Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hi.

I'm looking to build a low tech commercial farm in Udon Thani, Thailand based upon the Virgin Islands model. Initially, I will use existing land we have to build a 2/3 scale version of the VI set-up for testing and to get familiar with the processes involved. If anyone has any advice or experience with this system, then I'd appreciate any advice. I realise it's old and technology has moved on since the published project was done, but it's the simplicity of it that attracts me. If there's a problem it'd be much better to be able to get it resolved locally rather than having to wait for parts to get shipped up from either Bangkok or more likely overseas.

I would also look into adding solar/wind/hydro assistance as money allowed and depending where I end up buying the main site.

After a couple of years I will hopefully be in a position to purchase more land (not from money made from the test farm!) and build a full scale version of the VI model. I would then like to be able to add new systems as time progresses in a modular fashion to avoid upscaling issues.

From the image I've attached you can see roughly how things will be. To the bottom right is a lake, so water isn't an issue at this site. My family lives there at the moment and are an industrious bunch, which is good, as I will be relying upon them to get the test farm running right as I currently live a few hours away in Chiang Mai.

I have been in touch with Robert from Aquaponics thailand and will visit him in December. I had hoped to go on one of his courses, but he's too busy to run them at the moment.

Welcome to the forum Marmite

Thanks Scotty. I'm just getting into bed but will attempt to upload some images tomorrow.

Welcome Marmite, I've seen you before on TD. Looking forward to pics of the system. Regarding solar, I think it could be done fairly cheaply with low wattage pumps, as long as they aren't pumping to high.

From what I've read you could just use a DC pump and panel, only problem is you need the battery for nights. I'd been thinking about a bio-ponics system using this, using a raised IBC as water storage.

Hi Plachon - I presume you had/have a different username on TD...

Initially, I thought I would use the solar/wind/hydro to lessen my consumption from the grid, primarily during the day, but maybe a bit through the night depending upon how windy it might be. We'll see. That's a few years away as I would initially keep it simple and use govt leccy with a backup generator to start with.

I'm going to try and post a picture of my site from Google Earth with the farm overlay. The fish tanks and equipment would in sheds and the growing beds would have ventilated poly-tunnel structures with vented, bug-meshed lower sections and shading on the south sides.

So, here is the site as photographed from my helicopter.

To the bottom right you'll see the edge of the lake. This lake has never dried up in living memory, so I know I'll be ok for water here. My sister lives in the house with the silvery-blue roof to the right of the outlined plot. She's used to farming and will look after stuff. My house is the bright silver roofed house to the far left. We don't actually live there as it is full of noisy kids and old people. There is what I call 'the Shed' at the bottom left of the plotted area. This is an empty house that Mum & Dad used to live in. We intend to gut it and make it our own private retreat when we visit and them when we return to Udon.

I have a bunch of stuff that are my 'calculations' - again taken from the VI research.

Four fish rearing tanks, 5200L each (20800) [2m dia x 1.8m]
Two cylindro-conical clarifiers, 3800L each (7600)
Four filter tanks, 700L each (2800)
Two degassing tanks, 700L (1400)
Four hydroponic tanks, 11300L each (45200)
Total plant growing area, 143 m2
Two sumps, 600L (1200)
Two base addition tanks, 200L (400)
Total water volume, 79,400L

They're large tanks, how will they be made?

For the walls on the DWC, I've been considering the concrete planks used for form work, they are about 350mm wide and come up to 4m. These seem to be easiest and most likely cheapest way, but I haven't seen anyone else using them.

For liner there's a manafacturer in Bkk, Nam Sai plastics, has PVC pond liner in 100m rolls. BTW, on TD I'm Smithson, the one with the bamboo house.

I reckon it'll all be done using the ubiquitous blocks, steel and render. I thought about using treated cement for the render to stop all the nasties leeching out.

BTW loved your bamboo house. How's it holding up?

Sent from my R2D2 using my C3P0 manservant

I would still look into the pretested planks, they may be cheaper and more reliable.

The house has held up well, but the thatched roof is a real headache with the labour shortage and increased costs. I'd like to build a much nicer place, but need to find builders/architects and workers willing to think outside the box... not so easy here.

I'll certainly mention that to whichever 'concrete technician' we comisison to build it for us.

Before then, I've still got to negotiate the purchase of a sliver of land that on my plans I've assumed we'll aqcuire as well as re-commission the 'Shed' that used to be the FiL's gaff, as we need a private place to live in.

I've given myself 2 years until I can jack what I'm doing now in and concentrate fully on the farm. The idea is to save as much as possible in the mean time (hopefully 4 to 5 mil depending on how much of that I drink) which should be used as cash flow rather than further investment.

At that point in time, I expect the test farm to be 'tested' and to be ready to move onto building the first full scale module on the 10 to 15 rai of land we're looking to buy this Christmas.

After a couple of beers with the missus on Saturday evening I realised that it would be better to make the test farm smaller for a number of reasons:

1. I wouldn't have to spend nearly $3000 buying the sliver of land next to ours in order to find the second set of growing beds on.

2. The build cost would halve

3. I could used 4 smaller and easily sourced fibreglass fish tanks. This will also have the added benefit of allowing us to get used to the same cycle we would be using for the full scale set up.

4. More space on site for amore relaxed family.

I think this is a good idea, makes sense to get the hang of it with less risk .

Thanks Scotty. I'm just worried that I've used up my one good idea for the year...

It's only a couple of months till next year with a whole other idea Marmite so no worries .