Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Yep, I said it. This site is Awesome! Totally!

I've been lurking around here for about a month checking it out and reading about AP and looking at all the different systems. Just saw DD's 2008 and WOW

I've been (for the past 10 years or so) trying to figure out ways to leave a smaller footprint on our lovely Earth and I tell ya, being here has just increased my ideas 10 fold. I had been talking to my SO about a way we could incorporate a flowing "river" through part of our future "Green Home" because I had always thought having water flowing with fish would be totally awesome. I also wanted to have a greenhouse built into the southern facing side of the home.

With AP I may not have a "flowing river" of water but it certainly does give me some grand ideas of how to incorporate a "fish tank" with grow beds!

My mind has been going overtime since I've been reading these forums. Combining green building techniques with AP and Solar power ....

I'd already started harvesting wood from wind felled trees on our property for the building of our new energy efficient green home and toying around with floor plans etc. Now I have something else that I can incorporate! w00h0000. I think a south facing "green house" on the face of the house would keep it warm enough to raise tropical fish year round as well as allow us to have fresh food from fish to veggies year round as well.

Just wish I didn't have to go back to work soon! (Been taking an extended vacation since January) but finances dictate that I must go back to driving. That's ok though, it'll give me more time to contemplate all the many designs I can incorporate!!

Great to be here and I thank all of you who are so helpful and willing to share information!

Welcome cnichols.... glad to have you aboard

"I have a feeling the addiction is strong in this one yoda"

Yes indeed, wise Rupert

welcome cnichols to the AP madness/obsession/passion.

I was looking into building a earth ship and having a south facing growing space all the way across the front of the house. Now, If I ever get that far I will most certainly have AP and gray water grow beds too.

Im starting to look into building a cord wood home now because I can get fast growing trees that if planted over all my land could grow my house in only 5 years! Its a hard choice earth ship, or cord-wood or some hybrid of the two.

cnichols is right. This is a great site. I haven't been "lurking" as much as lusting after some of these fantastic ideas. I've caught the addiction to AP reading and thinking but now I have to get energized to jump in the water so to speak. Oh, AP insomnia can strike anyone who bookmarks this site. Got to go call a man about a fish!

Hi CN, and welcome.

I'm working with a local group to build and ecovillage, and we hope to incorporate an AP system into it. It all fits so neatly together, and how wonderful when children can explain the interlocked nature of it.

Funny you should mention cordwood Dan, that's what we're planning on building.

If you would like some links or whatnot I can give you a few.

Sure! I'm always up for learning more about what I intend to do.

Earthwood - This site has some basic information and quite a few books for sale. Rob Roy has been doing cordwood "classes" for years now. I've gotten a few of his books and highly recommend them. He's also done some articles in Mother Earth News and a few other mags.

Daycreek - This site has a forums section to ask questions. Some of the better known cordwood builders frequent them and help out us "rookies". I've been reading the daycreek site for about 5 years now. He just finished building a beautiful double walled round house. It's absolutely georgous. Actually something he did gave me an idea on how to help keep the tanks warm. Radient heat. His is all solar powered.

Those two should keep you busy for a while Let me know when you're hungry for more! Although some of the cordwood links I have now I actually got from one of the two sites above.

I haven't been here long either but i must say this is the single most friggen awesome idea/forum i have EVER run into...I grew up a 90s nerd so that's saying something You guys even beat the giant flame throwing home built mech!

*Edit*
also check out earthships http://youtube.com/user/earthship?ob=1
Using old tires lets off some deadly gas or something and the guy that started it is just ripping off rich people and selling them houses made of tires now but the systems behind it are genius! And no matter where he went with it atleast he got the idea out there

gosh!

Thanks cnichols!

I would (wood) like to keep the concrete to a minimum. It seems like to me that using lots of concrete you wind up with a major lack of insulation. Have you heard of papercrete? I would think that would be a better insulator. Others talk about using foam in the middle and concrete on the sides. Whats your take on it?

i want one

You would need to put really large eves on your house to keep rain off of the papercrete it does not hold up well to rains. I had to chuck a couple garden sculpters made of papercrete because of there rather quick breakdown. I dont know if adding more cementitious material would help.
What type of wood are you planning on using for your cordwood building?

I think I want to do some slip formed stonework for a pond and patio area just got to work out how to insulate it better against summer heat.

There is a type of tree that grows very fast (Dont remember the name) It would only take 5 years to grow the wood for my house! That is what I think I am going to do.