Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hiya everyone,

I'm in the ACT, read about aquaponics in Organic Gardener just yesterday & am already in here & researching 'stuff'!! It just seems to be such a great system. I really like the 'closed loop'd-ness' of it (well, it's almost closed loop heheh).

So... My questions will be silly at first (gotta do more research before I go ahead posting like this, but meh! Thought I'd say hello!), & then probably a whoooole bunch more specific. Hope that's ok & that you'll bare with me!

I live in a little townhouse with a small courtyard. I should really find out exactly how much space I have.. but it's not much. I've started setting it up for this year, installing drip irrigation, buying big& cheap pots from the recycling centres at the tips... etc etc... I've already been thinking about putting growing tubs up on higher levels, so that I can get more into the small space, & was about to buy an old 1/2 wine barrel this weekend for fishies & to grow duckweed for mulch... so this (kinda sorta) seems like an extension of what I already would like to do. Just better!

I don't have much money, my mortgage is the priority right now.. but I figure that if I set myself up right, i'll hardly need to buy many veggies & so, save myself money that way. If I could grow fish as well, that would be a champion solution..

My biggest question is... how much will a simple & fairly basic setup cost me?

I'd like to have the option of expanding the setup if I so desire, down the track... I really like the idea of using things like the blue barrels cut lengthwise, as I could always just add more, space allowing. Does that sound sensible, or better to start with a smaller container & then just upgrade as I go? (I like the idea of less work too heheh )

Ermm... What else...?

Where can I get stuff in, or close to the ACT? I worry that I'll need to spend more $$ on shipping than others might? Obviously, I haven't really done all that much research into hardware yet, so.. I hope this question will answer itself soon.

What pitfalls & traps are there for beginners? I don't want to skimp on 'good stuff/hardware', but again.. my budget is limited.

I look forward to getting to know you all more & I really hope that I'll be able to 'do' aquaponics. Fingers crossed that my body corporate & the local 'council' are happy for me to do this! I'm just about to read the thread about laws & aquaponics...

Any advice will be much appreciated. Thanks for baring with my epics post!!!!!

Welcome Purrsikat,
As for the cost... how long is a piece of string?
It all depends on what you can scrounge, how big a system and whether you want/need it to look pretty.
I'm still very much in the set-up stage of things, but we have heaps of space to go with our limited budget. We've done very well from the demolition yards and friends with cattle properties who are happy to donate old equipment.
Good luck, look forward to hearing more of your system!

Thanks for the welcome & response Jaymie. I'm generally pretty good at scrounging.. i'm just worried about the stuff that I need to buy from stores (ie. pumps etc).. I figured someone would answer with the 'how long is a piece of string' phrase!

When you say 'old equipment', are you talking structural & containers? Or also things like pumps?

Because, I guess I'm wondering about maybe more a ball park figure for the things that I probably wouldn't be able to just find (& I don't think I'd get them second hand.. but again, who knows). Stuff with moving parts, the mechanical doovers... So I can say to myself, prepare myself for the inevitable "EEEEE where has all my money gone?!?! Oh phew, it's ok, I have a cool setup now, yay me!".

I have lots of Q's! heheh *cough*

Hi Purrsikat
My first system was 2 storage containers from C...p as C..ps.
filled the big one with water for fish and small one with clay balls and seedlings.
A small $30.00 pump from B..ings and your away.
keep out of reach of children.
thats a story for another day :-)

We've got a 10000L tank, an IBC (an industrial bullk container holds about 1000L) and sump tank and another old/buggered rain tank, all for the sum of $20. Most of them need some/lots of work to get them up to scratch.
The things we'll have to spend "real" money on are the pumps (new), some of the plumbing and the fish & vege seeds!
Do you have to build a greenhouse? shelter from the wind and snow of Canberra? I've been there and that's why I live here!
Pumps can range from about $100 to $500 depending on your system's requirements. I think (someone will correct me if I'm wrong) that you can probably leave the pump until you've decided on your system size, so you can get an accurate idea on head, flow needs etc

Welcome PK,
my best advice is take your time, read through the posts, digest the information, ask your questions - oh and take your time.

AP puts a new meaning to "window shopping"

well put ell!
Heaps of reading to do quite a few topics will help immeasurably.
Even a book and DVD the Boss has produced!
Good luck and welcome!!!
C1

Brilliant! Thanks lads & lasses!!! I like that everyone does thing differently.

I'll be reading reading reading.. for sure! Definitely good advice, thanks. I've just shot an email off to this Boss guy asking about PayPal, because, basically, I have no idea!! hahhahah...

My space is only very small, so I think, at least to start with, I'd like a growing area of (approx) 1 square metre.. I really like the idea of the IBC's but I don't know what sizes they come in yet. Will need to suss out all options of differing dimensions! Blue plastic drums still seem nifty, as they're so easy for me to get (I do a lot of stuff with horses & people who work with horses).

I could handle $100-200 on a pump very easily, that would be a good start I think (of course, will need to do homework on that one & go ask around a bit! heheh). That is a bit of a relief actually...

As for wind & frost protection, I'm lucky enough that I have a balcony that covers half of my courtyard, & also a nice protective brush fence (although I hate brush) around the space.. so I think, at least for the summer & autumn, it'll be well enough protected & I'll know what it'll need better by the time the cold sets in. I might only need to suspend something from the balcony downwards/to the fence to keep the frost off depending on how I set it all up. Oh boy, I can't wait to look around for parts & do some sketching!!!!

Has anyone entered into the idea of thermally lining the tanks? I can't dig them into the ground, there are too many pipes under my courtyard... not keen on needing to use a heater either. Any specific links to something on the forum here would be handy, but of course I'll keep on reading anyway.

Thanks for your warm welcome, everyone!

welcome

sounds like a good place for vertical growing to me.

heck out JOels barrel system http://backyardaquaponics.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=160
and try out auto syphons as in ELLKAY BEE, simmo and johnnies (sorry if I left anyone out)

Have as much water as you can afford or size permits, and don't stock or feed too heavily to start with (says me who's first batch of fish comiong monday will be 200 barra

Try and stick to a one pump system to cut costs (another thing I haven't done, but I started setting mine up 5 months ago when this forum was 1/3 rd of the size and knowledge base it is now!

Don't skimp on aeration and water flow.

Have fun with it and welcome!

or check out trox's sytem http://backyardaquaponics.com/forum/vie ... 1&start=30

Welcome! Much has already been answered for you. If you want to insulate your "tanks" there are a variety of ways, apparently bubble wrap can work really well, and if you buy it form a warehouse supply you should get it cheap?

Simmo_77 has built a system that would probably suit your court yard

Start a topic and show us the progresion of your system, starting with your bare back yard

Steve

Hi PK:
As far as sketching up ideas, Google Sketchup is free and can be fun to play with until you get your hardware together.
http://backyardaquaponics.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=225

The biggest cost for me was the pump(s), then containers, then probably the PVC plumbing (has grown into a collection of elbows and fittings and stuff, not all being used in the system), then aquarium test kits.

Holy dooley! Thanks heaps guys, I'm so happy to have found such a totally helpful & friendly bunch of people! You guys rock!

Again, thanks for the welcomes!

*gets to reading* :book: