Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hey guys !
My names Jordan Knox and im from Albury, NSW Australia.
I am currently doing my HSC in year 12 at high school.

I am fairly new to aquaponics, but from what I have read so far I love it !
One of my subjects I am studying at school is Design and Technology.
As part of the design technology course I am required to complete a major design project. This project is quite large and goes for 36 weeks, accounting for 60% of my marks for that subject.

After given the idea by my father, and doing much research about the concept of aquaponics, I have decided that I am going to created my own aquaponic systems for my major design project. I am still in the early stages of the project, around 6 weeks. I have run the idea past my school teachers and they love it ! It is completely different to any project they have seen before.

As I am fairly new to aquaponics, my knowledge base is quite small. However it appears there is a huge amount of information here, and I am very eager to learn as much as I can about aquaponics and how it all works.

I am unsure where I should post any questons that i encounter along the way, and where I can get any help from you guys on the forum ?

I am at the stage now where I need to design my system. I am looking to make a relatively small system ( 1-2 grow beds) as my time and resources are limited. I am unsure whether it would be best to design a system using a flood and drain mechanism or a continuous flow?

If anyone could give me some kickstart information or ideas for a possible system I could design it would be much appreciated !

Cheers

Jordan

Hi Jordan, not really sure where to start but in relation to whether you should start with flood and drain or continuous flow there is a trial going on here and the results are updated weekly
1. BYAP trial systems viewtopic.php?f=1&t=8621&hilit=byap+trials These trials have been runing for 1 year this week, my how time flies.

2. The IBC of Aquaponics http://www.backyardaquaponics.com/Travi ... onics1.pdf
This should keep you busy for an hour or so

3. BYAP home page http://www.backyardaquaponics.com/
Heaps of reading under the information title Good luck and keep us posted
Faye

Hello Jordan!

It may also help if you can upload a pic of the area you wish to build your AP system as it may help us make suggestions.

As Faye has already said you will find plenty of information on this forum and the BYAP page.

Thank guys for your very prompt and helpful replies !

Thank you Faye, I have had a browse though each of the 3 links and I have found some really useful information there ! However as I unfortunately suffer from a serious homework over load , I will be having an in depth read of each of the links very soon ! I will be sure to keep you all posted as I begin to design my system shortly and would love to know what you think !

Hello Arbe, thank you for your help.
I live on a large block of land and have endless amounts of space. I have a large 3 walled empty hay shed, with a concrete floor and electricity, that I could use. We have two large full dams and plenty of flat open ground. I also have plenty of inclined areas if needed. We also have a large natural swimming pool that my father has built himself, and would love to show you guys some photos if interested !

However as it is a school project, most students build and present there projects at school, as official markers come to our school and mark the projects.
Luckily my teacher is so interested in my project that he shared a secret with me He told me that the markers can actually come to my house to mark my project, rather than building and presenting it in the small work area at school !

Thanks for you help guys and I will be sure to keep you all posted with my progress !

- Jordan

We would naturally expect that you'd get tops marks for this project Jordan. Good luck we will be lookng forward to sharing your progress.

Hi Jordan,

I live in Albury and i'm just about to start designing and building my own system within the next week, (IBC system/s).

Maybe we can bounce a few idea's off eack other to help us get starter.

Good luck

Lyndon

Hi Lyndon, what are the chances of that !
That would be a great help. I will be uploading some design pictures of four possible designs for my aquaponic system early this week, as it is part of the design task.
Looking forward to see what the experts think

- Jordan

No expert here, but my 4 week old system is doing fabulous on Continous Flood. I would recommend it because it's simple (simpler than F&D) and it works! Just set your standpipe height to 1" below the gravel line in your grow beds and you're done.

Since you are still in school and this is a school project, there are probably plenty of business' out there willing to give you a discount on the supplies you need to complete this project. Tell them you are willing to name them in your final report as a supplier.

After you figure out what type of system you would like to build, carry a list of the components around with you and learn salesmanship. You and your school project are the product you are trying to sell. Ask anyone and everyone for leads on where to get the items on the list.

I'd be willing to bet there are folks around that may give you things just to help you on your way.

Keep it small and simple. You are trying to get points for this, not feed the town. The more complete you can make the project, the better. Take pictures to document your work. The more complete the documentation, the higher the points.

Then after you get your marks... expansion time! And you can take over the whole hay shed, the swimming pool, a couple of acres, and...

Good luck and don't be shy about posting pics.

Hi kthignight24, I have briefly looked into continuous flooding as oppose to flood and drain, but have not yet decided as to which one I will use. How ever I have decided to use some kind of flooding method as oppose to continuous flow.

Thanks for the great advice Mr Bill ! I have begun designing a few possible designs, but later realizing that they would end up being to expensive and unnecessarily complicated.
Funny enough I actually work at Bunnings hardware store, and receive quite a generous discount !
No doubt that will not be my only source of materials, I have been browsing the Backyard Aquaponics store and Murray Hallam's Aquaponics store.
Your post has opened my eyes as to what scale I will design my system, as there is no need to build an excessively large and expensive system ( as much as I would like to! )

I shall be drawing some basic system designs tomorrow and will be sure to upload some photos, to see if I am on the right track !

Thanks for the help guys !

- Jordan

Jordan, I couldn't agree with Bill more!!!

Although I am a college professor here in the States, I'm not sure there is much of a difference between here and there on how to evaluate a project like yours. My advice would be focus more on the design highlighting functionality over size. Between the actually build and your write up (I assume there will be some type of written paper you submit along with the build out) I would want to see that you not only understand the processes that are happening but also have used that understanding to guide your design and building of the system. Always keeping in mind the possibility for future expansion.

As has been mentioned, Faye's site here has a wealth of info on those processes. The ongoing BYAP comparison experiment could be a great resource as they've done a great job of photographic documentation with some data to go along with it. She may even be willing to assist you so you don't have to mine all of the data out from the other posts?!!?

But that's all just my two cents worth! Of course it could not even be worth the paper it's written on.......oh wait, there is no paper! Ok that's how much it really may be worth, $0.00!!