ideas. I wasnt impressed with what I was finding and so I came up with a design of my own. There are some great ideas out there using larger PVC piping and cardboard tubes but the cost and time required was too much for what I was in for. So I decided on the following process.

You will need

2 10 sections of 1/2" PVC pipe
2 rolls of white duct (duck) tape
2 rolls of red duct (duck) tape
4 pool noodles
Hair dryer or heat gun
Some scrap wood and piece of plywood (could also use a deck or come up with a  different way to bend the pipe)

Step 1 - Start by laying out the shape of the candy cane on the plywood. I used a trash can lid to trace the curves and adjusted it until I liked how it looked.

Step 2 - Cut up some small pieces of scrap wood and nail or screw them along the line you have drawn. Alternate pieces on each side of the line leaving space in between for the PVC pipe

Step 3 - Start to feed the PVC pipe through the template heating it with the heat gun or hair dryer as you push it through. This process takes a bit of time, just keep applying heat, alternating sides, and pushing the pipe further into the template in increments.

Step 4 - Once the pipe is shaped and cooled pull it out of the template and then slide two pool noodles over the PVC pipe. Cover all of the pipe except for whatever is left over a the bottom. You can cut this extra piping off and make the candy canes as tall as you need them to be.

Step 5 - Start with the white tape and wrap a piece around the seam between the two pool noodles. Then starting at the top, wrap the white tape around the noodles on an angle until you get to the bottom. Do this about three times until all of the pool noodle is covered in white tape.

Step 6 - Starting at the top, wrap the red tape around at an angle (like a candy cane) until you get to the bottom. This is the hardest part, try to keep the tape flat and evenly spaced as you wrap it. This is best done with two people, have one person hold the candy cane and the other hold the tape. Have one person turn the entire candy cane as the other applies the tape. You may have to work with it a little bit before you get it the way you want it.

Check out the full video here

Red Duck tape - http://amzn.to/1NUawEL
White duck tape - http://amzn.to/1NUayfG
Pool noodles - http://amzn.to/1NUaAEA

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Micro Aquaponics Diy Aquaponics Fish Feed Grow Systems Manuals Read Reviews

How To Build A Fully Functional Aquaponics System Using Simple Components! Learn more..

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Grow Fish and Vegetables in Your Garage with Aquaponics

Have you ever thought that you can transform your garage in a greenhouse with a minimum investment and effort? If you love freshly harvested vegetables and love fish, then is high time that you did something for you and your family and the best thing you can do is offer them fresh ingredients for tasty and nourishing meals. Once you find out how, you will never be dependent on the market again! No more genetically modified vegetables, no more preservatives injected to maintain them fresh for a longer time, just organic, healthy food grown in your garage or inside your house.

The best thing about this type of farming is that it does not require any land, thus you will not have to get dirty and do hard labor in order to have your veggies on the table. You need just a lighted space where you can place this wonderful system made up of an aquarium and some other pots for growing vegetables. So, no ground, no dirt, no labor! You will be able to place it anywhere in the house, you can even start this type of farming in your flat!

But what it is this type of farming? Well it is called aquaponics and it is a far better version of hydroponics. If in hydroponics you could only grow plants, which most of the times needed fertilizers to grow normally, in aquaponics you will also grow fish and use their aquarium for feeding your plants. This way you will no longer need any type of fertilizer to make your veggies grow big and beautiful, as the fish will provide them with all the nutrients they need. In change, the plants will clean the water, thus providing your fish with a clean and oxygenized environment.

So, you will not only have organic vegetables grown in your own house, but you will also have fresh fish for your meals or for decoration (if you are a vegetarian). This is not all! You can put the system so that it will be at your arm

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When Ought to You Use Develop Lights For your Houseplants

Growing houseplants could be a tricky organization if youre not knowledgeable with it. Youll be able to bring house plant following plant from your nearby garden center only to watch it wither and die within a matter of weeks. Youll be able to see that it isnt thriving nicely, but you just dont know what to do about it. You have watered it daily and you sit it near a window so it may get some sun, nevertheless it continues to be dying on you. That is why a great deal of people wind up with these unsightly artificial plants scattered all through their property because they enjoy the look of leafy green plants and flowers, however they just can not look to grow them.

Just as with any other point, you will need to have the appropriate details about every single plant you intend to develop. Hardly any plants would be the same just like animals and individuals are not the identical. They call for diverse environments and different food and water quantity in order to develop nicely and be healthful. The slightest imbalance in their requirements may cause them to become unhealthy and sooner or later die prematurely. Several houseplants might be kept alive for years and years together with the proper care.

