Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

[album][album][album][/album][/album][/album]Hello from Hamilton Ontario

I have medium sized system in a 12x16 greenhouse which runs all year. I have about 25 niles about 6 " plus and 10 blues 7" plus.
I'm in the middle of changing/ expnding my system from one 7'x3' gb and 4 nfts to 3 4x4 gbs and longer nfts with expanded clay.

On one side of greenhouse is warm water (tilapia) system 200 gal fish tank, barrel swirl,barrel filter, barrel bio med /sump. So total water when gbs will be approx 370 gal.

Interestingly enough, I'm also working on a cold water system which will be on the other side of the greenhouse. So far it has a 300 gal sump almost buried. The cold water system will most likely have trout or perch. It will also have a 2x3 GB with media, a 4x4 deep water raft and possible some nft.

I've enjoyed aquaponics over the last 5 years, learning and eager to learn more as I go- challenging yet so rewarding.

My goal is to produce quality strawberries, tomatoes,peppers cucumbers majority of the year. I hope to produce more cold water and colder temp tolerant veggies all year round like swiss chard,celery,lettuce,green onions and kale.

I've had some success and some consistency with several of veg/ fruit mentioned. But hope to refine my system to increase efficiency and output.

I've built this on a budget, slowly using parts acquired mainly on kijiji.

I hope to post build pictures as I go and would appreciate tips and ideas from experienced members and also welcome members questions and will answer best i can.


Cheers from Hamilton!

Hi, from moose jaw sk. I don't think your pic's worked at the top

Hey Hamilton, there's some information near the top of this page about attaching photos..

viewforum.php?f=4

Reminded me of Rawhide...
Rollin' rollin' rollin'
Rollin' rollin' rollin'
Rollin' rollin' rollin'
Rollin' rollin' rollin'
Rawhide
Keep rollin', rollin', rollin'
Though the streams are swollen
Keep them dogies rollin', rawhide
Through rain and wind and weather
Hell bent for leather
Wishin' my gal was by my side
All the things I'm missin'
Good vittles, love and kissin'
Are waiting at the end of my ride
Move 'em on, head 'em up
Head 'em up, move 'em on
Move 'em on, head 'em up, rawhide
Cut 'em out, ride 'em in
Ride 'em in, cut 'em out
Cut 'em out, ride 'em in, rawhide

How do you plan to keep one system warm and one system cold at the same time? Heater/chiller?

tried to upload says file too big

Greetings from Toronto

Hey
I tried a bunch to upload, says filestoo large

I went to aquaponic nation and uploaded a bunch easy,
To answer the question about heating and cooling.

The warm system( nile and blues) has 2 16 foot long 4" dia pipes at top of inside greenhouse, painted black the water runs through them on a timer. The pipes work good for late spring til fall. Then I have electric tank heaters. The past winter I had a small propane bbq left on low kept about 10 c, usually greenhouse is 10c to 20c warmer than outside in winter.
this winter i'll problably use same little bbq with a bigger tank, the 20lb tank would last almost a week left on constant. I will coil a stainless steel pipe 3/8 od and tap into drainage (clean out) at bottom of 220 gal tank and let convection do its thing.


the cold side will be probably rainbows or perch not sure. the tank is 80% buried. I will be drawing approx. half the water so I hope the geothermal ground cooling will help it stay cool. I have to finish the warm side before the cold side starts. today I moving some tanks around (had 3 55 ers and a 60 in unisen, with 3 barrels with niles and the other blue. tried to separate and breed. today I discovered about 75 fry (took a pic of the school in white tank and counted) blues. I put them in my 450 gal buried tank. found about 20 nile fry threw them in (what will be sump/swirl barrel).

Im working on 220 gal 7 foot poly tank, putting in window. first attempt snapped window, this time use a heat gun to gently warm and bend. the 7 foot tank will be on cold water side.

anyways just wanted to follow through with posting even though I cant upload picutres.

I could spend more time explain and writing much better on this forum but I wont due to the fact I cant upload photos. does anyone with a note 8? is there a way to decrease resolution? not sure ifitsworth trying more, when aquaponics nation is working. same name on aquaponics nation as this

also, don't get the raw hide thing. some people just have too much time on their hands eh BOSS man, really coolnot

I downloaded an app called photo & picture resizer. Can resize pics pretty quickly with it on my phone... Never heard of aquaponics nation (or it wasn't worth sticking around long enough to remember that I saw it) but I've searched several times over the years trying to find another forum that had active users and always come back here because no others seemed to compare.