Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hi Froggo,

I live about 50k's away in Longwood.

I have not started an AP system yet, but I think I will be going a similar path by digging a pond as I want a natural look blending into the enviroment I'm trying to create, I 'm not looking forward to the digging either as it's a shovel job for me also.( if only I could borrow a tractor from one of the local farmers.
The ground around here is hard as with lots of rock an it takes me about 2 hours to dig a 1/2m hole which I have dug quite a few of for the planting of natives and fruit trees and a 50 metre trench which took a quite a few weekends so I didn't have to bucket water to the trees I planted.

Well good luck, looking forward to seeing the pictures of your progress.

Cheers
Ron

Hi Ron,

I'm glad I don't have many rocks here just clay. It's hard work with the shovel/pick but well worth it in the end.

I have wanted to blend a low water natural bushland style home garden with a veg garden, animals and fruit trees.

I have tried to copy a permiculture style but the hot dry conditions have reduced my veg production so much I've decided to go ahead with a more controlled system ie/ aquaponics.

It may be hard to work the ground now but I know you will enjoy the "fruits" of your labour in the times ahead.

Look forward to hearing about your progress,

God bless froggo.

Hiring one of the dingo machines is only around $200, well worth it if you get it on Saturday and return Monday morning. Depends what your labor is worth to you I suppose. The hole that I dug could have been done in one weekend, but took me 4 weekends to do by hand.

Yes, and when you rent a machine for Saturday do not put a large rare earth magnet on the timer! It will prevent you from being billed for more than one days use... Would not want that to happen!

I have dug all my holes by hand - I appreciated my efforts a lot more when I did that - BUT nobody notices the effort once the tanks are in the ground - so I might as well have used a machine (but then again I cant get machinery in where my tanks are)...

Froggo,
I dug my holes by hand but my ground is sand.

Here are a few things to think about as you work on your design plans. What is your climate like, what are your average ground temps, what kind of fish are you planning on (what temps do they like.)

For many of us, sinking tanks and even grow beds into the ground gives us the advantage of the moderating effect of the ground temperature. This is a good thing if the year round average ground temp is within the range appropriate to your intended breed of fish. If your ground temps are too cold, then this would not be good and insulation between tanks and ground would be needed.

Keep in mind that in ground tanks that might be empty or partially empty when a big rain hits, those tanks could pop out of the ground if they are not heavy enough. Just something to keep in mind as many people have stories about the up popping sumps. Also, lined ponds that don't have sloping sides, can have cave in issues around the sides if there isn't strong support behind the liner and big rain can cause issues there too. Make sure the top edges of the tanks and beds are high enough not to get water washing overland into them during a freek storm.

That said, I have a lined pond and lined beds, and one of the lined beds is huge and in ground. If I were to re-design my system, I would probably design the tank with more support around the top edge so that the water level would actually be a bit above ground level. Then I would design my beds in ground just a bit lower than the tank so that I could CHIFT PIST (constant level in fish tank, and pump in sump, or in my case the sump pump is actually in a sunken section of the giant grow bed.) I would probably only have a few grow beds up on stands for growing low growing plants (avoid the bending) but many plants like tomatoes are good grown in a ground level bed since the plants can grow so high and needing a stool or ladder for training, pruning and harvest is kinda a pain.

Those sleepers there would make good support for the top rim of your liner for your tank. I do recommend high quality pond liner for grow beds since the gravel can be tough on lesser materials.

http://backyardaquaponics.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=2640&st=0&sk=t&sd=a

I know my thread is long but I've built a few different grow beds with liners and there are pictures of the different methods I've used for plumbing through liners. Some of them are pretty inexpensive and will work on liner or other materials.

Hi everyone,

thanks for the great advice.

Our local hire place is open seven days a week so we cannot get the weekend bonus on hire equipment

The the fish I'm keen to grow are murray cod, golden perch and some murray catfish. I don't like silver perch to eat. All these fish are local to my area and I can catch them in the river not 15 minutes from my house. The silvers are protected but there seems to be lots of them here and the catfish, I have not heard of anyone catching one for about 10 years.

I want to use the local native fish species because they are suited to the areas climate. The fish tank that I will make is going to be 1/2 in ground and half out. I think the challenge here will be to keep the fish below their max temp in summer, winter is less of a problem.

It's been raining here which is great but it's stopped the work a bit. I have managed to remove the two old soil beds and have got the roof of the shade area ready for the post holes to be dug.




I have not drawn up a plan of how the system will be fitted under the 6metre x 4metre shade area yet. When the roof is up I will be asking for lots of advice on how to best set up my system and what methods to use.

God bless froggo.

Hi froggo.
I did my 'apprenticeship' in the hospitality industry at the Park Lake Motor Inn, in Shep back in the day. Went to Dookie, picked pears at Mooroopna, fell out of a tree, played footy for Shep United, the whole 9 yards.
Digging holes is something else. It took me 2-3 weekends to dig a hole for my sump tanks, but ur fishpond leaves that in the shade.
Like u, we have no water for gardens here in Geelong, tis dry.
You seem to have things well in hand, good luck and keep the pics coming.

Just remember to calculate the weight of any growbeds+media+water Froggo..... make sure your floor can support the weight.... remmeber a 1000ltr of water weighs a tonne...

Hi RupertofOZ,

the picts are of the roof frame laying on the ground. The posts will be put in then the roof raised and bolted into place. It's just easier making the roof on the ground.

God bless froggo.

Hi froggo before you decide at least have a look at [shift pist] if i was starting again i would use it

Hi Food&Fish,

thanks for the advice on the [shift pist]. Is 90mm stormwater pipe better or do you prefer the 50mm?

These are the things I need to work out because I'm not sure what way I want to run my system yet. I suppose it depends on the height of the fish tanks and grow beds and if I use a sump or not?

thanks froggo.

I made my first one 50 then changed to 90 heaps better mizzie 44 [bendigo] also has 90 running a 3000 litre tank soon adding a nother 3000 litre one running the same set of grow beds

Go bigger early, 90 will be best.

Hi everyone,

just thought I would post a picture of our fishpond's guard. His/she nickname is Henry the Heron.

Our dogs think he/she is just great/tasty, if it would only come down from the roof.

He manages to get the odd fish when the dogs are asleep.

I'm not worried though it's great to have such a large/beautifull bird visit our place.



Progress on the shade area for my system is moving slowly. The post holes are being dug and getting ready to concrete posts in,

God bless froggo.