"Gravel Pit Self Reclaiming Aquaponics System"I knew When I ordered the book that there must be more to Aquaponic Gardening than using waste water from my fish tank, - Aquaponic Gardening2024-03-28T08:54:27Zhttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/forum/topics/i-knew-when-i-ordered-the-book-that-there-must-be-more-to?commentId=4778851%3AComment%3A383370&feed=yes&xn_auth=noI'm mostly planting evergreen…tag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2016-12-27:4778851:Comment:6381112016-12-27T03:49:08.253ZLarry Dale Smithhttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/LarryDaleSmith
<p>I'm mostly planting evergreens this year.</p>
<p>I think I have the place in good enough shape to get a better survival rate out of them and they are more efficient than most broad-leaved trees at pulling water vapor out of the air.</p>
<p>Should help feed the pond extra water if this turns out.</p>
<p>Should also improve the snow catching capability/wind erosion control/dirt trap for other peoples wind erosion.</p>
<p>I am going to plant some fruit trees as well as Filberts (hazel…</p>
<p>I'm mostly planting evergreens this year.</p>
<p>I think I have the place in good enough shape to get a better survival rate out of them and they are more efficient than most broad-leaved trees at pulling water vapor out of the air.</p>
<p>Should help feed the pond extra water if this turns out.</p>
<p>Should also improve the snow catching capability/wind erosion control/dirt trap for other peoples wind erosion.</p>
<p>I am going to plant some fruit trees as well as Filberts (hazel nuts).</p>
<p>Somewhere between 2 and 4 years left before I can start harvesting bass, long term commitment investment these bass, they have to be 4 years old before they reproduce, going to wait till the offspring are old enough to reproduce.</p>
<p>My biggest fear is they (the bass) will be like my birds and be forever young and non-reproductive, even my oldest birds (3 years +) seem to still lay pullet eggs.</p>
<p></p> My pond has been frozen over…tag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2016-12-25:4778851:Comment:6382092016-12-25T20:41:28.245ZLarry Dale Smithhttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/LarryDaleSmith
<p>My pond has been frozen over since about the beginning of December.</p>
<p>No packing water to the ducks this year though.</p>
<p>The ducks started eating snow and are actually doing better eating the snow than the water I packed to them.</p>
<p>Lots of plans for spring, even more than usual.</p>
<p>Almost 700 seedlings on order, should keep me busy all spring!</p>
<p>My pond has been frozen over since about the beginning of December.</p>
<p>No packing water to the ducks this year though.</p>
<p>The ducks started eating snow and are actually doing better eating the snow than the water I packed to them.</p>
<p>Lots of plans for spring, even more than usual.</p>
<p>Almost 700 seedlings on order, should keep me busy all spring!</p> Earlier this year I had notic…tag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2016-10-13:4778851:Comment:6351652016-10-13T23:47:10.346ZLarry Dale Smithhttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/LarryDaleSmith
<p>Earlier this year I had noticed the pond had gotten bigger even though it was shallower.</p>
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<p>I took notice after noticing that it was from the ducks foraging in the sand and gravel, I thought certainly they must be making a mess for me to clean out at the bottom of the pond and that was how I got started cleaning out pond muck.</p>
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<p>But only a few bucket fulls out of over a hundred bucketfuls of mostly fish waste were ones with a bit of sand and pea…</p>
<p>Earlier this year I had noticed the pond had gotten bigger even though it was shallower.</p>
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<p>I took notice after noticing that it was from the ducks foraging in the sand and gravel, I thought certainly they must be making a mess for me to clean out at the bottom of the pond and that was how I got started cleaning out pond muck.</p>
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<p>But only a few bucket fulls out of over a hundred bucketfuls of mostly fish waste were ones with a bit of sand and pea gravel.</p>
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<p>No missing sand in pond, no missing sand in droppings.</p>
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<p>On remeasuring the pond early this summer I found it had gone from 15' X 35' to 18' X 38'.</p>
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<p>And so a few days ago when I thought this was a lot of sand to be missing, I decided "they must digest it, and that is why they make so much droppings when they eat little vegetation or feed".</p>
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<p>So today I was asked by someone how big it is so I decided to measure it since I had noticed it got bigger.</p>
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<p>This time, the pond went from 18' X 38' to 23' X 46' and now I realize why the level hasn't been coming up as much as it usually does this time of year, it actually has more water in it because it's so much bigger.</p>
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<p>The way I figure there is 50% more water than normal in the pond when it is a dryer year than normal.</p> I can sure tell the differenc…tag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2016-10-02:4778851:Comment:6349902016-10-02T23:54:32.115ZLarry Dale Smithhttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/LarryDaleSmith
<p>I can sure tell the difference in the fall color between the last two days and today from the photo I took, I think tomorrow or the next day I will try to take a comparison photo of the trees.</p>
