Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Good question RuperofOz and the answer is we're not sure yet. As you know there are no national modules that are specific to Aquaponics. There are aquaculture units that cover RAS systems etc and there are Horticulture units that cover areas such as hydroponics but there are no aquaponics modules. It is something that needs to be done and we are looking at writing specific modules or competencies as they are called in the Tafe system that will be recognized nationally.

Hi Tony

im just curious if these modules would be able to be done be distance education ?
and what sort of content would you be looking at including ?
and would you consider RPL (recongition of prior learning) for these modules too

it cannot hurt to ask
thanks

Read every post on this forum and get RPL for the whole course

Read every post on this forum.... and you wont need to do the course....

Hi Mal,
as I said earlier there are no specific nationally accredited competencies in Aquaponics so discussion of RPLs or Distance Education is very premature.

Challenger Tafe will run this two day course/workshop because we have been getting a number of calls and enquiries regarding Aquaponics. Although at Fremantle our emphais for the last 20 years has been in aquaculture we have decided to run this course in conjunction with our sister campus at Murdoch that specialize in horticulture.
As for whats in the course you can see the broad areas stated at the beginning of this topic but we intend to have as much hands on experience as possible.
There have been a number of enquiries already and people are asking for a course that not only covers the basics but gives then confidence in water quality testing, plant health assessment, fish diseases and handling, construction ideas and different systems.

Hi Tony

i was more looking at the national stuff when it is approved
so i guess i will just take it as a maybe

and if your going to give practical experiance of all those aspects of aquaponics
i think the 2 day course is going to be very busy

i guess if you have never kept fish or grown to many plants then this would be the course to get you started

sounds good tony a bit of a pity that im so far away ... you going to be open over the christmas period?
maybe for a look see for us interstaters
might be home to see my parents then
the answer is no if i dont ask .. and your allowed to say no too
hope everyone is having a goodnight

Cheers Mal
I was wondering what sort of acreditation would/could be awarded?

Hi Mal,

If your in Perth by all means give me a ring on Ph 92398015 and I'd be happy to show you around. The facility in Fremantle operates every day of the year so even if I'm on holidays I will arrange for someone else to show you around.

Thanks tony

if i make it home this year i will give you a ring and see what we can come up with

thanks

Gidday Tony,
thanks for the info about the course. I'll ring tomorrow.
A couple of questions.

1. In your photos of the system you set up at Glyde St ( Members Systems ( Glyde St, East Fremantle) how deep were the growout trays that you built?
2. How far is the fish tank from the growout trays?
3. In the course will you take the us to have a look at the Glyde St. set up?
4. Will there be lots of info on plant selection and disease recognition?

Hi Vegeman before i answer your questions a comment about the course. The course is almost full after only one week so if you want to do it you better be quick. the response has been so great that we will continue to take names of people wanting to do the course and if there is enough interest we will run another course later in the year.

As to your questions
1. The photos of the system I helped set up at Glyde St in East Fremantle have growout beds that my students and I welded up out of PVC plastic. each growout bed is approximately 1 Metre x 2 Metres x 0.3 M. So the growout beds are 300 mm deep
2. The tanks are about 30 metres away from the growout beds. the pipeworks had to be buried because the community members wanted the system to blend in with the environment
3. yes we will be going to glyde st as well as the horiculture campus as Murdoch tafe.
4. The course will be a combination of Fremantle and Murdoch. A horticulture lecture from Murdoch will be presenting info about the plant health and nutrition and hydroponics systems and skills.

Hey Vegeman... Joel and Faye are running workshops at the BYAP shop in June and July...

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=5435&p=186432&hilit=workshop#p186432

Working systems, proven over many years... a wealth of aquaponics knowledge built up over many years... and a chance to talk to Joel & Faye directly...

With the amount of posts here now a course would be quicker

Thanks RupertofOz I will probably do both. Challenger tafe have an excellent reputation over here for aquaculture and I did a horticulture course at their murdoch facility which was great. So the combining of the two for a aquaponics course should be worthwhile. I rang Tony and spoke to him directly and he explained that there would be a great deal of demonstrations and hands on experience. He said he would help me make one of the grow beds if I paid for the materials.

The reputation of both Challenger & Murdoch extends even over to here in the East Vegeman...

And I certainly don't doubt their individual expertise in each field....

But while by definition, aquaponics might be a combination of both aquaculture and hydroponics... it is more than just the individual parts... and some things just don't necessarily transfer....

Challenger running RAS systems certainly means their aquaculture knowledge and procedures are more akin to aquaponics than other aquaculture courses, that concentrate much more on pond based aquaculture and bloom management...

Still.... doing both workshops .... could only be beneficial...