Newbie from Botswana,Africa

[Victor Getov]

Hello everybody, Few weeks ago I watched a movie from Murey Hallam ,got hooked, searched internet and here I am. I never did ANY kind of farming till year ago.I started two projects.One is drain and flood/raft combination outdoor. Two growbeds-1sq.m each,150mm deep(one with gravel,other-raft),200L fish tank,ONLY one Tilapia fish,70L sump and 400L p/h aquarium pump. Problem with P/H-I add acid every day-stays on 8. I add 10L water from my duck pond daily. I just moved some chinesse cabbage,lettuce and chili from seedlings there. The second project-because of the climate here- I went ......underground. Day/night temperature vary 25-28 deg C.!!! Flood and drain. Two growbeds-1.5sq.m each,300mm deep,gravel,200L tank,80L sump and 600L p/h swiming pool pump. This one I run only on duck pond water. There I have mint,lettuce,cucumbers,tomatoes and chili. P/H stays on 7.1!!! In both projects there is big difference between my plants-60cm tall cucumber and only 10cm next to it. Same is with the other plants.  I seed them in palm peat and they were uniform before I moved them to the grow bed and raft.The lettuce in the raft grows better than in grow bed.I shall post some pics. as soon as I find out how to.

[Alex Veidel]

Wow, that looks great! Great to know aquaponics is being done in Botswana.

[Victor Getov]

Thanks,Alex, After I started my projects,I found that I am not alone in Botswana-another 5 people are doing Aquaponic.I contacted so far 3,but ALL 3 were so unfriendly-only my tick head can will to contact the other 2!But I shall. Finely,today,I have fish for my ponics-40 Mozambique Tilapia-5cm(2in) big.Here is 1:50AM and I just finished transferring them in a old fish

tank-lost in space-don't know is my system ready to accept them.I don't want to loose them-it took me 2 months to find and have them at home!      

[Victor Getov]

IMPROVING!!!

[Hugo Botha]

Hi Victor

Where in Botswana you based?

I've also started a small system in Gaborone.

I would like to ask you a few questions, please let me know where I can contact you.

Regards

Hugo 

[Shinnie Motlhabi]

Hi Good People

I'm also in Botswana and looking at starting a small to medium scale aquaponics project and would like to get in touch with People who are doing it so as to get ideas.I have only met one gentleman doing it in Gaborone and he grows beautiful spinach.He is a lecturer at the University of botswana.Kindly get in contact with me.

Regards

Shinnie

[MOHAN]

Where can I get tilapia fish. Where exactly you are located in Botswana. I am interested to see your farm.can u plz give us contact details