Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hello Everyone!
I'm so glad that I found this website, there is certainly a wealth of information here that I'll be digesting for weeks to come. Just from reading a few posts I can already tell that there is a very friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful user base on this forum. I've only been reading about aquaponics for a couple of weeks now so I'm still very new. Once I learned the basics of aquaponics, I knew right away that this is exactly what I've been looking for. I believe that this will be the way farming is going to be done in the future once everyone realizes (or at least admits) that mega-farming and GMO crop creation is unhealthy and unsustainable.

My plans are right now to use equipment that I already have on-hand to set up a basic flood&drain system in my enclosed patio (heated w/ lots of windows) to do a "proof-of-concept" test. I suppose I should really say proof-of-my-ability-to-execute-the-concept If that goes well then I believe that this may be the business opportunity that I've been looking for - something that I enjoy that has the capability to make money while at the same time giving me and my family more independence.

The equipment that I have right now is fairly basic, but from what I've read so far I believe I have nearly everything needed for the basic system I mentioned above. I have -

200 Gallon fish pond w/ pump
55 Gallon Aquarium w/ 2 pumps
Wood to make stands
Hoses and PVC piping
All the knowledge represented on this website and forum

I will be purchasing -
4-IBCs to be cut up for my GBs
Some sort of grow media (thinking about lava rocks because they are easily acquired and cheap)
Fish - looking at just getting fingerlings from tilapiafarmingathome.com for now and possibly a breeder colony later if all goes well.

Anyway, I'm happy to be here and hope I don't annoy you all to much with questions.

Stedanko

Hiya Stedanko

where in NC are you? Im located in wilmington, nc....

glad to see another potential ap'er close by.......

one thing you will find, everyone here loves pictures and you have to
be careful as AP is VERY addicting.....

If your in my area, stop by and I will give you a tour of my GH system, my outdoor system
and Starter display system...

jT

Hiya JT,
Yeah, I'm fairly close to you. I live in-between New Bern and Greenville, so about 2hrs away from Wilmington. The next time I head to Wilmington I'll look you up

I do plan on taking a lot of pics, I'd like to eventually put it all in a blog but for now I'm sure I'll be posting a lot .

S

Well, I've had a small financial setback... I was hoping to get all my equipment this weekend and begin my build... but sometimes life just smacks you in the face. Ah well, it's nothing that can't be overcome

I believe that I've got my basic design finished (in my head) and have been trying to learn how to use Sketchup (with only slight frustration) so I can start a system thread... I may just resort to Paint I need to get this idea down for posterity as I'm already planning a fully indoor system using the 55Gal Aquarium, and also a fully outdoor build with a homemade geodesic GH.... sigh... I haven't even started and I'm addicted already!

Sted

Keep the dream alive Stedanko......Rome wasn't built in a day.
Check out my joining date.....and I still havent got a system up and running....lol