Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

A few points, well one really, the rest is just commentary

A patent in no way restricts people like you and i using the patented technology for personal use in our backyards (Please feel free to correct me, but i'm fairly sure). It only comes into play when you are making money from a patented idea.

I'm not meaning to be, but i'm actually leaning both ways (surprised? ) After a patent is awarded there is no need for secrecy on the ideas, i mean things can be reverse engineered, and we're not talking about microchips here

While i love, support and encourage the type of sharing that goes on in here, the harsh reality is that people with no other love than money might well see a novel approach to aquaponics and turn it into a thriving business, having put nothing in (ideas, blood sweat and tears), so i can understand the desire for some to guard an idea if they feel they have put considerable time effort and money into it while every one else was laughing.

Having said all that, if you are happy to share ideas, do not fret that some one will take your idea and patent it, if it has been in the public domain for long enough then i'm fairly sure someone can't just come along and patent it

Tell you what though, the "idea" would have to be quite novel indeed, it would have to digress quite substantially from what already exists in the public domain regarding aquaponics for it to be patentable.

Here is to seeing many more 'unique' (each persons is!) system pictures.
It is amasing to see each persons creativity moulding the basic aquaponics concept. (and it is a basic concept )

Steve

Oh, the other thing is, patenting is an extremely expensive process. My dad has looked into it a couple of times, once for a wind deflector he invented for reducing drag on caravans, and once for a trailer he built using original creative ways to tilt it and release the tailgate, and although the commercial possibilities were there, the simple cost of a patent was prohibitive. Can't remember the exact figure, but it was in the thousands for a real patent. For a patented idea to be worthwhile, I reckon it would have to be an absolute cracker, andsomething that more than just a select group of people would benefit from...

I think it was a millenia ago, actually

I think they used to float rafts with plants inthe nile in egypt back in the days of the pharaohs

Yeh, i got the same respose from the pictures of julies pool, and my "first system" from a few people. Doesn't matter, i know you guys appreciate them

good luck to anybody whoi does patient goodies for aquaponics - it would mean that it would be 'easier' for people to get involved with it and we will have LOADS more people to converse with too... Besides, I am the sort of guy who will look at a patiented item and then attempt to construct my own - A patient means he is making money from it all, but also means that more people are hearing about aquaponics

good point AM. If the idea is patentable, then by its very nature is must have been original, so good luck to em, and I am just wishin I thought of the retractable seatbelt!!!

hey ya'll, it's not the principals that i want to market, it's the system(s) themselves. i'm working on a couple.

ever flip thru a hydro catalog, or surf a hydro store web site, and see all those pre-made hydroponic systems. well, someone designed, built, and patented each and every one of those systems.

i know that i, as well as most of ya'll, could dissect, replicate, and probably improve every pre-made hydro system on the market, but we are the few. for every person that would build it themselves, there are probably 5 - 10 people that would buy it ready to go.

it's not my intention to just soak up ya'lls info, and not give back. hell, i'll do a "how to" thread here and show all ya'll what i've spent the last 3 years researching, designing, testing, etc.

i just know that i would be highly pissed off if the next time i walk into a hydro store to pick up a bag of hydroton, i look over and see a copy of my system.

I see your point, and I am all for you patenting anything you feel you need to, or have the cash to do - But lill ol me just wants people to get this sorta thing into their back yards and start growing healthy foods whilst impacting upon nature less, and if a patented system (your or anyboidy else's system) gets that going, then go for it!

Lil ol me just spent every cent he has and is documenting each and every step for one and all. This a design to finance a design, the sole purpose being pollution reduction.

You wont miss out on anything. I should be protected, and so should Joel, AF, and many others, as some sort of recompense for sterling efforts.

If I protect my farming machine I can ensure the farmer benefits from it. If I don't, you can be sure some company will get rich and Farmers continue to struggle.

You will NOT find a system half as good as what AF makes in a hydro store, not even close.

So, if everyone makes a skoda, and AF has made a rolls royce - CREDIT DUE!

AND GRANTED. cAN'T WAIT TO SEE WHAT IS BREWING UP! (EVEN AFTER SUCCESSFULLY PATENTED)

Neal,

how are you cycling if you have no fish as ammonia source? Are you adding clear ammonia to the water?

Steve, I posted this reply as a comment on the picture, but I'll put it here too:
I am using a bacterial starter solution and some fish food, which should release some ammonia as it decays (This method is recommended on a few aquarium websites and I have done it with my 2 aquariums at home). I'll do this for 2 weeks before introducing the fish then leave them in there for 2 more weeks before the plants go in.

I think that the dead plants in my school based system belped start the cycling process in my ponds - as 8 female guppies dont do too much on their own

Neal,

Yep , thats right. Just wanted to make sure you understood the concept of cycling. Sorry if it sounded weird

Steve

I just posted a few pics of my little systems in the album.

Nice to see all of these systems coming together.....