Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

So today when I was out doing some shopping with my wife, we found this little desktop system for $60. With my birthday coming up in April, my wife knowing I am into aquaponics decided to get me an early gift. And so I am now the proud owner of an Aquafarm kit.









When I got home, I grabbed a quick snack while the wife got dinner ready, and I began to assemble the system.





I love how obvious the makers choose to be here, shouldn't it be simple to figure out that the pump will be in one of the boxes??





I am still amazed at how little media amounts are included, there isn't even enough to cover the whole bottom of the tank! There was barely enough grow media as it was.... I was worried I'd have to cannibalize some of my other system.



And of course, I had a helper while I was working on it...



After getting everything unpacked, I got the beta fish in their "fish bath" solution to kill any possible parasites.



While I waited for the "bath" to do its thing, I got the gravel, and grow media washed off. If surprised by how clean it came





I then got the growbed cleaned out



After getting everything cleaned up, and ready for final assembly, i got more gravel in, got some of my wifes old beta decorations in at her request, set up the pump (which is an air lift inside a rigid tube). Then I added the fish, got the prepackaged beneficial bacteria poured onto the grow media where it meets the water, and set my seeds soaking for planting tomorrow.





So that is where I'm at right now. Tomorrow as I said, I get the seeds into the system, and get them growing.

First impression is that it is bigger than I imagined it to be, how cheap the company made the product feel for the price, the lack in seed variety (I only got one pack of basil, and three packs of wheat grass or something like that.

As for set up, the directions could have been a bit clearer, but they were easy enough to follow.

Things I would change, make it feel less "cheap" by using single piece construction rather than 3 pieces glued together. I would also have included more gravel for the tank, a different grow media (such as expanded shale, or expanded clay balls), and finally I would include a wider variety of seeds.

Outside of that, it seems like it would be a great science project for a kid in an elementary school class looking to get an easy "A". So I will be watching how things go, and keep it updated until the grass is fully grown. Until then, enjoy the pics!

Will Adams

Got the seeds planted, now to see if this set up is worth the $60 we paid.

I could only wish that my wife displayed equal empathy with my obsession

My condolences to you, give her some time, and regular encouragement. That is how I'm slowly convincing my wife to let me do things. But don't tell her I said that

*update*

The new system is doing better than I originally expected it to do. All the seeds have sprouted, and are growing rather nicely. I'm expecting my first harvest in 2-3 weeks.