Riverbed systems

[mommyhen42]

Hello JeffW
This is too funny, my first riverbed system was actually loosly designed after yours!
The 2 trays are about 3 inches deep that I used and 2x2ft square!I staggered the inlet and the outlet so that I could get the flow correct. I moved it outside but the table I had it on began to sag with the weight so currently it is taken down, but I do plan on getting it going again this spring as it did so well for me. Just not sure where.
You have peas in yours, how did they end up doing??? I put peas in my eb and flow but they dont do well, but I am currently having a big aphid problem right now in the little greenhouse. We are starting to see lady bugs so every time I find one I put it in there, I saw a ladybug nymph on one of my lettuces munching away so it is good to know that there is at least one of them in there....
I bought this package that was supposed to be a pheramone that repels aphids but I think it is working as an aphrodesiac!!!
Sorry for my spelling...
I also had white fly get started in there but I think I got the buggers with a little tanglefoot and some yellow paper...
Anyone have any other ideas to get rid of aphids that wont kill my fish???
I am putting together a barrel unit using 2 barrels and autosiphons instead of the flusher one added. So far I have one half put up and have to build the frame for the other half, just not up to it right now. So it will have to wait. But at least the half that is up is planted. I have the fishtank barrel on it's side, do you think it will do better if I bury it??? I was just thinking of putting some plywood around it to keep the sun off...and trailing some plants over the sides to give added shade.
Sheryl

[badflash]

Lots of natural controls. Dusting with diatomaceous earth where they hide is pretty effective. Use a dust mask, but this is not toxic, just a lung irritant. This is what you put in pool filters.

Lace wings and ladybugs are great too if you have a greenhouse.

[mommyhen42]

Where can I find the Diotomatious earth? Will it harm the fish's gills when the autosiphons pull some back into the tank?
It is still too early in the year to get the ladybugs and lacewings, I have been checking at my local garden centers but they tell me probally not till April... sigh
We have mantids here naturally but it is still too early for them.
I am guessing due to the numbers of mantids and lacewings I see every spring and summer that I will not need to buy those... perhaps some will take up residence over the winter next year?

[badflash]

Any pool store carries DE. I have a DE filter for cleanup of my aquariums. It polishes the water, but clogs quickly. I use it for fine particulate. I've never seen a negative effect. It is a widely accepted organic control.

Another idea might be geckos. You can get house geckos cheaply, especially in quantity. I see them all the time in lizzard shows for $5 each in single quantities.

[JeffW]

On my last PART 2 video I just fixed the error, I was having problems
with some you tube users using my videos for self promotion on their own
sites so I disabled embedding but I changed that just now

Sheryl I think your barrel with shaded wood will work fine because digging a hole
was not good for the back let me tell ya. As long as sun shine is deflected it helps
And yes pea's did great matter a fact they took off like wild fire.

APHIDS UHG!! they attacked me last year too and whipped my butt good.
I had 100 pound pumpkins doing so well and then the aphids came and all hell broke
loose. We lost the battle to them and I tried every non chemical trick in the book.
After they finished off pumpkins they went after the cuc's. First time in I ever had them in
my garden, year before that was golden Japanese beetles and every afternoon about 5PM
the flew in like attack on pearl harbor, they landed on my pole beans and ate them as fast
as they could. Just to make me really disgusted they had sex while they did it..grrrr.!!
That was an insult and so when I saw them in action I had the pleasure of smashing
them in action

SPEAKING OF PEA (pee)
hey peeps anyone hear about pee?
I hear people pee in their systems now so they don't have to use gold fish because
it has ammonia in it, I am not sure but seems interesting
.....omg I gotta take a leak be right back

[badflash]

Best not to. This is a good way to spread human disease around. Many diseases can be spread through urine. Few pass from one species to another, so animal urine would be OK. Fertilizing with chicken manure is great stuff, used sparingly.

[mommyhen42]

Another idea might be geckos. You can get house geckos cheaply, especially in quantity. I see them all the time in lizzard shows for $5 each in single quantities.

I like that idea actually, but the problem here is that they are not native... Since I have done reptile rescue for 20 years I can not in all conciense(SP) release a non native species into the greenhouse as I do open the doors during the day and the vents also auto-open when the inside temp reaches 72. This would allow for the animals to escape.
I do however often put our fence swifts in there whenever I manage to catch one... I know they eat insects, just not sure about aphids???

thanks about the DM I have a pool store just down the street, will have to check with them.

Sheryl

[mommyhen42]

JeffW
I just made some self watering pots after the style of the water farm which use the air lift pump to deliver water to the plants...
My question is If I have my 55 gal barrel laying on it's side and the riverbed grow table is slightly above that, do you think the depth is enough to run the air lift pump effectively???

I currently have the barrel set up with another barrel cut in half and so far only one of the 2 halves are up and on a stand...
I am thinking of placing a table to the side of that and buld your riverbed there. I would have to make it so that it drains into a pvc pipe at the far end and have that pipe drain back into the barrel...

Do you think that is do-able or should I use a water pump instead?
I like the idea of the lower wattage air pump but am not sure I have enough depth to get the height I would need... HMM
Sheryl

[badflash]

Have you looked into guyser pumps, rather than air lift? Air lift is good for only a couple of inches, but is great for circulating water. Guyser pumps can move low volumes 10 feet up or more.

[mommyhen42]

yes I have but they waste alot of water so since water conservation is one point I need to keep, I stopped looking at them.
Since the lift required would only be 1 ir 2 inches plus the height of the bed, I wondered if they may work.

Just curious, could have been a way to save on electricity, but if I need water pumps, I need water pumps.

I will be building a windmil over the next few weeks to augment my 75 watt solar array, still in the learning phase there.

looking at alternatives you know...

Sheryl