Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Ok, production is well under way for the first issue of the backyard aquaponics quarterly newsletter.

The biggest problem I have found with aquaponics, especially for people wanting to try experimenting in their backyards, is that information is so hard to get. This is why I started writing the backyard aquaponics manual in the first place, then came the website, this discussion board, and now a regular publication. As aquaponics is still in it's infancy it takes some time for information to trickle out to the general public, but I want to fast track the process.

Aquaponics is going to become an essential component of food production in the future. As natural fish stocks dwindle, and oil prices soar, one day you may HAVE to grow your own if you want to eat fish. Hopefully this will be later rather than sooner, but there's no time like now to learn about aquaponics and how to set up your own systems.

Now aquaponics is for the people, and by the people, to coin a silly phrase, and this is where you come in. A publication like this needs input from many and varied sources, from many countries, climates and situations, otherwise it's polarised and only of use to a few people. I want this to be of use to anybody and everybody who wants to set up an aquaponic system, and it can only be of use to a wide group of people, if a wide group of people are involved with the input in the first place...

So if anyone would like to write a short article for inclusion in the publication here's your chance... Any input would be appreciated, whether it be a short snippet that will fit into a border, or useful information section, right through to long, or even multipart articles.. Want to show off your system with some pictures and a little explanation of how it works, maybe how to weld up a growbed stand, or build a greenhouse, perhaps fish, or worms, or duckweed are your speciality, the options are limitless..

What would you get out of this? Well, the knowledge that your helping others in building their systems, the chance to show the world what you can do, or have done, and the chance to be part of something important...

Initially the publication will be freely available for downloading in a pdf format. Hopefully sometime in the future as interest grows and it becomes more substantial in content, the publication will begin to include some sponsored adverts to help cover costs, and it will have a small subscription fee. However this subscription fee will be wavered for people who input information for the publication. Who knows, perhaps one day it may become popular enough that people can be paid for articles..

So, does anyone have anything they would like to contribute to the first edition? You don't have to be a writer, I know from the discussions I have read here that everyone is quite capable...

I've included the first three pages below to give you an idea of what it will be like, the topics aren't set in stone yet, they are just ideas, apart from the first article that I have already written.

If you have any queries or suggestion please don't hesitate to ask..

Joel

Some things can tend to be fads, but I reckon this aquaponics thing is here to stay and grow. It's very exciting, and certainly great to see an extension of the forum.

Oooh I must edit your spelling

Niiice! Self sufficient ie no food input just duckweed?!!

maybe Joel should get a spell check function on the forum- it would have to work over-time to keep up with us lot niiice!!

hehe too late to catch you out.

There is at least one "spelling policeman" in every intake......

Fantastic job Joel .... 15 out of 10 mate !!!!!!!!! - 150% !!!!

Murray

I like the look of your new Journal. Congratulations!

While the posts in the discussion forum are useful sources of information, the Journal (and the eventual index) will be a great way to find what you need quickly without having to wade through page after page of unrelated (albeit interesting) comment.

Thanks Joel....This newsletter is going to be an additional benefit to the the 'Aquaponic Community'.

I agree... this is here to stay!

Keep the newsletter comming, its a great addition!

Awesome looking magazine. I believe you have a good start on "The Future"
Looking foreward to reading it. Of course I am still trying to catch up on the many posts here.
Joyce

lol... that could take some time... but a good idea as it will help understand the people as much as what they are saying!

like the look of it and will wait ot see it in my local newsagency

Oooooh c'mon how can you give us such a teaser. That just isn't fair.

I was convinced on blindly following the custom made tank/grow beds as in the book until I saw this post and the picture of the blue drums and how more efficient they were at space usage etc.

Can we have a sneak peak at the suppliers page???

Cheers
James

Fizzyj, you need to swallow 5 cups of coffee and spend 16hours straight catching up on all the posts, there are little gems scattered everywhere

It'd be no fun if we just gave you all the answers.

Seriously though, the blue drums can be sourced at local recycle type yards. The one i got mine from deals in second hand building materials, but as they are in melbourne the addy wouldn't be much use to you!

Joel has stated elsewhere that drums used for acid are ok, as they can be washed out / neutralised quite easy. The ones that i got contained 100% evening primrose oil. Now that i think of it i should have bottled the dregs left in them, i reckon i would have got 5lt easy, and it was the 10%GLA stuff to! DOH!

Just stay away from anything nasty sounding, and be careful when transporting and or wahing them, phosphoric acid might wash out and you can use bi-carb to neutralise it, but it will still blind you if you splash it in your eyes

Yeah its awesome, i hope it does get that big

and how did you know? those four topics are exactly what i was wondering about