Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I have been reading about AP stuff for about a year. I have had a koi pond in the backyard for about 10 years. A FW aquarium for about 5 years, a saltwater aquarium for a year, and then cherry shrimp in my kids FW aquarium for about a month.

I am planning on revitalizing my backyard, since the landscaping is about 10 years old. I have a 6 year old son and a 10 year old daughter. Both will probably find it all very interesting. I'll be taking out the koi pond from one space and using the pond as my fish tank. I bought a second preformed plastic pond 275-300 gal and will be using it as my sump and grow beds. The lower portion will be the sump, and the upper portion will hold my grow beds.

I also plan to incorporate a black soldier fly colony to feed the fish, a rain water collection system, and a solar water heater. I already have the two ponds, a few pumps, and two solar water heaters. I had been planning the rainwater collection for a few years, so that will be nice. I am drawing it up in google sketch up and plan to put together a build thread.

The current battle is against 2 old ash tree stumps that I am chopping, chainsawing, and digging out. The fish tank will go in that hole.

I dunno what kind of fish I will employ. I'd like to use tilapia, but might also consider sunfish/bluegill/perch ect... Or maybe catfish. It looks like the oonly tilapia I am legally permitted is the mossy tilapia. It would be nice to go catch them, rahter than buy them, but oh well.

Richard

Welcome to the Forums Richard! If you have been lurking for a while then you already know we like pictures! But if you have any like RedBeard's....maybe not post those...

I have a bunch of sad looking before pictures, and will have some good pictures of the stump I am hacking out. I will post my google sketch up tomorrow.

What kind of fish do you have now ? I saw that you lost all your fish to a chloramine disaster. Have you replenished ?

I have an RODI (reverse osmosis deionization system) that I purify tapwater for my saltwater aquarium with. I was going to dump its wastewater into the rainwater catch tank that I was going to install. I figure between rains, the RODI will help out.

Did you also say that you keep your fish pond covered ? I figured I would leave it open, but should I plan to cover it normally ?

Welcome! I think that you will find aquaponics to be extremely enjoyable and/or addicting. I have a koi powered system and the plants just love the koi poop. I just went to check on my animals with a flashlight and the koi were swimming around in the bottom of my frozen over pond! It's been below freezing for nearly a day and will be for another day. A new record for Texas? Anyways, good luck on all your ventures. Black Soldier Flies rock and my koi even eat the smaller ones!

Welcome Richard!