Aquaponics - The Bullwinkle sequencer Success!

I'll put together a "how to" post describing the build as soon as I can, but I just thought I would share this now.

A flow splitter might be a useful thing to someone with a small fishtank, and a lot of grow beds. It allows you to fill your growbeds in turn from the same water supply without forcing your fish to flap about on fry land as their water is all transferred to the garden.



As far as I know this is an original idea, and as such offer it freely to the world to do as you please with it. You may make it, duplicate it, sell it, profit from it.

I would ask that if you improve on the design that you also give it freely to the world.

I also ask you you let me know if you make one so at least I know my work have been helpful to someone. I enjoy seeing other people make my lure designs, and would love to see a working flow splitter. Personally I have no use for this, so I'll probably never see it in actual use. This idea came about because of a request, and was a test of a problem solving method I'm working on that I call "the invention engine".

Please comment, suggest improvements etc. Feedback would be greatly appreciated.



[edit from the future - There is some additional material on sequencers. Readers might find this newer version in a post titled  The Bullwinkle sequencer build of interest. It's a better design, and only costs around AU$15 to build with off the shelf PVC components]

Aquaponics - Strawberry seeds

Strawberry plants from seeds!

I had no idea.

A few people I've spoken to about them, said that they haven't had much luck with germinating strawberry seeds, but there are some that have.

I plan on being in the "some that have group".

Strawberry seeds are roughly as small as you might imagine they would be. This isn't actually a strawberry seed pictured to the left with the toothpick, its a bit of dirt.

But it looks a lot like a strawberry seed.

By the time I realised I needed a photo of a strawberry seed, I didn't have any left, so I just substituted some seed shaped dirt.

Nobody will ever know.

I started out with some seed raising mix because of the reports I've read of other people struggling to get their seeds to germinate. I'm not sure that this is actually necessary, but it will mean I can rule out out poor soil if they fail.

I placed a seed in each pot, covered lightly with seed raising mix then pressed to contact.

Then I lightly watered them.













I'm not sure about the economics of using seeds as there were only eleven seeds in one of the packets.

I did actually email the company because I was a little disappointed, and they replied asking for my phone number, so perhaps that's not normal. I wont mention the brand just yet and see what happens. It could just be that the receptionist is going to ask me out on a date.

I'll wait and see.

The seeds cost around $7 a packet, and on the same day I bought nine little strawberry seedlings for $3.95, so unless my strawberries grow very rapidly up to the clouds revealing giants, special geese, and general adventure, I suspect I wont be buying any more.

From what I've been told by seed packets and humans, I should be waiting for some time between a day or two and eternity for these things to germinate.

So I guess there's nothing left to do but to watch this space.

I hate waiting.


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