Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

This forum is even better than that, because when issues come up there is a mass of brainstorming that takes place.
In just a few posts(many actually) a lot of ground can be covered, the experiences people have had and the knowlege they command is amazing.

I really like Joel's blue barrel setup; I need to go as vertical as possible so that I can save valuable space in the rest of my courtyard for growing the rest of my meals...

I'm still tossing up whether I should just start with a) something smaller now & build upwards & outwards, or b) if I should aim for something bigger & hopefully have it complete by the time the cold sets in.. & therefore have more of a chance to keep it running over winter, with a greenhouse & insulation etc..

a) means that I can do something NOW NOW NOW (w00t!), but have less money to invest in bigger & better & fun-er stuff

b) means that I'll need to be patient, but would most likely end up with something that I could run over winter (which can be average 0 celcius or below, some nights)... but won't have anything to play with straight away.

Decisions decisions!

I'm about to order Joel's book.. waiting on PayPal to process money so I can actually pay (that's always handy, the 'paying for stuff' thing). The more I read, the more I worry... but also, the more excited I become! It's also allowing me to think of the power tools I'll need to complete a nifty outcome... *drools* ohhh yehhhhh...

Patience my pretty!!!

Imma take some pics of my courtyard over the weekend & outline what I'm thinking so far... Still trying to find as much information on insulating tanks/ponds/containers as possible. Gotta call my body corp or something, find out what pipes are actually under my courtyard (I've already hit my phone line piping.. )...

This is like my online train-of-thought... To do list, if you will...

good to start with ground issues- to start at the foundation is you best bet.
Happy neighbours may even help with bits n pieces.
Good fun eh!
C1

Just posting some pics of my courtyard... please forgive the mess I have a horse rug sitting in the middle of my courtyard under cardboard, waiting to be washed... the rest... well, please just forgive it.

View from front gate


View from gate towards my front windows


View from front door towards outer fence of courtyard


So far I have a bag of horse poop & a bucket to ferment it/ make garden tea & have planted out things like cabbage, broccoli, tomatoes, capsicum, a wine grape vine, quite a few nasturtium, lavender, lad's love, thyme, wormwood, a dwarf apple tree, strawberries, comfrey, cat grass, oregano, coriander, parsley.. & passionfruit vine, silverbeet & super dwarf bamboo ready to be planted out. the dwarf bamboo will be an accompanyment to the tool/garden box bench I'm going to build.

I really don't want to cut back that gorgeous rambling/wild rose that's in flower right now... it'll be sad to see it go, but that's where I'm going to put some wall mounted 'shelving' for a growbed/pots/barrels. I'll try to keep some of it across the wall, to keep growing on the fence though. But it'll still be hard to say bye. Also, the bush by the fence with pink flowers will need chopping. it's one of my least favourite plants in most gardens I think (one of the only ones i'm allergic to touch!) so that'll be easy.. once it's stopped flowering! I'm a girl, a sucker for flowers... but don't tell anyone.

Once I truly get started with chopping & buying tubs etc.. i'll start a proper post in the 'systems' area of the forum..

You sure you cant save the rose?

Hmmmm... Imma try to! That's a wonderful wall for growing on and/or against.. I'd really like my garden to be as productive as possible, but do really like that plant. Once it's finished flowering I'm going to 'get into it' (probably literally, that's what I had to do to trim it back when I first got my place! ) & see how much I can truss up & sort of reconfigure.. Any suggestions?

hi ya purrsikat-PK
Looks like some ground pruning to be done otherwise it will be done by foot, barrel or body..
Hard to get the direction of the wall(north is it?)
do the bricks get hot in that court yard(?)
Do you have a thermometer?
I got a big one (thermometer) from K for a few $s and put it around and checked the various temps here and there.
Have a plan and be ready to modify it if needed.
C1... have fun aswell

The main 'trunk' of the rose is pretty much in next to my windows, behind the black rubbish bin in the pics... the rest would of course have roots under it, but I don't think I'm too concerned by that. What survives I'd like to chop it back enough so that there are still some strands of it across the wall (espallier'd probably), at a decent height, to allow for the shelf system underneath. If those parts live, after all my hacking, I'll be happy. there's still the main body of it under the balcony that can grow out. it's pretty rampant, so yeh... (blah blah, i go on, don't i)

That wall faces west, so probably not the best for growing things on when uncovered.. i'd like to setup some kind of shade/ greenhouse for the heat of summer & the cold of winter. My courtyard & townhouse face north, which is really nice.. I was going to grow the grape vine on that wall, to help increase humidity & reduce blistering heat, but figured that water & shade would do a good job of that as well. Also, putting everything on that side would hopefully allow me to expand the system & the greenhouse/shade structure, using the balcony as part of it. I'd also have the rest of the courtyard to plant in & use for outdoor living purposes. It would be a good side to collect & maintain heat during winter, which is what I'm most worried about.. brrrr..

Thermometer would be a good idea, thanks for the suggestion. I'll pick one up next time I'm out & about...

Plan, yes.... I'm not so good at plans. Or I am.. but just so good at modifying them, that they never stick on one course for long! Good point though.

Still trying to look around at different alternatives for growbeds & water containers.. Might end up altering my direction completely, just putting thoughts out there.. Do my thoughts sound mostly feasible? I'll measure it up & post a basic sketch next, with measurements included.

Hey PK, LOL I have saddleblankets and horse gear everywhere too. Cute courtyard, I'm so impressed with your gardening motivations!

Keeping an eye on your thread now that I know it's here.. Cheers

I think EB just threw up his arms in resignation at that

going well Kat, its the 1st step that is the hardest and you have now started on the AP pathway to.......?

Ell

LOL! What did I say wrong?????

maybe becasue it looks like PK's system topic will be setting up residence in "general banter" ?

nothing

Oooops!

Nopes, it's not going to take up residence in general banter. This is the fore-runner to an official system's thread. This is just about my courtyard for now, & me having my 'train of thought' moments... didn't want to start on a system thread until I'm really actually dedicated to doing AP. I'm keen to try it, but I still don't know if it's truly feasible for me, in my current circumstances.

I'm yet to buy & read Joel's book. I'm doing all my homework first.. rather than jumping in & realising that I'm not cut out for it or something...