Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hi Everybody

Another newbie from Perth joining the forum - living in the hills to the east of Perth.

We're currently doing a large extension/renovation to our house, and one feature I've squeezed into the plans is a 3,500 litre, in-ground, concrete/brick fish pond that is completely surrounded by the house but not inside the house (i.e. open to the sky, separated from the rooms by walls and windows, almost no direct sun)

I've kept fish and yabbies, in various forms, for most of my life and have had a vege garden on-and-off over the years.

So my plan is to use the pond as part of an aquaponics system once the renovation is completed, around October '09. I don't have any questions yet, but they will no doubt start flowing as I draw closer to implementation time.

Cheers

Nigel

Hi Nigel, take it from me start asking now and design things around the answers, good luck, Is that a Cod in your avatar? may need more than 3500lt for that

Nice ASCII art !

When the time comes, post lots of photo's - get lots of (mostly) good advice !

Hi Nigel, which part of the hills? I am in Kalamunda. Sounds like a really interesting renovation, love to see some pictures.

Cheers,
Mike

G'day Nigel. Sounds like a top system in the making. Some photos now as Burnsy says will enable us to help you design it, and make us envious. Piping going to grow beds would be well worth planning in the early stages.

Welcome
Same as above. Plus you can always start something small to get a feel for it. Then use it to help seed the larger system later.

What out for all that radon gas leaching out of the hills

It's heavy and forms an inversion on top of you flatlanders

Rise above the rest, live in the hills

Thanks for the advice everybody - I'll try and get some photos up over the Easter weekend.

Burnsy - I'm in Greenmount, just off Swanview Rd.

Nocky - yep, a Eastuary Cod that went just under 40kg, off of Onslow.

Cheers

Nigel

What the size limit again for cod ???? Looks like a breeder

Hi Jessy

The upper size limit back then was 38cm, which this was well over. Definitely a breeder.

So, we took the quick snap, and then I spent the next 20 minutes holding it off the back of the boat until it could hold itself upright and swim under it's own steam. It swam out a few metres from the boat and then descended at an angle until we couldn't see it anymore.

Cheers

Nigel

Chilidude,
Does your name indicates a taste for the "fire fruit"?
I have a Habanero Chilli as well as other Chilli bushes growing in my Aquaponics system.
They fruit prolifically and have been in the system for 1 and 2 years respectively..

Would you like a couple of fruit so you can plant them in your own system?

This offer is open to other members also.
Tony

Welcome Chillidude - sounds like a great idea to have an aquaponics fishtank as the centrepiece to your house! Excellent talking point when its on show to all your visitors Good luck!

Mate... i started with plans to build a 3000L pond .. you know, just a small system etc... I am about to pour a slab for a 7000L pond. interested to see/hear how you plan to waterproof your pond as i will be crossing that bridge in the near future. just a tip, if you are digging by hand, dont get carried away or if you plan to get carried away, hire an excavator. Also if you need to get rid of the dirt you pull out, Skip bins are dear as poison look for a small bobcat and truck operator. i was going to pay 350 for a 7 day hire of skip (incl removal of dirt) but i got twice the volume of sand taken for 160.

Hi Chillidude

welcome to the madness and the addiction

i have Jalapenos in my system if you would like a few seeds let me know ( anyone is welcome to pm for some seeds )

hope you have fun with this