Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hi Guys!

How are you doing?

I just wanted to introduce myself. I am from the north of Germany (thank goodness you can't hear me speak :-) )
I have been very very interested in aquaponics and permaculturce as well. To get this clear from the start!
I am a student at the university of Kiel and I am studying agriculture. I did modules on aquaculture which gave me the Idea to something with that, but I would need a lot of money to get into the business. (Someone said somewhere he would have a drink every time someone wanted to go commercial, so have a beer.) But I am not giving up, well I am a least aquaculture.
As I heard from aquaponics another Idea emerged, so I started, while reading and watching, a small system in my room with tilapia a year and a half ago. It worked somehow. I could get the tomatoes to fruit an the salad look a little sad. But the fish where growing an the plant too (somehow did I mention?).
I think it's because i did not use the best lights.
I have started a second system with ICBs actually I am building it now. I will use local fish called common roach (Rutilus rutilus) which is somehow related to carps. They are edible but I will free them into our pond (1 acre/ .4ha). It is just to get the system up and running as I will use trout. (I like to use local fish. Also I enjoy eating catfish and tilapia but fish that lives here should be more suitable to this climate. (Something I learned in Australia.)
If this works well I go a little bigger to I can supply house and farm with produce. As the produce will be more important to me than the fish.

So thats just a small introduction :-)

I will answer any questions, but you have to correct my English!


Cheers

Welcome to BYAP. Sounds like your on a great journey.

p.s. your english is terrific.

Hello! Sounds like you and I are at a similar stage; I'm starting an IBC system too, but without your tilapia experience.

I wish you the best of luck and will look out for your updates!

Thanks guys!

it is terrific to have a lot of expertise here!

Oh does anyone of you live near the Darling Downs (Dalby) I have been working there. Just wanting to get news from there. My Boss hasn't answered my for some time, but that is normal with him :-).

Welcome Perpetuitas!

I'm always happy to help with English questions...

(unemployed, currently) English teacher, with fair editing skills.

I'm delighted to see you found BYAP, dare I ask by what route? I've been posting the links on G+, so I'm curious to see if anyone will take the 'bait'. This group has been the most helpful, most enthusiastic, most fun of all the forums. No one here is asking for your money... but they will demand pictures to see how things go together.

Welcome!!

Hey,

thanks! I have been with Google Plus when it started, as I was a beta tester, but I did not like it to much so I quit, as I do not like FB too much, but I use it. But I do not need two social networks.

Actually I had, without any help from the internet, the idea of aquaponics, also I did not know it already existed. As I search through the internet I found a video of a lovely lady from BYAP, they had a website so things started from there.

I sadly don't have pictures from my indoor setup I think. I will search.

see you guys...

Found something, but it is only the plan for the new system:

Nice. I'm assuming the weave above the GB on left is tubing for ... strawberries or greens? And the 'graph' for the tying of some kind of vining plants?
I'ld love to see what your Katzenwels are ... I only have English Google, and... well, help? Dimensions??

Well, since a new pope has yet to be elected I can swear, so its German sorry...

There are 2 fish tank with just under a 1000l
a grow bed with 2000l (I might make it 4000l as I shifted my focus towards the produce.

Yes you guessed right its a "tube bed" or tubes for different kinds of strawberries. And the netting is for tomatoes or melons, so they don't fall down.

I will try a second system with brackish water to try something from Israel, also they have not tried an aquaponics setup. That one will only be half the size. The fish have yet to be found, but I am working on it, and will probably use sea brass.

Ah and Katzenwelse are catfish.

I will put part of the grow bed under a greenhouse to increase yield.

And since I have learn a little more the fish count will be lowered to a maximum of 30. I tent to lower it more to accommodate bigger fish.

Catfish!!! Good eating!
You'll need a greenhouse, with your weather. I'm in Las Vegas, NV. USA... and we need a 'shade house' more than a green house.

I'm very impressed for a beginning system. It looks very compact and easy to reach.

Perpe there is a good little ebook called 'Brackish Water Fishes' by Neale Monks, you might find useful.. Very interested to see you brackish system progress. Plenty of salt water here in Western Australia.

I suppose those are Welsh catfish? zsazsa in Hungary had one you might take a look here: viewtopic.php?f=18&t=9276&p=319056&hilit=welsh+catfish#p319056

Thanks for the book tipp. Well I think they are. Something punctatus.

:-) Habemus Papam :-)

Just a few picture from home:

(I don't think tilapia will mind the snow do you?)








Actually it is freezing!