Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hi All;

I'm a newbie here, based in Minnesota, USA. I think I learned about aquaponics from an article posted to lifehacker (www.lifehacker.com), that may explain why there are so many newbies here recently. =)

I'm intrigued by AP, it's such an elegant solution, but I haven't started anything yet. When I do set up an AP system, it's going to have to be indoors.

I've been wandering around these forums for a few days now, and whew! So much information! Any pointers (to threads) for indoor AP?

Hi Swan, Welcome!

Look at mine for a medium-sized indoor system.
http://www.backyardaquaponics.com/forum ... 6920#56920

Welcome Swanberg

Theres an indoor system near the bottom, and at the bottom of this tread
http://www.backyardaquaponics.com/forum ... php?t=1617


a couple more here (including Janets)
http://www.backyardaquaponics.com/forum ... php?t=1618

I'm also in MN (Brooklyn Center). I'm looking to set up a small test system this summer, growing fathead minnows and go from there on to perch or tilapia or catfish, etc. after that. If the fathead setup works well, it could be used to raise food for other fish.

Unfortunately, I don't have room indoors to set things up and, as you know, it's not exactly warm outside. There have been quite a few days that dipped below -10F (-23C) this winter, and I'm not ready to commit to a greenhouse yet.

Welcome Swanberg!

I looked on lifehacker and can't find anything about AP. If you can find the article that interested you that would be neat!

Jwynia, hi! I'm thrilled to learn there's another APer here! Well, I'm not an APer yet, I think I'm going to wait until I can do some of my construction outside. My basement can fit a barrelponics setup, but I don't think it's big enough to build it!

I found a petstore today that stocks fingerlings and fry for local, cool/cold water species, like crappies, walleye and sunfish. Interested in the info?

Dave, I'm almost certain the article that led me to aquaponics was on treehugger: http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/12 ... cs_the.php

I added the treehugger and lifehacker RSS feeds at about the same time, and you know how info gets conflated in a brain... =)

Cool link thanks SB!

Karen, I'd definitely like to know of a local source for fingerlings and fry. I'm still working through the permutations for the eventual fish destined for my plate and the local species are both appealing for their cool water hardiness and for the fact that I grew up eating most of them several times per week.

The flip side is that I also really like the versatility of tilapia and the fact that they live really low on the food chain as well as that they grow quickly.

Like I said, I'm probably going to just use fatheads to try things out this summer and get an idea of how I really want to proceed.

I'd really like to figure out a way to keep things slowly moving all winter at a minimum without spending $10,000 on a greenhouse with heat.

jwynia - http://aquatropics.com, in Crystal:



I haven't been yet, I hope to get up there this weekend. I'm not ready to buy, but I want to see what they're like. I'll report back.

I visited Aquatropics yesterday. It's a good place. Pretty nice selection, and the employees are helpful.

The native fish arrive when the ice comes off the lakes, whenever that is. They're supplied by the same source as the DNR, so what is available will depend on what the DNR doesn't use, i.e. if the DNR need a bunch of walleye, the store probably won't get any.

They don't know what they'll get or when they'll get it.

It's a pretty expensive place. None of the native fish will be over $20, but the guy I spoke to seemed to indicate that even fry go for close to $20. I mentioned aquaponics and he suggested "sun crappie," which isn't something I've heard of before, but he said they're tasty and the least expensive. (I've heard of crappies, and sun fish, but not 'sun crappies.")

I looked at some of their pumps, and one I priced on-line for $80US was $180US in the store.

I think I might go down to the river with a net and a bucket for my own fry =).

That pricing is more indicative of the fish being intended for the aquarium trade in "native" tanks and not for being raised as food.

The tilapia sources mentioned for the US here on the forum go more for the kinds of rates of 100 fish for $150. At $20 each, it'd be cheaper to eat lobster.

I'm pretty sure there are suppliers of even the local fish for far more reasonable prices. I'll keep looking.

Swan, just check your local Fish and Game ordinances before you net fry from the wild. Not that I think they'd get too excited about crappie, but be sure you know if you're breaking any laws. Creel limits and minimum sizes will apply in some cases.