Comment

Comment by Larry in Casa Grande on August 16, 2012 at 6:52am

I think I will keep an eye on the fish, and thier overall behaviour. I have discovered that the neem oil we  buy here in the US has usually already had the azadirachtin removed from it.

I don't know the toxicity of either neem oil or azadirachtin to fish, but their toxicity to mammals is very low. Azadirachtin breaks down within a few days of being exposed to light or water.

I am a bee keeper though, and my bees rely very heavily upon my aquaponics system for water. I suspect I will see a negative impact upon the hives from this dumb move.

Well we will wait watch and see.

Bad, bad, bad, aquaponics farmer, no donut today!!   

Comment by Larry in Casa Grande on August 16, 2012 at 6:34am

I have been researching this like crazy (as you can imagine). I have come up with mildly contradicting ideas so far.

Here are a couple of quotes from http://www.angelfire.com/biz/country...about_neem.htm


Spray for indoor and outdoor plants, flowers and vegetables: Mix 30 ml Neem oil with 1 gallon water and few drops of mild dish detergent (to emulsify oil). Spray foliage including undersides of leaves. Repeat every 2 weeks. This is an organic and bio-degradable insecticide and fungicide; make fresh formulation for each spray.

Is Neem Safe ? – Neem is safe for humans, animals, birds and fish, yet deadly to most insects.

Also this site http://www.pureneem.com.au/garden-an...e/info_10.html

Neem can be effectively used in hydroponics, aeroponics, greenhouses, shadehouses, ornamentals, interiorscapes, horticulture, landscapes, nurseries, turf farms, shrubs, flowering shrubs, fruit and nut trees. Great for the organic gardener! To date, neem is not registered in Australia and therefore should not be used by commercial growers of food crops.

Neem is effective in the control of fruit fly, aphids, mealy bug, cabbage worm, nematodes, Japanese beetle, leaf eating insects. Neem oil also controls powdery mildew, black spot, rust, leaf spot to name just a few. It can be used as a household pesticide for ants, cockroaches, house flies, sand flies, snails, termites and mosquitoes, both as a repellent and larvicide. However, neem oil is non-toxic to humans, birds, fish, bees, earthworms, mammals and predatory insects.

Comment by Larry in Casa Grande on August 16, 2012 at 6:20am

Last night  just before midnight using a flashlight I looked under the leaves of my plants in the grow beds, and I noticed some very tiny bugs. they looked like pieces of salt, they were so little.

I decided to mix up some Neem Oil and water, with a touch of soap. I then sprayed the plants above, and below the leaves very liberally. Happy with the results, I went to bed.

It is now 5:AM and I just awoke bolt upright out of bed, with the sudden realization, that I did not shield the growbed, or Fish tank from any overspray, of which I think there was a lot.

Does anyone have any knowledge, or experiance with this kind of event? Will the oil kill my bacteria, or foul the water for the fish?

Any recommendations? Is it bad enough to require a partial water change?

Comment by Juanita Colucci on August 15, 2012 at 11:35pm

David, I have been looking for non-GMO fish food and have been writing to resellers and manufacturers asking to be notified when they convert to GMO free products.  It has been tough because most soy and corn is GMO.   I received notice on 7/22 from Premium Fish Food that they now have an organic line.  I have not tried it, I am still digging my pond and finding that I cannot work as fast or as long as when I was younger.  I don't know if the GMO issue is important to you.  Here is their link if you would like to check it out.

http://premiumfishfood.com/zen/tilapia-food/ultimate-organic-fish-f...

 

 

Comment by Bob Campbell on August 15, 2012 at 11:27pm

Close up of a Buzzer Midge by Dusan Beno.  

Take a look a his bug portraits gallery

Comment by Zach Moler on August 15, 2012 at 12:08pm

Dr brooks i use pvc and "snap clamps" to hold the shade/tarp i bought in 4 ft sections and cut them down to size for the soil garden, for anchors i use some large paint cans or buckets filled with cement and got metal tent pole anchors to pop the pvc ends into and a screw to hold it in place, www.pvcplans.com has good pictures and ideas as well

Comment by Dr. George B. Brooks, Jr. on August 15, 2012 at 10:16am

Minor storm damage last night. A couple of unbalanced basil rafts turned over and one slat of a shad structure came down. How do you make it?

Comment by David Schwinghamer on August 15, 2012 at 9:08am

Ive been reading alot about feeding my fish higher quality food for better waste, does it make that much difference? Im currently feeding my fish with bulk pond pellets I get at a feed store called Western Ranchman. What brands of food do you recommend. For my fingerlings Im more concerned about their diet, I feed them high protein cichild food from Arthur Aquatics.

Comment by Jim Troyer on August 15, 2012 at 2:19am

Welcome to the club Scott!

Comment by Dr. George B. Brooks, Jr. on August 15, 2012 at 1:42am

Congratulations Scott. you are on your way.

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