This post is by Bernie Carr, apartmentprepper.com
Welcome to another Monday Musings, where we share interesting links about all things preparedness, as well as updates on the blog.
First the blog updates…
What’s going on with the apartment aquaponics project? You may recall I posted about my latest project in Aquaponics for Small Spaces.
I am happy to report the herbs are growing, the betta fish and the snails are alive! The mints have sprouted several new shoots from the branches and even the roots. We named the betta fish “Omi” and he seems really active and healthy. The snails make several trips around the tank seemingly on a daily basis. Some days they stay very still and I worry that one or two have died, but the next day I find them in various parts of the tank.
As you can see from the photo above, the water got more murky after three weeks, but it was easy enough to replace.
First, unplugged the unit. I took the plant grow bed off. Then, I scooped Omi the fish back into the container I bought him in, plucked the snails and dropped them in the same container with the fish an some of the water. I took off the pump and tube and rinsed both under the faucet. They felt l a little slimy, but the scrubbed the slime off with a sponge. I dumped out the water and rinsed the rocks with fresh water. The water did not smell bad at all, unlike some other aquariums I’ve cleaned. I re-installed the pump. I added water with a capful of D-Klor (De-chlorinizing solution) which originally came with the kit. I released Omi back into the water and placed the snails near the corners. They reattached themselves to the walls of the tank almost immediately. Lastly I placed the plant grow bed back on, and plugged the unit back up.
It took me less than 30 minutes to finish up. So far so good!
Now I’m thinking about the next project to try out- I might try making hard cider, soap making etc. Any suggestions of projects you’d like to see done in an apartment?
If you like low cost DIY projects, you’ll enjoy my latest book, The Penny Pinching Prepper, available now in Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other major bookstores. Reviews are starting to come in, like this one from Daisy Luther, The Organic Prepper.
Who won the Prepper’s Natural Medicine giveaway? Misty won the book Prepper’s Natural Medicine. She left the following comment:
“Not sure if this is considered an herbal remedy but, I use coconut oil on EVERYTHING! For instance, my son was bit on his calf by a large dog (not real bad but it did break the skin). We were told to put Triple Antibiotic Ointment on the bite but it continued to get worse. So his Dr. wrote him a prescription for some really strong antibiotic ointment. Well, the infection didn’t get any better so I mixed the prescription strength ointment with coconut oil. Within 2 days the infection was completely GONE and the wound started to heal incredibly fast! I don’t think there will be any permanent scarring!”
Coconut oil is indeed a great natural remedy. I use it for so many things, I will have to write post about coconut oil uses one of these days!
Once again, thanks to everyone who entered our giveaway- planning the next one soon.
Now for the links…
Preparedness Items to get in After Halloween Sales
Family survival: 5 tips for distributing gear
Making Handmade Soaps (Supplies)
Your fitness tracker can be hacked by anyone standing near you
The Best New Books to Help You Prepare
Take care and have a great week everyone!
© Apartment Prepper 2015
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