Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hello, we have just joined and are really taken with the idea of growing our own fish in our swimming pool, as well as setting up the growing beds (though this may need to come at a later date). Has anyone converted their swimming pool to grow fish? We live near Jandakot just south of Perth, WA and our pool is small, only about 10,000 litres, the pool pump etc works. Any ideas on how we would start? If possible, we would like to still have a quick swim to cool off in summer now and then!

Welcome to the forum dandm looks like the Jandakot area is a little hive of aquaponicists.
I`ll leave the pool question to someone more knowledgeable but the only time I would take a dip with the fishies is when you overstretch trying to net one.

I'm not sure about swimming in your AP set up on any sort of regular basis. I know I have to get into the pond (ornamental type) about twice a season for maintinance reasons but that isn't really like going swimming. The large gold fish nibbling at the hairs on one's legs really tickles though.

It tends to freak the fish out when we have to get in the tank with them

I swim with mine regularly and they will nearly let me grab them (nearly, but not quite).

Pictures please!

There's a group I read somewhere maintaining their swimming pools for swimming with biofilters, pond plants and fish. I can't see a problem, if you do it often enough your fish wont freak.

I have found that tropical fish like to nibble the dead skin off you while you swim - very unnerving the first time it happens.

May I also suggest that growing piranha might not be a good idea?

Have a look on Yahoo Groups for a group called "natural swimming pools" or "natural swimming ponds", also stick it in Google and there's a bit more info there.

Thanks for the tips! I have done some extra 'Googling'- the natural swimming pool sounds good! Unfortunately conversions, either for AP (our ultimate goal) or the natural swimming pool is going to be costly. We have decided then to grow trout in the pool over this winter- seems that will be manageable, then decide how to proceed.

Has anyone grown fish in their swimming pool just for winter, then used it as a pool again in summer? I read that it is sufficient to use the pool filter an hour or two a day to circulate water...sounds managable!

Both the guy at the local pool shop, and the one at the trout farm told me they know people who have done it, but I dont know the details. I still cant convince my wife.

Here's a link to a guy that converted a pool to koi.... and used an AP (plant) filter

http://kilk.com/pond/

Was a guy I knew in Wagin WA who has done this, 200 trout in an above ground pool in his shed.
He Nearly got them to a decent size but alas one morning he went out to feed them and the aerator had craped itself some time in the last 24 hrs and they were all floating.
Now I don't know if it was the lack of air that killed them( I would of thought 24 hours wouldn't have been a problem) or if it was other factors.

Just quietly Faye is trying to talk Eddy into letting her keep trout in their swimming pool over winter.

I have to ring a lady tomorrow who's interested in having fish in her swimming pool, I'll let you know if anything eventuates..

SSHHHHH! Secret Squirrel