Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I have been reading the forums for almost a month now. I finally decided that I would see if I too can become a serial fish killer. (and maybe grow something in the process)

I am going to go with a Flood and Drain on timer. I borrowed heavily from the excellent barrelponics manual by Travis.

The frame is built. Now I need to scrounge some cement blocks to raise the frame and I can get started plumbing. The freakishly warm weather here has helped.

I have attached a picture of my progress so far.

Welcome to the madhouse and the addiction Croy

your looking good so far you might want a frame around the out ends of the beds ( side of the barrel ) as others have commented that they distort when full

hope to see you finished soon

I have seen some pictures on this forum or another that had a piece of angle metal running along the edges of the split barrel. I was thinking about something like that.

I think you're referring to SS_Barrels thread... it was done very neatly

Howdy Croy I'am from Loveland but now live in south central Oklahoma lived there for 32 years and here 7 where are you located?

I'm a Colorado native but the last 20 years has been in the Greeley area.

My oldest brother lives a couple of blocks west of the Smiling Moose restuarant. I see you are probibly using barrells from cow teat dip I know if you contact eco-lab they could let you in on a endless supply of barrells cheap. Are you in the country or in town? Ah the smell of Greeley in the summer, brings back some memories. Keep posting the pictures.

You have been gone a while. It hasn't been the Smiling Moose for quite some time. (Too many liquor license violations).

These barrels had colloidal silica in them. I was trying to keep it as non-toxic as I could.
I will have to check into the eco-lab thing.

This system is just for proving the concept to the boss. If I can convince here that it works this summer, I'll look at putting up a hoop greenhouse with a larger system in it.

I'm about 10 miles southeast of Greeley proper in the country. I was always told that smell was just the smell of money, to bad it's all somebody else's.

Hey Croy!

It looks like it'll be a nice system. Have you decided what kind of fish you're going to start with? Also, are you going to go all outdoors for the summer or are you going to have some in and some out?

I'm looking forward to seeing your results, and letting you do the learning for me!

Hope this weeks snow didn't put things too far back.

With the barrel ponics bracing as it is, I have not had too much buldging of my barrels. Any set up I've done that doesn't have the bracing like the barrel ponics manual, I have had buldging that required attention.

Welcome and good luck!!!!

Ballistic Gourd -- I am planning on feeder goldfish to start with. They are cheap and easy to come by. It is going to be an outdoor system for the summer. And the tanks were frozen and covered with about 12 inches of snow. Aren't Spring blizzards in Colorado fun!

TCLynx -- I have not noticed any bulging since I filled them with rocks. I just need to clean my tanks again cause I didn't wash my gravel good enough and ended up with a bunch of dirt in the tank.

I'll have to get some Pictures soon.