Jason McFarland

Threshing wheat by hand can be a tedious and time consuming task so I was wondering if anybody here has ever tried using a marijuana "bud trimmer". http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l534/rebeldawg2/trimmer.jpg

Theres a hand crank on the top, and rubber blades inside. Here's a video demonstrating it's use

I'm wanting to use something like this to thresh wheat but I'm curious as to whether or not it would work as such before spending so much money on one. Has anybody here tried one of these for this purpose?

Would there be any disadvantage in using these types of bags in earthbag dome construction?

I appreciate your help everybody, like stated in web4deb's video my siphon was stuck in limbo, I'm going to try putting a pvc cap under the breather tube I believe that will solve my problem, thanks all

Earthbags aren't a great insulator but they can be used as such by adding materials that create air pockets inside them, like volcanic rock. However, earthbags provide terrific thermal mass properties. Simple thermal dynamics state that heat travels from warm spaces to cooler spaces. While you may want to shade earthbag structures in summer months, they can absorb heat from the sun and release it into your house on cold winter nights. When used in conjunction with passive solar heating and cooling you'll almost never need to use heat or air conditioning.

Before using earthbags on your home I highly recommend distinguishing the differences between thermal mass and insulation to see which is best suited for you and your family

Tilapia seem to be one of the most common type of fish used in aquaponics. They're omnivores so they'll eat almost anything you give them, including mosquito larva and algae. If you like to eat fish they taste pretty good too.

However, if you're starting your first aquaponics garden expect to make mistakes that could mean the lives of your fish. From personal experience I would recommend using the cheap 25 cent feeder goldfish you find in pet shops until you're more comfortable with your system.

Hey everybody, just set up my first aquaponics garden and already things are going wrong haha. Before I put any media in the grow bed the bell siphon preformed perfectly leading me to think this is a flow related issue.

Here's the specs
inlet: 1/2'' compressor hose
standpipe: 1''
bell siphon: 2''
containment: IBC
media: volcanic rock/hydroton (I already hate lava rock)

The grow bed will fill up, the siphon will create the vacuum and drain the bed and then it has trouble filling up again. It just wants to fill up a little bit and gurgle, and do the same thing over and over until I manually lift the siphon and break the vacuum. With my inlet being a hose I don't have a valve to control the flow.

So is there anything I can do to fix this? I assumed making the teeth bigger might correct the issue but it's a shot in the dark.

appreciate any help

Hey everybody, I'd like to start by saying this is my first time on the site, it's nice to find a group of like minded people searching for more practical and safe means of living.

So I just started my first aquaponics system on a small scale. I'm currently using a 275 Gallon IBC container in a flood and drain system. Everything seems to be going well. I'd like to use tilapia in the system soon but it's stocked with goldfish at the moment because they were a cheaper alternative.

So my question to you guys is, what can I do to keep my goldfish happy? I know it seems like a trivial question but I've never owned goldfish and I want to make the best environment possible for them.

What types of submerged plants do they like and feed on?
Are goldfish omnivores? If so will they eat meal worms?
Is it okay to use pea gravel in the bottom of my fish tank?
Do goldfish like having places to hide?

I've already covered the necessities for their survival, the tank is getting plenty of aeration, the water temp. stays between 60-80F, I'm feeding them twice a day without overfeeding, plenty of sunlight.

If possible could you guys post some pictures of your goldfish tanks it would be much appreciated, thanks for any help and advice

goldfish