RM Lagu Songs

Organic Gardening Reference

https://www.zagarden.com/garden/a-better-weekend-gardening-experience/

Trying DURIAN for the first time!

Backyard Aquaponics Update

Almost a year plus in my forays into Aquaponics. The only regret is I couldn't spend much time tendering to the setup due to my outstation work commitment.

Safe to say my current system setup is working just fine.
IBC fish tank is full of 50+ tilapias of various sizes from 1 inch to 10 inch.
The main growbed producing an endless supply of kangkung, chilis, various herbs (mint, basil, chives and pegaga) 3 pods of cabbage are sprouting.
20 gallon barrel is used as water storage and fingerlings
Recently added 15 gallon sump tank for the pump

Experimenting the Cycle Stop Valve

I took the plunge and experiment with the CSV125-1 product from the USA to be used here in Malaysia.
My house water main is not able to satisfactorily supply my additional second water tank on the roof which is about 13-meter elevation (another 1 meter higher than the existing water tank ). So my second water tank is hardly full all the time since the incoming pressure was not that great. Thus when I decided to add a bulky sand filter, a booster pump is necessary.

Once set up, I found out that the pump pressure switch cycle on/off intermittently fast. A simple solution offered was to install another Electronic Pressure Switch Regulator. However, searching further I found this non-electronic Cycle Stop Valve product that claims to provide the solution to pressure switch problems and longer pump life.
I made the order via Amazon.

It was a simple ingenuity.
I delved further into plumbing works and made modifications to the current pump setup.

And from the online research, I was convinced that I need an external pressure tank.

The crude plumbing works after several modifications.

The entire setup once completed.
Now the pump pressure switch is working as expected, no fast intermittent on/off cycle. Household internal pipe is properly pressurized.

Home Project : Attic

Working on a personal project for the house - Additional Attic Space. I have been tinkering with fixing an access staircase to the roof level. Taking the on-site dimension and plot them in SketchUp.

It will be a risky bolted to the wall staircase. Studying through various online publications and youtubes I am confident enough to proceed with modification and additional support (ie - Steel Wire Rope).

I have fabricated the support members using 25x50 Hollow Sections with welded ears for 10mm diameter steel wall bolts.

Due to the slight deviation between fabricated support member welded ears, each base was traced over a piece of paper and pasted on the wall before drilling.

I ran a 6mm bit pilot holes before coming back to finish with 10mm bit final hole.

 All first 4 stringers fit perfectly (well #4 needed a little hard push because of slight off center between drill hole and the ear hole)

 #5 I had to drill another ear hole near the existing one on order to fit because it was way too off center. I guess maybe the working at height finally gotten into my eye and hand targeting coordination.

First 5 stringer supports are in place. Calculation-wise each member should be able to support up to 600kg. But for now I will not step on them yet until the additional cable wire support in place.

Fresh from Aquaponics Growbed

My Aquaponics setup has began to produce results.
Growbed teeming with leafy greens, tomatos and chilis.

Fish tank Tilapia has grown up to 8"-10" - right time to harvest end of Feb

Crawfish Lobsters too are showing their claws.

Here comes the Tilapias

I added 11 nos 3"-4" Tilapias this weekend to the fish tank.

That should make it for now to determine the optimal capacity of my current IBC Aquaponics setup.

Also managed to get initial batch of Hydrilla Plants for the Crayfish Lobsters.

Current resident:

3 nos Cat Fish

10 nos Crayfish Lobsters

11 nos Tilapias

1 nos unidentified fingerling 

Lobster Aquaponics

Received my pioneer batch of 10 baby lobsters this morning. All within 75mm - 100mm (3-4 inches).

I am putting them in my now functioning IBC tank.
I had installed a new 20Watts 35L/min 0.024Mpa air pump. 2 lines serving the IBC tank, 1 line the drum barrel tank (for balancing water from the window growbed) and 1 line to the biofilter media sump tank. I have transferred 3 remaining catfishes from the drum barrel to the IBC tank (currently filled 500Liters). The siphon from the IBC growbed is working fine. The growbed has been refilled with China LECA balls mixed with VAM LECA Hydroton to hold them down (90% floating!!)

See them after 3 months