Fish Pee and Sunshine

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Inside:

I finally broke down and bought a 300W LED grow light, through Amazon, which won't arrive for a couple weeks yet. I also got around to mounting my #2 mirror (see Aquaponics through the Looking Glass), which does seem to help. It was previously leaning against the house, but the lean angle, even though slight, was not favorable for getting sunlight to redirect down in the window well.

No substantial changes to the AP plant beds, although I do have a bit of lettuce going now in addition to what was listed in my last update. I am going to experiment with using sand for media in one 10G tank and try growing some root veggies there, most likely a combination of carrots, beets, and yams. Will need to make another bell siphon, but need to think on how best to filter sand. May ultimately end up with a wicking bed instead.

I'm also making plans to start a BSF colony, in preparation for raising quail. Have not settled yet on a design. Ideally, the pupae to self harvest, but keep the flies somewhat contained.

For all that, I still have a bit of cleanup to do. A couple weeks ago, our washing machine overflowed... for 4 hrs... and flooded the basement. Fortunately, it didn't cause any damage to my hab lab. Unfortunately it did warp a bunch of floorboards upstairs, and mess up the ceiling in a few places in the finished portion of the basement, and soak through several cardboard storage boxes in the closet right under the laundry room. The contents of those boxes are strewn across the dry, unfinished portion of the basement, where I'd arranged them to dry. In a more humid environment, this would have been more catastrophic. Overall, it does make one consider design of grey water/clean water flows in a closed system...

In Between

Brought my moringa home from the office to put outside and feed some fish pee. It was hit by spider mites at work, and so far has yet to recover. I'm hopeful, since it has lost leaves several times already and regrown them after I thought all that was left was a stick.

I've also put out my second paw paw tree, which I'd wintered in the garage (the other is successfully growing in AP ystem). I've identified a nice shady spot for it in my front yard.

Outside:

Although I anticipate at least one or two more snows this year, I did start planting the garden, and got my asparagus in, along with some onions, kale, and carrots. I moved the rhubarb to the mulch under my maples. Since rhubarb is poisonous to insects, I am instead putting mint around the fruit trees, so as to keep my bees from harm and not impact fruit pollination. I ordered more apple scions and will try grafting again this year on the two crabapples. Also got some chinquapin seedlings, which I will be getting into the ground after the next snow (expected in a few days). I'm hoping that the chesnut blight will be less likely to hit them in the arid climate here, just outside of their native range.