Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hello my names Max47 from Northern California, USA. I live in a small town just outside Sacramento. New guy here with new guy questions. I am trying to gain as much knowledge as I can before I start a system this spring. I have an area that I have been wanting to turn into a garden for the last couple years and thought, why not get fish and vegetables from the same spot!

Max47, Welcome!
I'm a year into running my little system and am in downtown Sac.
How far along are you in your planning?
Settled on any basic design elements?

Starting out my goals were to keep it simple, minimize the use of my back (I'm lookin at you, gravel-needing-to-be-rinsed), and get some kind of yield for the effort.

If re-starting today, I'd keep it simple and go for some kind of yield, but I'd get the boys over and bribe them with beers for labor to make sure I started off with proper washed media.

Feel free to hit me up for places to acquire gear, fish etc.

Hi AquaNate,
I am currently trying to figure out the cost of setting up a system. I can get used IBC's for free so my main purchase will be building materials and lava rock. My build plan is a CHOP system: I want to use a 275gal IBC for my fish tank and stock it with catfish. A 275gal sump tank that's probably going to be set 2' into the dirt so my three 4'x4' grow beds can drain into it. My hope is that all the hard work will result in some fried catfish and delicious salad!

I got some nice 3/8" screened red lava rock from Hasties in Sacramento for something like $25 a 1/2 yard. It took a lot of rinsing....

If IBC's are free to you, could you get an extra pair and have (4) x 4'x4'x1' growbeds by cutting them down?

Welcome Max!