Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hi to all the people in this forum. I have been working with plants for as little as 5 years as my base job. In this time I've been only cultivating the organic way, but since my small piece of land has almost no top soil it has been a lot of work adding amendments to the soil (lots of manure and a bunch of work). Not too long ago an agronomist from my area told me to start a hydroponics farm. Since I was reluctant to use chemicals it was an easy decision for my not to go that way, but having almost no sales last year (at least not enough to live a humble life) and him telling me that I had a sure way of income I started moving toward his Idea of growing hydro cilantro. This step only started last Dec. when I bought a used greenhouse structure which I thought that if it didn't worked for Hydro at least it would help me with growing plants on pots and selling them.
As I live here in the tropics, a greenhouse is not the same structure that most people think of, It's only a ceiling where I can put my uv plastic so that the nutrients from hydro don't get mixed with the rainfall, or to put a saran and let a lesser amount of sun in the area.

My first language is not English, sorry if you don't understand me well.... I will do as much as possible to awnser any questions anyone has btw.

This past December I learn that aquaponics existed. I This was like a ray of sun pointing parallel with me towards my same goals = sustainable foods, organic food. lol, the funniest thing was that a friend of mine gave me an IBC as a gift a couple weeks before aquaponics came into my life.

I do believe that life has a way to send you what you need at the right time.... it wont step one you too much if you just go with the flow.

Atm I'm trying to gather as many ibcs as I can. The structure that I got (greenhouse) was pretty old and a bit far away, but at the moment I already installed the collums and ceiling and half of it already has the tables. the structure was to big for my space so I cut it in half for it to be able to fit. Basically the size of each is 17' by 40' (feet that is).

I'm thinking I want to be able to start at least one (or half) structure first. And run it for a couple months to see how I feel with this system. I do not have money at the moment (really) but that has never stopped me on nothing. I will have a acuaponic system running by this year one way or another.

I entered this forum to get the facts and downfalls of different people, I know I will have my own on the way also. I will like to expose myself to all you so that you all now about my downfalls as well as achievements.

My idea of building up a system is to go big and produce enough to sell diff products and have this as an alternate income to my plants and fruiting trees.

Please lt me know what you feel, I can take it.

Think this bit of info exposes a bit of who I am, what I do and what I want to do. Good enough for an introduction.

As for all you reading, thanks for giving me this bit of time. Hope you all have a wonderful time cultivating, as I do. Thanks for opening your doors to me. I hope to gain all your trust and to travel with you all towards my goal which is connected to yours.
Truly,
Simplyorganic

That is a lovely introduction Simplyorganic. Hope we can help with getting your system up and running. I warn you about lack of sleep and dreaming ap. Welcome to the forum.

hi from a great bunch of peoples and we hopeyou can learn from our mistakes and i know you will have many sleepless nights worrying wondering dreaming and redesigning your systemjust like the rest of us hahahah.... Welcome aboard the aquaponic Fun ship

Thanks for such a fast and warm welcoming. Very glad I did came in to this forum, after first printing "IBC of aquaponics" and learning all I could from the page. Now I know it was one of my greatest decisions, as I've been hooked all morning today reading past topics and still just tasting the topping on the cake. I do feel a bit more comfortable knowing that there's really good help over here. Hope (given some time) I'll be one of those helping others fulfill there aquaponic dreams into reality. Don't have much more to say but Thank you for opening your doors to me.
Simply