Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Love what you doing Synaptoman
I have a proposal : I work for the Institute of Aquaculture at the University of Stirling and been approached to set up a separate not for profit development entity through the Institute and funded by the british government to support and help facilitate the development of aquacultural and aquaponic enterprises/businesses in Africa. We’ve got quite well established links across the continent and perhaps most locally to you, Stellenbosch Uni.
Anyway I've reviewed the systems you've been building, and was wondering if I could provisionally sound you out about getting you onboard the project on a consultancy basis. We’re looking to develop system models that can be adopted more widely based on resource availability.
The proposed development entity (for want of a better word) would be targeted at effecting real and tangible development, through the provision of support and expertise to establish and promote the growth sustainable enterprises and businesses supporting low input food production systems.
Its early stages as funding is being applied for, but I just wanted to sound you out and try and establish a dialogue between us to develop these ideas further and also to find out if the idea would be of interest to you either of a regional basis in SA, nationally or more widely across sub Saharan Africa.
Anyway the proposal is being developed by Professor James Muir at the Institute (who wrote the book a Fish Hatchery Manual for Africa) and he’s proposed the idea of me providing a bridge between ourselves and other European participants (Netherlands, Italy etc) and Africa by spending some considerable in country inputs to moving things along, then my idea is to coordinate work with people such as yourself who are currently active and effective in developing financially viable systems ‘on the ground’.
Anyway, I’ll keep you posted with developments and maybe pop over to SA sometime soon.
Cheers,
Charlie

Love what you doing Synaptoman
I have a proposal : I work for the Institute of Aquaculture at the University of Stirling and been approached to set up a separate not for profit development entity through the Institute and funded by the british government to support and help facilitate the development of aquacultural and aquaponic enterprises/businesses in Africa. We’ve got quite well established links across the continent and perhaps most locally to you, Stellenbosch Uni.
Anyway I've reviewed the systems you've been building, and was wondering if I could provisionally sound you out about getting you onboard the project on a consultancy basis. We’re looking to develop system models that can be adopted more widely based on resource availability.
The proposed development entity (for want of a better word) would be targeted at effecting real and tangible development, through the provision of support and expertise to establish and promote the growth sustainable enterprises and businesses supporting low input food production systems.
Its early stages as funding is being applied for, but I just wanted to sound you out and try and establish a dialogue between us to develop these ideas further and also to find out if the idea would be of interest to you either of a regional basis in SA, nationally or more widely across sub Saharan Africa.
Anyway the proposal is being developed by Professor James Muir at the Institute (who wrote the book a Fish Hatchery Manual for Africa) and he’s proposed the idea of me providing a bridge between ourselves and other European participants (Netherlands, Italy etc) and Africa by spending some considerable in country inputs to moving things along, then my idea is to coordinate work with people such as yourself who are currently active and effective in developing financially viable systems ‘on the ground’.
Anyway, I’ll keep you posted with developments and maybe pop over to SA sometime soon.
Cheers,
Charlie

My ultimate objective has always been to build commercial AP systems where they are needed most in Sub-Saharan Africa. I see massive opportunities, for example in Zimbabwe once a political settlement is reached. The people need to eat, but also need to learn how to feed themselves independently of hand-outs.

I have recruited a brilliant team here in South Africa who can build these systems in the remotest of areas, as well as a number of members of this forum who are available for this exact type of work. I would be glad to chat further. Just PM me.

One of my favourite times in a new Aquaponic system is when we turn on the pumps for the first time and see how and where the water flows (or doesn't flow). Our new site has not been without challenges, the most significant of which, is that power is very limited and will be provided by a wind turbine and an array of solar panels.

This limitation really makes one think smart and after much deliberation I decided on 1 x 750W pool pump for the fish ponds and 1 x 200W pump to irrigate the grow beds. These two pumps (on timers) together with 2 x 80W compressors to provide aeration stretches our available power to the limit.

And then the big moment arrived. I switched on the pump and then ran through to the fish tunnel to see the first flow of water into pond #1. The next nerve-racking time was when the water overflowed over the standpipe and came gushing into the solids filter. I need to make some small modifications, but all in all it worked well. I have a perfect flow of water over and under the various partitions in which I can now pack various filtration materials.

From there it was just a chip and put into the main drain and then over the rim flow and back into the pool (aka sump).

Tomorrow we run the small pump and test all of the spraybars into the growbeds.

Some images attached.

wow

That looks so very good synaptoman! I second the wow

I am looking at building a larger system this winter. I am looking at either concrete or plastic lined pond. Plastic liner is simpler and perhaps cheaper. What do you think about using a plastic lined pond set into the ground vs concrete?

Also what is your experience with concrete, is two inches enough thickness for walls of a pond / raceway?

DanD
25mpa concrete needs to be 100mm thick to retain water...
and still it seeps.
though 125mm with additves can give you a structural load capacity
albeit minimal and hold water
while 50mm might just do the job, even well! service life is a part of the econimics of AP.
But thats another story

I'd feel more comfortable with 4" (100mm) Even then I add an admixture called Sikalite and then paint it with a fish-friendly waterproof paint (or pool paint).

http://www.sika.co.za/diy/products.asp?cate=1&prodId=5

+1

It just occurred to me that your return to sump water way is most likely adding alot of oxygen to the water. I like it so much that I think I will include this in my next design.

BTW, how is that solids filter working?

Very well. I had to raise the one inner wall by one brick but other than that, it's working. I'll take a photo tomorrow when I go out to the farm. The oxygenation is working particularly well with the drain design, especially the stream effect over the gravel in the drain.

Cheers

Image attached of the solids filter in action. Top left coral then activated charcoal "sausages" with filter floss on top. Middle right, you can just see the oyster shells. I'm open to suggestions for what to use in the other compartments.

Also attached an image of me cooling off in one of the ponds. We installed the blower and airstones in the ponds today. Temperatures 47 deg air temp in the greenhouse and 28 deg in the water.

Lastly an image of the blower.

Cheers

Hey... get out of my fish pond......

There is nothing to say - you have it all sorted out

I am thinking of using Coprox. Do you know it? Saw it at my local hardware. Any good?