Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Welcome Grace from the side of the world - Reading through all the posts is informative and generally invokes more questions so ask away. There is a wealth of collective experience here and I think we are all glad to share without exception.



I spend about 4-5 hours per week on my system, not including upgrades or mods. As other members have correctly suggested, stsrt with a relatively small and easy setup like an aquarium, pump, and some grow trays under light or in the window, unless you have mild to warm winters, then outside is ok. Better yet a greenhouse.




Used fish tanks are best. I started my first ever system with a ten gallon aquarium and 5 grow trays with starter peppers and tomatos. No fruit, but the plants did not die.



As long as you have an interest in growing fish/plants, and goofing around with water pumps and such you'll stay informed and learn the "how to's." You do have to have a certain degree of "tinkering" in your blood.



Unless you have a large, developed system that has paid for itself, the cost per lb. of harvested food is (in my experience) more expensive than store bought organics due to the cost of equipment and energy upkeep. But, once you have cycled your system and used it a few times to harvest, it starts becoming less costly, and like anything pays for itself eventually. You can build a system cheaply, but to produce enough food and fish to sustain yourself, you have to invest in equipment.



Once a system is established, cycled, and stabalized and put on timers (manual or automatic) it becomes easier. Remember you are raising fish in addition to veggies.

Best Regards,

Mike

thats a tad different isn't it C1, there is a difference between dreaming of this that you want to happen and dreaming about thing that that do happen.

Steve

Would you all mostly agree that it's more costly to run AP for veggies than to buy (store produce) certified organic veggies? This is what I'm mostly interested in.. I mean, I know that I can get edible fish out of the system, which will help it pay for itself faster... I don't have the space, nor the initial setup $'s for a bigger-er & better-er setup. Hrrrmmm... *thinking* Running major stuff at night, flood system, might help me...

Trying to go solar won't be possible for me either, anyhoo, the cost of setup will be way way prohibitive..

I'm not doing it to save money on fruit and veg, just for knowing what we are eating. Also, I love eating fish, which are expensive to buy, so the fish we produce a a bonus. Eventually, if I can get work down to part time, I would like to build kit greenhouses for people to house aqua systems in, but time not on my side at the mo'

no you can set up a system out of mostly recycled products by being resourceful, and as the barrel ponic method proves, it doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg. If you have a spot for a cheaply constructed greenhouse or a patio cover similar to Earthbound's system you can get your plants to grow big enough to eat. Ap veggies in the long run are cheaper because more is recycled and less outside resources are needed (ie fertilizer and water). But the system takes some labor in setting up, and materials are up to the resourcefulness of the user.

Steve on the money again!!

That's cool MF, thanks... I just got worried for a second that it wouldn't be worth my while in terms of $'s. heheh..

And do not forget the added bonus of education in areas that are or maybe new to you!

Hi MF,

Thanks for your detailed response



I have a few options out the back already, whoever lived here before me was an old person who liked their lawn but also apparently had lots of pot plants. I have a small greenhouse type thing, which is covered in black shade cloth, it is a metal structure with a dome roof. We actually currently use it to lock the cat in at night. Would that be suitable?

Also I have up the very back half (imagine front is off so only three walls) galvanised shed (I guess it would be too hot in summer/metal) and another wooden thing that looks like a mini carport.. clear polycarbonate roofing with kinda ramshackle wooden frame. It is only about 2m x 3 m. All of these things need attention (except the greenhouse which is in good nick) but might be suitable places to start to adapt?



I dont have a lot of learned skills in terms of manual labour stuff (non-tinkering family!) but have been around horses all my life so has made me quite enjoy practical sorta things. I reckon I can learn Thanks



aside from start up costs (because i'm betting i can be resourceful) it sounds like ti might be approximately similar. Though there are rewards in just learning new things like GotFish has said.

I will drive you guys nuts with questions along the way...

(I've never even killed/gutted/scaled a fish. Gah! But I'm not squemish so I can learn.. right?)

Nah its been tried before!
C1

c1 - it's been tried to drive them nuts before?

yes some have made it others are on the way but you will get it too!
he laughs scratching the palm of his hand admiring the growth of hair!

LOL!! I like the crazies....

Hey GLR. If you aren't sure about your setup, try to get to see some relatively local setup's. PM the other Brisbane members and pester them to see their setups. And then once you've decided on what you want and have got all the components, build a carton ap setup (carton setup means paid for with beer ).

Cheers Donarto, Thanks for the advice (and the definitions for the clueless) I'm totally unsure and I think i'll spend a while just soaking up (pardon the pun) the stuff here and I'll buy joels book too (when I get paid next month I hope).. then I'll pester you guys to 'see' some in action. I really like this site, it's so facinating...