Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Okay here is the larger system I'm looking at making. It's still in the design stage but instead of going at it. I thought I'd ask the question. How would you set it up. It's a 55kl inground pool. I want to have eating fish, even if I don't eat a lot of fish. Just this rule I have that if you can't eat it or use it for something I don't grow it or mow it. Or in the case of my other halfs flowers, I don't water them either.(exception's are trees I'm to lazy to cut down, plants with thorn's for the fence line and that tree in the corner with the pods you can make itching powder out of)
The pool has an 8' fence around it and it can be closed in later. I've got a few different size pumps(3hp, 1/2ph,) and there is a lot of black pipe on the shed for heating. I started collecting blue drums but I'm open to other options. I've noticed that a lot of systems have the comment -if I was to do it again I'd of done it a different way- so I would like to skip that part it I could. Also it's always good to have someone else point out anything that I'm not going to realise until it's too late.

How much room do you have for beds, and how far from the pool?

Both sides and where I was standing for the photo is around 10m by 5m, and then there is a shed about the same size as that. Also back yard is to the left over the fence. Lots of space. I usually go overboard when planting things so everyone is used to me giving about vegies by the boxfull(helpfull hint don't plant zucchini's in lots of 20)

Quick thought, if you are not going to overstock, how about working out how to put the GB's over the pool, saves space and cuts out major plumbing drama's?

Now THATS a good idea

Someone should send over some drill rods:)

They would span the pool quite well I reckon. You cant beat the price.

Was thinking about PVC on a rolling platform over one end of the pool. Shade for fish and any insects that fall off the plants become fish food. Use a small pond pump or solar pump and have the PVC half filled with gravel. What would be a good amount of fish for a pool this size?

How to avoid re-doing or talking about things you would do differently. Start out by spending lots of time reading on the forum to see what other people have regretted and why. The why is often pretty important to catch on to similar things that might not work so well.

Granted, some things might not work for some people but others find them terrific so you have to judge how they will work for you.

Do some reading on threads where people have tried gravel in PVC pipes so you can see what happens after several months. To effectively use PVC pipes as gravel grow beds, you need really big pvc pipes or you need to be OK with clogging, overflowing and difficulty removing plants and when you do half the gravel comes out with them.

Looks like you have the beginnings of what could be a very fun design.
Hope to see things start to form up as you work out your ideas.

Looks pretty shady at the moment - how much direct sun light does it get per day?

Gets a lot of light. The tomatos growing under the tin at the end of the pool can get to 3mts before they hit the roof.

...and don't forget the snorkel and spear gun for fish harvesting (fishing rods don't always catch the bigger fish )

My neighbor said her Mom's pool is broken and isn't being used. I pondered making it an AP garden. Does your pool have a shallow and a deep end? I had thought about maybe draining her pool to just have water in the deep end, and laying out gravel beds in the shallow end. This would be cheap because the pool holds water everywhere so you wouldn't need to pay for any liners or containers just edge them, and the slope would direct the water to drain naturally back to the deep end. This would be probably smaller than you want though. Could be a good cheap way to get started and not clutter up the entire pool area right away?

Does have a deep end. If it was concrete it wouldn't be too hard to section it off. There is a step that run's around the edge below the water. Can't use that either because over time the weight would distort the walls. I've noticed some of the GB's that are used change there shape over time. Was thinking of sinking Barrels into cement if I cut them long ways. Just make up a frame and fill.

Pools starting to look very green and the chlorine is almost zero on the test strips. I've got 6 half barrels to put on one side. Going to fill them with gravel and have 19mm loop siphon on the side going into PVC back into the pool. I'll use the 1/2 ph pool pump on a timmer to flood & drain.