Aquaponics Update

The aquaponics project is moving along. Seventeen fish are in the fishtank, pooping and adding ammonia, nitrates and bacteria that are circulating up to the grow beds.  The beds in tune are filtering out these nutrients and returning purified water back to the fishtank.

A critter got into the fish pellets a couple of nights ago, and spilled the bucket, but didn't seem to eat too much.  That was my fault for not securing the cover.

The only problem is that the bell siphons are not dependable, and only one bed seems to be really thriving.

But the whole system looks cool as hell.  A number of SuperPeeps such as Tommy O and Brendt D'Orio have dropped by for a personal tour, which your MOAM is only to happy to provide.

We have harvested a good size salad's worth of lettuce already, and the tomatoes and peppers are kicking along nicely.  But the cauliflower looks pretty bad and the parsley is a bust.  I'd like to get some kale in there soon

Settled Science

With all of the personal trials going on recently that is none of  your business, this MOAM has been blowing off steam on Facebook threads.... mostly about Presidential Politics.

But the thread yesterday with some Liberal Friends about the "Settled Science" of Global Warming (aka "Climate Change" to fit the narrative since it just doesn't seem to be too warm lately) was a vigorous exchange and a nice respite from ranting about the Evil H.

I truly believe in climate change.  The boulders in my backyard are clear indications that mile high glaciers recently scraped their way through the neighborhood.  But the mammoths and cave men didn't cause this, and neither do Republicans as my Libbie friends like to fret about.

And you can look at the Al Gore "documentary" as the fabricated political propaganda that it is and still be in favor of environmental  measures to keep our country healthy.

I like to fish in Boston Harbor, which was a polluted mess in my childhood a generation ago. Environmental legislation eliminated this pollution without people like John Kerry and BO telling us that the our biggest problem was melting ice caps, and that this was "Settled Science" so get in step and STFU.   A bit Fascist for my taste.

The Harbor was cleaned up and Stiped Bass returned.   So did Turkeys, Coyotes, Raptor Hawks, Deer and a host of other critters who never showed up in the neighborhood when I was a kid.  This was all due to RCRA clean up that happened without political fabrication of global doom.

Forty years ago, people were worried that the world couldn't add any additional human population.... the "Population Bomb" was the moniker.   And we were lectured that there was only a little petroleum left to go around.  Certainly not enough to last forty years.   Facts didn't bear these fears out.

Libbies like to call people who disagree with their position as "Deniers".   I am one of those.   I actually have heard of legislation filed in California to fine people who profess denial of Climate Change.   Too bad Fascism still exists.

I definitely will not last the next 40 years to show my fretting FB Lefty Friends that they were wrong, But then again.... they won't be around either.

Sheep Talk

Maybe I went a little too far yesterday.... with all of the Evil H lamentations and rants on Facebook the morning after she clinched her nomination from the "SuperDelegate" rigged Democrat primaries.

I know that I called one Libby a Sheep and told her to "BAA".

That probably was uncalled for.

But the early morning fawning by ABC News and H's proclamation that she has broken the "Glass Ceiling" with quite a bit of self adulation pretty much put me over the top.



But then again.....

If you are one of Hillary's supporters, I can only say this to you.

BAA, BAA, BAA,

You are a mindless sheep, oblivious to the disgusting characteristics of this odious manipulator.

No Offense.

Evil H and DNA

Peeps....
I know that some of you are pretty good practical jokers and like nothing more than to put one over on this MOAM.

So when I was out washing my truck on this sunny Marblehead Saturday morning, I experienced a slight jolt to my system when I got the pressure washer to the back of the F-150.

There are three categories of practical jokes in my MOAM book.

1.  Category 1 - LOL... that is pretty funny.
2.  Category 2 - Who the Phuck Did THAT!
3.  Category 3 - Whoever PHUCKING DID THAT to me IS PHUCKING DEAD!!!!!




This one is kind of between Category 2 and 3.

I have carefully removed the offensive sticker and have sent it to the Crime Lab for a comprehensive DNA analysis and fingerprint examination.

I don't want to blame the wrong person for this slanderous action.

But I'm thinking.... Dale Johnson or Peter Crawford.

They are both low enough to do this and their DNA is probably easily attainable.

For those of you who get cheap chuckles from this kind of caper, please note that thousands of mentally challenged Peeps who live on every comment or gesture made by the MOAM could actually vote for the EVIL H if they saw this despicable sticker on my pristine F150.

This could tip the freaking election.

Woe to Fish

Bought my Massachusetts Fresh Water Fish License at Dick's Sporting Goods in Danvers today on the way home from some Friday afternoon permitting action at Boston ISD.

With the rows of fishing tackle and other apparatus to capture fish at that store, you would think that there wouldn't be a fish left in Massachusetts by the end of the year.   It is like an arsenal stuffed with weapons to do battle with stupid fish.

Course I stocked up a little bit.  Some drop shot hooks, regular hooks, bobbers, sinkers and other stuff designed to help me slay panfish without mercy down at Redd's Pond.

