Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hi all, I recently started seeing Aquaponic setups posted on my facebook and became very interested. So after a bit of searching around Google I found this forum and though I’d say hi. Anyway, I’m very familiar with keeping all types of fish. I’ve owned probably a hundred aquariums in the past and have a running 300gal now. I’ve also recently started getting more involved in gardening. I love to garden but never really got into it until recent. Anyway, it just seems too natural that I get in to Aquaponic. I was actually thinking about setting up a koi pond so its perfect timing as well.


Anyway, is there any place I can go check out a running system first hand in orange county CA?

Welcome Raskal!

Welcome! I am pretty new here too and in Orange County as well. This forum and Backyard Aquaponics have been the most helpfull resource I have found.
My system is working great and I am in the middle of adding a second growbed. My fish are still small but doing well. You are welcome to stop by but give me a chance to finish up this project first.
Good luck.
Dave

awsome, thanks... Let me know when ever you are ready.

Quick questions... Instead of using those media pellets would it be ok to use lava rocks? Is there a specific reason why pellets are used?

Hi

There is a multitude of media types you can use. The media pellets you are refering to are clay balls or expanded clay. The reason this type of media is used is because it is very light and nice to work with (like planting in marbles) but this type of media is expensive so others resort to all kinds of different media.

Other types of media used is...

Lava rock
Pea gravel
Blue metal (gravel)
Charcoal
Scoria
River pebbles
Crushed brick


and there is a few others.

I use the clay media. It is great stuff and I think worth it I found a place in Irvine that has the best price. $21.00 for 50 L bag. You would think it would already rinsed clean at that price. So far it has been the priciest part of my build.
Check out my video but keep in mind it was my first build. I would have done a few things differently.

Welcome sure you enjoy your addiction,deveg your lucky a 50lt bag is about $38 here and our exchange rate is higher than your dollar. Cheers

Great video, it looks like the system is very similar to what I used to build to grow live corals. Can you share the source for the clay? I work in Irvine so its fairly local. Also where do you get the fingerling from? $21 for 50lb isn't bad at all; I paid $50 for 50lb of aquarium sand.

Thanks. It's called the Grow Annex on Red Hill. There is a guy on Craigslist that has the fingerlings. He is by UCI.

Welcome Raskal311, there is a SoCal thread here too, you should post a hello there too, so the other SoCal APers will see you too! I went with red lava as my media because of price. It does the job, but it is hard on the hands even with gloves. I got my fingerlings from the Salton Sea. I went there on my way back from a trip to Arizona, so gas was not a big factor in the price.

Did u catch them? It's been over 10 years since the last time I fished there. Do they need to slow acclimate to freshwater.

I scooped them up with a trout landing net. I did not try to acclimate them, they all survived the trip home in fresh water.

Are nets legal there? Also can someone tell me if it is ok to keep the GB submersed 24/7? I read that people are cycling the pump to drain the bed. What is the reason for doing this?

It was not a casting net, just a landing net, so yes it was legal. Yes you can keep your grow bed flooded. It is called constant flood, as opposed to flood and drain. Some veggies prefer it, others not. Having constant flood saves the need to have a sump. LEAP systems tend to be instant flood. The search button on the top is tiny, but it is there. Search constant flood for more info.