<p>I can sure tell the difference in the fall color between the last two days and today from the photo I took, I think tomorrow or the next day I will try to take a comparison photo of the trees.</p> Just kind of a fun picture, t…tag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2016-10-01:4778851:Comment:6350662016-10-01T18:51:36.530ZLarry Dale Smithhttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/LarryDaleSmith
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2772272232?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="721" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2772272232?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="721" class="align-full"/></a>Just kind of a fun picture, the center duck has a bit of a crest. Lots of new saplings have come up to help feed water to the pond, the now flourishing grasses also help collect water vapor.</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2772272232?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="721" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2772272232?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="721" class="align-full"/></a>Just kind of a fun picture, the center duck has a bit of a crest. Lots of new saplings have come up to help feed water to the pond, the now flourishing grasses also help collect water vapor.</p> Most of this area might be st…tag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2016-10-01:4778851:Comment:6350652016-10-01T18:36:22.149ZLarry Dale Smithhttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/LarryDaleSmith
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2772272511?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2772272511?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="721"></img></a> Most of this area might be staying short like a chia pet but without the combination of the aquaponics and the duck farming/chicken farming, I don't believer I would have ever gotten this much grass growing on the gravel here. The 2 dry looking spots are actually straw I put out for bedding and improving…</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2772272511?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="721" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2772272511?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="721" class="align-full"/></a>Most of this area might be staying short like a chia pet but without the combination of the aquaponics and the duck farming/chicken farming, I don't believer I would have ever gotten this much grass growing on the gravel here. The 2 dry looking spots are actually straw I put out for bedding and improving foraging.</p> This is an elm tree started f…tag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2016-10-01:4778851:Comment:6350642016-10-01T18:28:37.890ZLarry Dale Smithhttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/LarryDaleSmith
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2772272709?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2772272709?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="721"></img></a> This is an elm tree started from a seed poked in for replacing a shrub willow that died on the far end of the gravel pits grow bed from the pond. The elm tree is 3 1/2 years old and is somewhere around 8 feet tall. To the elm's right with the reddish foliage is a golden currant, you can see some tires used as raised beds and for bacterial fungus control from the…</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2772272709?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="721" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2772272709?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="721" class="align-full"/></a>This is an elm tree started from a seed poked in for replacing a shrub willow that died on the far end of the gravel pits grow bed from the pond. The elm tree is 3 1/2 years old and is somewhere around 8 feet tall. To the elm's right with the reddish foliage is a golden currant, you can see some tires used as raised beds and for bacterial fungus control from the zinc.</p> Here we have my dog Mac snoop…tag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2016-10-01:4778851:Comment:6352092016-10-01T18:20:02.007ZLarry Dale Smithhttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/LarryDaleSmith
<p>Here we have my dog Mac snooping in a kind of meadow that may still leave a lot to want in being a good place to get trees and shrubs started on a dry year liker this, but watering in extra pond water last fall helped a lot with water conservation this summer, but most everything but the pine to the far left will pull out of it's scraggly state. I only water in pond water here when the pond is too dirty, or when fall weather sets in and the leaves drop from the trees and there is extra…</p>
<p>Here we have my dog Mac snooping in a kind of meadow that may still leave a lot to want in being a good place to get trees and shrubs started on a dry year liker this, but watering in extra pond water last fall helped a lot with water conservation this summer, but most everything but the pine to the far left will pull out of it's scraggly state. I only water in pond water here when the pond is too dirty, or when fall weather sets in and the leaves drop from the trees and there is extra water.<a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2772271481?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="721" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2772271481?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="721" class="align-left"/></a></p> I have been at a loss for wh…tag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2016-09-30:4778851:Comment:6350592016-09-30T05:11:07.615ZLarry Dale Smithhttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/LarryDaleSmith
