Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hey guys!

Just joined up, currently living in Newcastle Australia - moving into a bigger place in the coming months, my partner and I are super excited by aquaponics and giving it a go! Came here to learn from you far more experienced members and to trade stories.

Anyone know of any good places to start? I've been reading online and buying some books, wondering if theres any courses or places that conduct some seminars in it all.

Cheers!
Shaun.

Hi shauno2017,

the best thing to do involves a lot of reading in the "View Active Topics" tab above, there you'll find current issues and history of the most active participants. When more specific info or a broader range of views are required on a specific subject use the "Search" tab.

After a while you'll come up with ideas of how you could best build your own system then you'll need to ask questions to see what others think of your proposal.

I thought about doing this for many years and ended up with 3 systems in 6 months, harvesting veg in 4 months and fish in 10 months .

IBC of Aquaponics (very top of page on right).

The FAO Small-scale aquaponic food production publication, covers a lot.
(usually modified and tarted up in first world backyard situations, but basics remain)
http://www.fao.org/3/a-i4021e/index.html
(download PDF from here or else google it and look for any FAO webpage with the PDF)

beyond that get your ideas from the various bits on show here in the forum.

If you are more specific about the size of system you want we can help out by pointing you to some appropriate examples.

my main advice is that (beyond a small system) you are either doing an IBC system or else if can go bigger and pay a little bit more then get a decent circular aquaculture tank.

Grow beds and DWC troughs can be anything,
IBC halves work well and this is where they are most effective IMO.
DWC's can be created using liners etc.
Imagination and basic understanding is the only real limitation here...

p.s. word of advice - dont panic about making mistakes and needing to have a perfect, exact system first time.
everyone here is on Mark-II, Mark-III...Mark-XX.
Make your first go a simple one and do that for a year then use the knowledge to build a bigger setup.
Dont plan to make anything permanent in your Mark-I system (everything is reusable).

p.p.s don't bother buying books or doing a course... most will not tell you much more than you can get from good online references and participating in a forum like this. Just post up what you are thinking, start simple and you will be an avid AP'er within 12 months. Most 'brought ready to go' systems end up fading anyway because the only real process for longevity is learning and growing by trial and error. Everyones water is different, location is different, desires are different. Put the $1000 AP course money into your system and you will already be 50% of the way there and not $1000 down and nothing to show for it.

Welcome.

Darren is on the money. Plenty of people looking to make a buck out of newbies.
Learning the ropes by yourself is fun.
Just take care of your fish and they'll take care of the rest!
We're all very happy to answer any specific questions you may have.
Good luck, and before long you'll be a full bottle like the rest of us!

-K98