To be able to grow wholesome plants, regardless of the species, you will need to know what it demands. Find out the technical name for the plant and look it up either on the net or in a book. Books on houseplants are handy to personal in case you intend on increasing items from now personal, but you are able to likely find any data you may need about individual plants just by researching online.

Discover how much water your plant needs and how often it needs it. You could also require to understand what temperature it thrives best in. Occasionally if the soil its in is as well cold or also hot, it is going to impact the roots and it is going to not thrive also. Some plants want far more drainage than other individuals. Lighting can also be quite critical. Find out just how much sunlight each day every person plants requirements. If you usually do not get the right amount inside your property, then you may well need to invest within a grow light to subsidize the amount of light a certain plant will get.

Joining a group or club that offers with houseplants or gardening can be enjoyable and helpful. By sharing your houseplant problems with other individuals that develop them, you are able to have great conversations about them also as discover issues that they already know. Some people get fairly critical about their houseplants and they turn into sort of exactly the same as a pet could be to others. Following all, houseplants are living things also and some folks get actually attached to them.

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Aquaponics Fish Tank Overflow Break Through Organic Gardening Secret Grows You Up To 10 Times Learn more

Just follow the tips mentioned above and you will have great success in your attempt to grow organic food in your home.Read More!

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Basic Factors You will need to understand About Aquaponics

In case you are thinking of setting up your own aquaponic program but are nonetheless not very aware of what this presupposes, then listed here are some things which will enable you to realize much better its requirements.

The very first issue you will need to understand about this method is that it combines the principles of aquaculture with those of hydroponic gardening, thus resulting a new and very successful way of developing plants and fish at the same time. With a tank of no greater than 20 square feet and some netted pots you will be in a position to grow sufficient plants to provide your entire family and at times even gift some for your neighbors.

Due to the fact this technique heavily relies on fishes (they are the ones supplying the food for the plants), you will need to take excellent care of them in order for the technique to provide suitable benefits. This implies that youll need to produce confident that the water has the acceptable temperature, PH level, light at the same time as the needed quantity of oxygen to accommodate the fish in god circumstances. Essentially, monitoring the water and feeding the fish is all that you simply will have to accomplish in an effort to develop plants inside the aquaponic garden. It truly is really basic as well as the final results are spectacular.

The great factor about this kind of gardening is the fact that youll not ought to bend to care for the plants. Placing the fish tank and the netting pots in the waist level will make all activities you need to do in order to take care of the plants and fish effortless as a children

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Grow plants indoor with hydroponic supplies

For any human getting the term Not possible will likely be quickly out in the thesaurus. Its true as our brains have showed their levels and were in the threshold of a new era; an era of technology, where every little thing is achievable and simple. And if you need a proof of that, right here is what we get in touch with hydroponics. Yes! Its truly a surprising discovery by the scientists where plants are located to grow without having soil and sunlight.

This discovery by the technologies enthusiasts has presented a ground-breaking solution inside the field of agronomy. With hydroponics supplies, it has also become simpler for individuals to plant desired plants in their residences in addition to outside with no the hassle of searching for mineral rich soil. The hydroponics supplies actually are created in such a way that it supplies the plants with precise minerals, sunlight along with other needs that theyve got in all-natural situations.


Among the supplies essentially the most critical element will be the . This is exactly the identical we use in houses with all the sole aim to get rid of dangerous chemical compounds and impurities from water. In Hydroponics, soil is replaced with all the usage of water combined together with the appropriate proportion of minerals. Hence, clearing water from other impurities turn out to be necessary. This aids folks to dissolve the best percentage of minerals into the water to provide a suitable nutrition for the plants.

Particularly even though harvesting beneficial fungi, nematodes, bacteria and other organisms, Chlorine free water is needed that can be simply produced by the reverse osmosis water technique. Apart from this RO system, develop light bulbs kind yet another critical role in hydroponics. In the name it really is clear that these hydroponic grow lights are needed for cultivating plants. At present, the market place is filled using a wide selection of those grow light bulbs but incandescent, fluorescent lights, light emitting diodes and high-intensity discharge lights are a few of the most preferred indoor develop lights.

Some gardeners prefer to make use of metal halide lights and high-pressure sodium lights for indoor flower and vegetable plantations. Metal halides are identified to emit lights having a bluish tinge which is really successful for the nascent stage of cultivation. Alternatively, higher pressure sodium lights emitting reddish light are really helpful for the reproductive stage. So in case you are considering of establishing an indoor garden you simply must run a rapid verify on the web to get hold of the most reliable supplier dealing in these and RO method.

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