Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Just started building an aquaponics set up with 4 250 gallon fish tanks with 4 expanded shale media beds and a 4 x 16 deep water raft system. The fish tanks are in a climate controlled shed with the grow area under a greenhouse. i should be done by the end of January and will post some pics at that point. i graduated from texas a&m with a degree in aquaculture and now at the ripe old age of 52 i am finally putting some of that knowledge to use.

Awesome, I am from east Texas also. Near Crockett. Welcome to the forum

Thanks for the welcome helomech - i read your system posts and have some contacts at a&m in the aquaculture department if you ever need any help identifying whats killing your fish i will be more than happy to hook you up. i did my basic at ft benning and was stationed in berlin and ft cambell with the 101st airborne from 83 to 86 11B. just curious as to your fish kill and saw that you had mentioned that you were supplying air from a compressor if that is the case it might be introducing oil in your system - just a thought. Let me know if i can be of any assistance.

welcome aboard!!

Thanks man. I am pretty sure my fish dying where because of water temp, I think what is happening is they get to cold to eat and die from lack of food. I have about 50 tilapia in the house in aquariums and they are doing great, and breeding. I am thinking I am going to have to run my aquapoincs system on bass and just use tilapia in a greenwater tank in the summer time. The air compressor is made for fish systems, it is a pondmaster ap 100, so I don't think that is the problem.

By basic was at fort Knox and then I went to Germany then fort Hood. 67R mos.

Welcome Ron.

thanks ron

So who is the real captain Ron? The one with the name, or the one that's a real pirate?

The tussle for the top job begins

i dont know doc its just something everyone has called me around lake o the pines here in east texas when i decided to build my own houseboat - have some great summers out there as you can tell from some of the mates that hang. i developed the logo that i currently use for my aquaponics project when i started to some photography on the side so i guess im stuck with that name around these parts

captain and his mates

Well... look here! I'm former military as well... I did 11 years USAR... and had gotten out just prior to the First Gulf War. I was single, had a 9 year old... well, there you have it. I was 51N and 64C... tho now, there is a new designation, I believe for water purification...

You youngsters make me proud.

When you say 'expanded shale'... all I can imagine is that it layers, how do you manage your drainage? It won't absorb the water, but doesn't it compact?

I think you might have the wrong image of what expanded shale is. Do a search for "Rob's geodesic dome", he sells expanded shale, it is just like other grow media, but nice and smooth.

EDIT- changed "Ron" to "Rob"

So does that mean that none of them are your daughters? And it is safe to make complementary remarks about them?

I think you mean Rob's geodesic dome.

Thanks for the heads up on expanded shale...

As you've used it, is it lighter than volcanic? Both, short of harvesting the ash zone near Black Rock, are only available bagged, here. So's everything else, so I guess I'll just have to get used to it. Or... do a trip to Southern Ca. Pay for it on one side... or on the other.

Now... I need a job.