Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

O.K. finally got the build started. IBC fish tank and sump tank, 2 IBC lids for growbeds currently constant flood for cycling. Pea gravel grow media. 2nd fish tank and 4 more growbeds in the near future. Pea gravel grow media. Water stats and pics tomorrow. Happy Easter everybody!!!!

Some quick pics. I have 4 weeks until my fish arrive, What is my best bet to be cycled in time? Ammonia, hummonia, or some fish and water from a friends garden pond?

Add humonia as soon as you can and watch your readings. I did not age it, just drank some beer near the tank and let nature call. Aging it will giving you better readings on the ammonia, otherwise it will take a little while to fully register.

No need to wait for plants either, you can put some seeds in the growbeds right away. A bit of muck and water from a pond might help get things going quicker. You could always run the risk of introducing some sort of parasite. You will have to determine the level of risk you are willing to take there. I used some from a friends pond and mine cycled up pretty quick.

Looks like you did a good job!

Good luck.

final layout for completed (for the time being) system.

What fish are you getting and where did you buy them from?

It's not Arizona, but there's a tilapia hatchery in New Mexico: http://www.americulture.com/ A place up here buys from them. I've not used them myself.

C.C. What county are you in? I'm getting Bluegill for the system. I had to purchase them from a fish broker in Arkansas.(Mr. Fish) I got his name from the local Game & Fish office. Got lucky in that he is coming out this Sat. to stock a pond in the area so he is not reaming me on shipping. Check with G&F for fish recommendations for your area as well as what they will issue a permit for. The fish sellers will not bring fish into the state without you having a stocking permit. You can't get Tilapia in Mohave County, only in Maricopa. All the local hatcheries are state run and do not sell fish. Oh, and the permit is free, it's just so they can control what is being brought into the state to prevent invasive species from getting into the watrerways. Go to the Arizona Game and Fish website and search "aquatic stocking permit". You can fill out the application on the website and then print a hard copy to take to the G&F office for approval. Make sure you talk to them first to find out if the fish you want are allowed,then you have to find a supplier. The name and phone # of the supplier needs to be on the application. G&F may give you the names of a couple suppliers but they wont "recommend" anyone. Good luck.

I'm down in Pima County. I'm getting ready to start putting my first system together. I think I'll start with gold fish since they're cheap and hardy, but I definitely want to get something more palatable once everything is up and running smoothly. It's nice to see so many systems popping up in AZ. This is definitely a suitable enviornment for AP.

If you ever get up toward K-Town get ahold of me. I should have the full system up in a couple of weeks. Waiting on the aquisition of 2 more IBCs and my electronics buddy to build my timer.

Fish didn't come, strike that, fish came - two days early and I was out of town. So the fish got dumped in another pond they were stocking in town. I wonder if I can convince that guy to let me go fishing in his pond in a few months and recover my fish. Oh well, will call a friend and see if she still has an abundance of goldfish in her backyard pond. At least they will get the system up and running. It's all cycled and awaiting fish. Anyone know how long it can go without fish and the bacteria stay alive? If I can't get fish soon should I keep dosing with ammonia?

Was it a "proper" fish hatchery that delivered two days early? If so, you should have a good case for another delivery when its arranged!

If you keep giving it ammonia and trace elements (Seasol or the US equivalent) it will run indefinitely. You're essentiall running a recirculating hydroponics system at that point.

r- They are actually a live transporter out of Arkansas, about a 20 hour drive to where I am. They usually only stock ponds for the Game & Fish dept. I happened to talk to G&F and found out who they use & when they were having ponds stocked. The transporter was only charging me for the fish, not the delivery so I couldn't complain too much. When I got the driver on the phone Friday morning he said they were pushing pretty hard to make a deadline in Las Vegas so they drove straight through using 2 drivers instead of just him. He told me he will bring me my fish next month when he comes through. So I am trying to decide if I should just run the system on ammonia, of get some goldfish.

chili- Thanks, I'll drop by the Aquaponics supply store and pick up some Maxicrop.

A great excuse for drinking beer Peeponics and seasol will cycle the system till your fish turn up.

FISH GUY MAKES GOOD:

Dateline: Jun 7,2011 Arizona, U.S.A.

"Mr. Fish" does right by his customer.
Using something called "customer service" something rarely heard of these days, Roger Coffman Jr. of Mr. Fish, a live fish transporter from England Arkansas, took care of his customer by delivering 36 medium sized hybrid bluegill. A miscommunication had occured last month resulting in the customer not receiving his order of fish. The fish that were delivered today were not only larger than the fingerlings ordered, but when counted, numbered 35 instead of the 24 ordered. Thanks

Now to check water daily, not sure if the bacteria colony is large enough yet to handle the larger fish, was hoping to start smaller. Oh well, guess I better get those other 4 growbeds online in the next week or two