<p><br></br> I have been at a loss for what is worth taking pictures of this summer, I will have to remember to get the camera out soon and just take some, if I don't do that overly often I can usually find something worth showing.</p>
<p><br></br> <cite>Paul Smith said:…</cite></p>
<blockquote cite="http://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/forum/topics/i-knew-when-i-ordered-the-book-that-there-must-be-more-to?page=19&commentId=4778851%3AComment%3A634455&x=1#4778851Comment634454"></blockquote>
<p><br/> I have been at a loss for what is worth taking pictures of this summer, I will have to remember to get the camera out soon and just take some, if I don't do that overly often I can usually find something worth showing.</p>
<p><br/> <cite>Paul Smith said:</cite></p>
<blockquote cite="http://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/forum/topics/i-knew-when-i-ordered-the-book-that-there-must-be-more-to?page=19&commentId=4778851%3AComment%3A634455&x=1#4778851Comment634454"><div class="xg_user_generated"><p>Hi Larry,<br/>Love Your reports about Your pond.<br/>Do You have any pictures?<br/>Question: Are You trying any floating gardens?<br/>I have a picture of a garden someone created using 55 gal. drums for support.<br/>This one even had a shade frame built around it.<br/>I will see if I can find it and forward it to You.<br/>Paul.<cite><br/></cite></p>
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</blockquote> My pond is much to small for…tag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2016-09-30:4778851:Comment:6349812016-09-30T05:05:52.302ZLarry Dale Smithhttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/LarryDaleSmith
<p><br></br> My pond is much to small for this, but I have good luck re-vegetating the gravel pit that water drains down into the corner of to fill my pond.</p>
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<p>The dryer years like this one usually are just maintaining the vegetation and the wetter years are the building up, but this year has been all around different:</p>
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<p>First, last fall my preparations for the coming spring must have worked (soaking and fertilizing [with fish water from the pond+some supplemental Alaska…</p>
<p><br/> My pond is much to small for this, but I have good luck re-vegetating the gravel pit that water drains down into the corner of to fill my pond.</p>
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<p>The dryer years like this one usually are just maintaining the vegetation and the wetter years are the building up, but this year has been all around different:</p>
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<p>First, last fall my preparations for the coming spring must have worked (soaking and fertilizing [with fish water from the pond+some supplemental Alaska Fish Fertilizer where extra all over the surface of not enough was going on from self sufficient care] I did not only the gravel pit but a area where I wanted a better lawn and hoped to make a good spot out of for planting trees) because the whole place came to life despite being a dryer year (even places I have done pretty much of nothing with especially recently), the ground was soft and very workable for spring planting of my trees despite little snow and not much spring rain and has stayed that way, the grass grew like it had gone crazy, new grass plants have sprouted up all over spots and areas where none were before.</p>
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<p>Second, the gravel pit which had shrinking rye-grasses from the sever stress and aging of the plants renewed and even stayed green almost all summer.</p>
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<p>Third, the water holding capabilities of the gravel bar are finally taking hold as not as big of a soaking rain is needed to noticeably raise the level in the pond as well as much longer time between big storms during dry spells can occur without needing two of these big storms within a few days to refill the pond level noticeably, and the ground temperature stays much cooler.</p>
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<p>Fourth, all the pond muck made my trees pull a lot more water out of the air at night and draw in more big rain amounts.</p>
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<p>I hope to have enough water build up from my conservation practices to build some floating beds like this, not this big and would have to have them fully enclosed to keep the ducks out, possibly could tryout some tiny ones to start testing my design (which I must develop over the winter) as I am sure plants directly drawing and cleaning the water are what my pond is beginning to need since apparently either more trees drawing from the area surrounding the pond lets more yet need for more direct treatment, or that all the lower branch pruning may have reduced the pulling power from their being less leaves.</p>
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<p>Would be a idea for helping shade the pond!</p>
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<p>A small floating nesting box for the ducks could be either separate or included in the design.</p>
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<p><br/> <cite>Paul Smith said:p</cite></p>
<blockquote cite="http://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/forum/topics/i-knew-when-i-ordered-the-book-that-there-must-be-more-to?page=19&commentId=4778851%3AComment%3A634455&x=1#4778851Comment634455"><div><div class="xg_user_generated"><p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2772271079?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="721" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2772271079?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="721" class="align-full"/></a></p>
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