Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Janet you missed one requirement necessary which is water. And it will take quite a bit of water...

Kyle If what is reported in the newspapers back here is the state of things over there then you need all the luck and help you can get so we wish you well and hope your ambitions are fulfilled. Keep the questions coming and take it slowly and you will succeed.

Just been reading a website www.fishtanksandponds.info which has some useful calculators for fish to tank and ponds ratios. Any comments from you experts.?

Hi WD,
I don't see a calculator that takes into account the massive biofilters we run. Nice for a standard-filter 55gal aquarium. Was there a particular calculator that caught your eye?

Janet,I posed the question to see what reponse we got and in particular to narrow down some of the equations quoted on this site. From further reference to that site I quoted I can see that it is too narrow for our purposes.
We are just at the start of the lengthy process of of getting a purpose designed and consructed aqua. unit here on our holding and so far it has been a nightmare getting anything in terms of well constructed items that will suit us such as grow beds in HDPE although we seem to have the tanks more or less lined up.
What the ideal situation would be that when the building is up then I will open a thread where everyone can stick their opinion and experience in as though the unit is being designed and run by BYAQ. If it blows up I can blame the site. Kidding.
Little systems are OK -when you go up market it gets serious.I know lots of these so called big set ups appear on the web and come to nothing however ours will be built and will be productive.
WD

Sounds like a plan WD.. Start that thread now and begin talking about your plans, nothing like getting the ideas planned out early..

Thanks Earthbound.
I was holding back until I get planning permission from the council to build the unit. I have to avoid all mention of fish farming or anything like that as they will boot it without so much as a thought..They take three weeks to give a decision as to whether you go ahead or need to apply for full planning which obviously takes longer. It is typical office wallers justifying their existence whilst people like ourselves are trying to get food grown. When that happens I shall start the thread and then we can open the plan up for suggestions.
I can tell you that we have applied for a 45 feet(15 metres) square building with plenty of light therein so it will be a fair size and there will be loads of growing capacity.
Exciting.
WD

Exciting indeed! Looking forward to how things go.

Bore da Ddraig Cymreig . Croeso cynnes i chi

am ddiddorol.

Which locality in Wales do you have your smallholding?

cymer ofal

Hwyl am rwan

(I am not a welsh speaker, I just know a few phrases.)

Johnnie

Da Iawn Johnnie- your Welsh is better than mine.
My missus is Welsh and I am English but I lost my hearing some time ago and trying to learn a language is a non starter although I can get by with sign language.
We are at the top of Wales on the Isle of Anglesey and if you look at our website www.herbsfromwales.co.uk you can see what we have been up to and what we are trying to achieve.
BYAP is really an invaluable asset for us as we have difficulty getting info. in the UK other than BYAP posters and we have to move forward slowly and learn our job.
We will get there.
Hwyl fawr nawr. (Cheerio for now.)
WD

WD, there is a whole thread devoted to NOT telling council your plans LOL

I have very close relatives on Angelsey, and also at Bala, B.Festiniog and Swallow Falls.

I do hope that you manage to make your dreams come true.

Give it a lot of Welsh flavour and charge a little extra for the tourists. (Dress it up to suit them!)

U know at L. Bala (Llyn Tegid) they have a special fish in the lake ... one that you can find no-where else in the world?

Also that the lake is filled by a magic spring? (Ffynongower).

That place is full of some magical Welsh legends.

I love the new Dragon Avatar!

I just visited your website ...

You are in a very competitive market so I guess that as North as you are green houses would really help you get produce out on time.

I even heard a story of people keeping caged chooks and rabbits in the poly tunnels to enhance CO2 level to accelerate growth. (I can't really see this in a leaky poly tunnel ... the idea is warmth and protection from the elements yes?

Then I am thinking , pollination ... how do you do that when the bees are finding it too cold to fly around?

How do you deal with very cold weather? Freezing of pipes etc. etc. in your hydroponic systems?

Regards the aquaponics... any plans on raising some sort of freshwater edible fish or maybe trying to service the fancy Koi and Goldfish pet market?

Does not matter so long as you manage to get a profitable and locally marketable line that holds with your dream.

Impressive! Kudos to you.

BTW ..

Joel is very approachable, a very nice guy .. he is managing to grow things in Perth that are "difficult". His backyard is a Jungle. If you get stuck , just ask him,... if he don't know .. U bet he and the rest of us can put you in touch with someone who does!

BTW ... that will cost you 120 Welsh cakes and some of that seaweed my father used to eat in N. Wales!

Steve- your comments are noted. I have to be honest with the coucil as I will one day open up to the general public to encourage them to get into aqua and I don't want any come back. Naive maybe . Enough said.
Johnnie thanks for your comments (diolch yn fawr.) The next three to four weeks will shape things one way or another so we will keep our fingers crossed. Forget the seaweed it is YUK.
Neilneilson I bend my knee in apology for hijacking your thread and I hope your documentary goes OK.
Regards to all.
WG