Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

If for whatever reason you had to start all over again and know what you know now what would you do, please post a reason why you chose the option you did.
I have only been going to months and have change a couple of things, but obviously now want to change everything, mainly size, but I have done what I have done still for less than $200 and is something I want to try before I get big.
I would be interested to read comments on why you would or wouldn't change things, or why you would take up golf etc instead, and maybe add a link to the story about your system or link to some photo's of your system, I will be looking at a 4500lt tank and 2 1000lt tanks maybe in 12 months and info would be great

Man no edir, can a Mod put you between reason and had in the question thanks

I did have a crash and thought of giving up but got back on the bike and started peddling but changed a few things [a lot of things ] [dug up the whole area again] still forgot to run power over to the fish tanks .My advice is think 3 times before doing it once and where you put an elbow put a tee with a cap [its a lot easier to take off a cap than cut the elbow out and put a tee] [ i have a large box of used tee/s] i like my system cos you can add on anytime

Well...I've designed system III a few times and then think of how I'll get it passed by DW, so have put my energies into improving what I have instead.

Improvements:
- having a sunken sump tank that won't pop out when it rains (needs a little more work on what I have done)

- higher roof level in the GH ( only 2 metres at the side and restricts vertical growth of toms etc)

- wider GH (now 3.6 metres wide - could do with another 0.5 metres minimum)

- longer GH (had to add an extension and now thinking how to put in another couple of GB's )

- detect and add water to sump when level drops below a standard height (WIPM)

when using blue drums, make up some sort of rack to stop them distorting (like most of ours have ) metal straps maybe as a cradle?

I picked (change a few things), It's called a learning process.
Things I would change
1) Buy 5 acres
2) Fill 5 acres with aquaponics stuff
3) Play with aquaponics stuff alot

gnash that is a good retirement plan, I would have a lot of dams on 5 acres, I am looking at some Dirt (4.5 acres) at King River (Albany Way) and bordering the river as a retirement plan, and would tap a bit of water there and grow Bream as they grow naturally their, oh and marron of course

sounds like a plan Nocky, Although I want it b4 I retire
King river eh! I get the farmers weekly (every week ) your gonna pay through the nose for it I'll bet

Gnash 5 years ago the block was $136k, and I was just buying here so put on hold as would have been about 70k short, today same block am around 350k+ short but will get their eventually

It would be bigger, in a greenhouse, 2:1 instead of 1:1, and CHIFT PIST. I don't have room for a sump or more growbeds in the sunroom. Space was my biggest problem.

I have a big sledgehammer you could borrow JP, time for a sun room extension ???

There are some things I will do differently on my next system. If starting over on my current location, I would do a few things differently here too. Here is my big system thread.
http://backyardaquaponics.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=2640

I think I could have saved a lot of money by doing huge liner beds with sump pumps. I think I could have cascaded several beds in such a manner.

I might also have built the main fish tank up out of the ground more than I did.

I wouldn't bother with the "sump walk" Mid line sumps don't really work, though it is functioning as a small bit of overflow protection before I "loose" water.

Another thing I would do differently, my media. I would just use the cheap brown 1/2" river rock as my media and I would get several buckets full of the washed shell to add to the system as needed.

There are many things that I might do differently and I may still do them differently as the System is still growing.

I would have done a Venturi drain setup. Thus allowing for a single pump.

I wish you would have had an option to do thinks a lot differently! I would have. But, I would still do it again. As a matter of fact, I am doing it all over again,and again, and again.....

well seems so far no one would keep things the same, if we added all the changes so far would we then end up with the perfect system?