It is going to be a massacre.

Don't Disagree

Hate to use a double negative, but I don't disagree.

Gorilla Lives Matter

The mother who let her child run wild at the gorilla exhibit at the  Cincinnati Zoo is responsible for the death of a magnificent silver back gorilla.

Plain and Simple.  Take responsibility for your actions.

She should be prosecuted.

Buddy for the Buds

Peeps....
I know you don't care about my opinion and some of you even get pissed when I give it anyway.

Which is awesome motivation for me to keep pumping out my thoughts, preferences and truthful ideas.

So in the spirit of irritation and outright annoyance, I am compelled to let you know that I now have found my choice as the world's best beer.


This is brewed in Lynn down at the old Lynn Lumber site on the Lynnway.   Chris Crawford is one of the owners, but just because I view Chris as one of the family, that has not clouded my independent judgement.  They do a lot of IPA's which I am not particularly fond of, but the Pearl is Legit.

Bent Water Pearl American Wheat Ale has eclipsed Sam Adams and even Guinness on the MOAM's taste buds.   And those are mighty hard buds to please.

Operational Aquaponics

There is a lot of criticism on the web regarding the operation of Bell Siphons.  Maybe I'm missing something, but the ones that I built and installed using standard instructions from on-line sources are working like a charm.

The Grow Beds fill up with water, the siphon kicks in, and the entire bed is emptied of fluid with a satisfying burp at the end of the cycle.... then the bed starts to fill again.  

The pressure sending the water to the fish tank is really amazing as the water spills out of the 3/4" PVC pipe and splashes into the fish tank causing a nice aeration effect.   Then, like magic, the flow stops altogether as the grow beds are filled to the brim of the siphon.... when the process starts again.

We planted some tomatoes, sweet potatoes, peppers, zucchini and lettuce yesterday, and I swear they grew significantly in just one day.

The only problem thus far is that the water in the fish tank remains a little cloudy due to the dust on the clay grow rocks.  This  seems to be clearing up though.

Next weekend, we add the fish to the system, and finish the vegetable and herb plantings.

Joanne and I have been saving the Keuring K Cups for coffee every morning and the amount of coffee grounds accumulates substantially after a week of so.   I've been sprinkling the grounds around the perimeter of the beds in the hope that this will deter the Ground Hog who wiped out our traditional garden that was located in this same place in just one Ground Hog gluttonous evening.

I still want to trim out the beds in cedar or pine, but all of the major components of this project are now in place as the development phase now morphs into operations.  Looking forward, I have to figure out the best way to deal with keeping this in place during the cold weather months.

Aquaponics Pre-Launch

The Bell Siphon's worked surprisingly well.  There is some tweaking to do, but they seem to work as designed.

A bit of a setback this morning was the need to dig out the grow media in one of the beds and add some support beams because the bed cage was obviously stressed.    The support beams did the trick.

I planted some stock that Joanne bought from the Marblehead Garden Center when the grow beds and bell siphons seem to be in synch..  The wilted lettuce immediately came to life in the grow media.  We added tomatos, peppers, sweet potatoes and zucchini.   The plants look pretty good and there is plenty of room left in the grow beds for more stock.

I'm a bit concerned over the cloudiness of the water in the fish tank due to the dust on the clay grow media rocks.  If it  doesn't clear up by tomorrow, I'm going to purge the water from the system and add all new water.

I doubt if this would kill the fish, but it is a major impediment to the aesthetics of the system.  Clear water and a view of the fish is deal breaker in my view.

Tomorrow, I have to clean up the mess in the fish tank area, with tools, cords, hoses etc, all over the place.  The stone retaining wall has also taken a beating during the plumbing and leveling process, and this has to be rebuilt.

I've already started t to brag to Tommy O on how awesome this system is, so housekeeping is in order before he comes by to inspect.

Transition from Planning to Implementation

Tomorrow morning is "Bell Siphon" Morning.

Having Installed the feed lines, bulkheads and return feeds in the aquaponic project, tomorrow I will finalize the bell siphons and fill the beds with the clay stone grow media.

This is not a drill Peeps.... This is the real Enchilada.

If the Bell Siphons work, the plants will be installed and the cycle will begin.  Maybe next week, I will try to get Rich Mah to take me to his secret Bluegill and Pumpkinseed fishing spot and we will move from planning to full scale implementation.

WeekEnd Outlook

Could it possibly be Thursday night?  This is another week that flew by.  Not enough days and not enough hours in the day to get the work done.

There is a three day Memorial Day weekend in store and the weather promises to be a great summer kickoff.

The bathroom can be put together, and the final plumbing to the the Aquaponics project will be completed, after which I will add the grow media and move this into the implementation mode.   In the middle of this, I hope to get out on the Lagavulin for a little harbor cruising.

The Evil H seems to be on the run with the Inspector General's report about the scumbag use of her State Department email, and Trump and Sanders may be staging a debate.

Except for some really crappy personal issues, all seems to be right with the world.