Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I got interested in Aquaponics and started small because I wanted try this out and do it cheap.

In January of 2012 I went Lowe's bought me a cheap 55 gallon container used some wood from my shed a small container some Hydroton which was hard to find and expensive.

I put this together and got 15 Tilapia from a breeder in the Bronx

I did more research and save money and looked around my plants grew and I bought a better pump expanded the PVC and the growbed. My plants Flourished and the Fish grew.

This fish Grew some more I got hold of 90 Gallon tank and the plants kept growing the fish kept growing this is about 3 months from when I started.


My 5 year old think she's a fish!!!

I did more research and kept expanding the fish got bigger the plants were slowing on growth.

I learned about keeping the water clean so I added a swirl filter with an over flow and a sump. Lots of trial and error here and lots of flooding before I got it right.

Welcome.....
Now you see how it works for sure. Start and then you decide to expand and expand and expand........Never ends I think.

Nice to see the expansion QFG.... Next you'll have to plan on a whole new BIG system...

Thats a sweet fish tank!


And it grows and grows.....



Oh, and welcome to the forum

Right now this is the current system Next to my sump is a 10 Gallon which one of the females released her Frye and the tank next to the big tank is where the most aggressive but good breeding male is hiding.

Looking great.

I need to learn to tell the difference between the males and females.

Sexing them took me a while... basically the males nest in the sand and if you put a flower pot and watch for the most dominate male he will not let any others near his pot unless it's clean and if he does it will be your female. Make sure the Pot is far away from the others and facing towards the back. They like privacy when they do there business.

The females are like they say smaller than the males and stay darker you can tell from my pic of her she looks smaller and different from the males. i will see if i can get a male picture later.

Here is her profile view

Update... I moved the babies and the mother to the 30 gallon breeder tank from the 10gallon. I moved their father back into the 90 gallon with his pot and the next day I see a female carrying eggs..... OMG

I'm going to need to expand very soon. I guess I will sell some of the fish once they get 1 to 2 inches.

Bigger basement require me think

If I move it outside a friend of mine said we could do this.

http://aes.missouri.edu/bradford/education/solar-greenhouse/solar-greenhouse.php

Update I got my hands on a 275 Gallon IBC... now how to get this monster into my basement.... stay tuned..

Measure all the doorways. Remove the skid from the bottom of the IBC grid, measure and cut the grid. Measure and cut the tank. Go to confession and pray. Move all into the basement with as little swearing as possible. Go back to confession. Toss a few bucks into the collection.
Option 2: open a can of PVC glue and get happy.

Having no idea of the situation and your mechanical abilities... I wish you the best. If you do cut the grid, might want to tape up the ends to protect the doorways. Luck man. And post some more pics.