Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Steve I think Wilson and his system deserve a little more respect than that. Whilst there is plenty of room for more research, theories and trials, I think he is the only person in Australia to have done a PhD in Aquaponics and is currently operating a commercial system. Also if there is going to be discussion the merits of one system over another based on their similarity to nature or the perception of requiring less human intervention the discussion needs to be put into perspective. Aquaculture, hydroponics and therefore aquaponics are inherently unnatural. There is no naturally occurring environment or ecosystem similar to an aquaponics system- aquaponics does not mimic or imitate nature it manipulates and exploits particular biological and environmental characteristics of a small group of species.
The average aquaponics system takes artificially bred fish puts them at unnaturally high stocking level into man-made waterways and attempts to improve their natural growth rates by feeding them artificial food consisting mainly of ingredients found outside their food chain. The system then pumps the resultant unnaturally high concentrations of their waterborne waste to unnaturally high concentrations of bacteria whose waste products are then feed to non-native plants grown without soil, often in temperature manipulated environments. Every element of the system is manipulated by man to provide a more desirable result.
If there is still to be discussion on wether solids removal v’s no solids removal is more ‘natural’ we need only to look at the natural environment of the fish we are keeping. Normally fish would rely on water flow and volume to reduce the concentrations of solid waste in their local environment. Unnaturally high stocking densities combined with a recirculating water system without removing any solids we are effectively increasing the concentration of the faeces the fish are living in. High concentrations of fish faeces in a system may well improve plant growth rates and health but it’s certainly not more ‘natural’, but in such an unnatural environment more or less ‘natural’ is pretty irrelevant anyway.

Royale, point of order, and i'm sick of hearing it, he does NOT have a phd in aquaponics, show me ONE uni that is offering a phd in aquaponics

He completed is thesis for whatever biology course he did on the topic of aquaponics. Otherwise my friend would have "PHD in colon cancer" as this is what her thesis was on.



I'll let someone else answer that, as i thought most of us were trying to mimic nature as far as possible



From the above statement you have obviously not read many of the posts in the forum otherwise you would have realsied to what lengths people are trying to go to provide a more natural diet. Also i'll pop down to the loacl creek and take a NO3 measurement for you, i seriously doubt it will be below 20-40ppm which is where (or above) many people have their systems at.

Oh, and much of the research done for a thesis is referencing others work, would i be stretching to say that the NUMBER of operating BACKYARD systems producing very high plant yeilds, some of which are flowering and fruiting plants is OF greater number and therefore represents a higher sample group for testing than a few bench top lab systems?

But i'll stop there and let others have an input.

Yes, i was listing some reasons why i thought one style of system was better than another, but i was certanly not disrespecting anyone, and i do tend to get somewhat flusterd when people attribute instant authority to a qualification someone has attained. The qualification a person has may or may not lay testament to the persons ability. Thats why we have good tradies and bad tradies. No different. It just gets to me when the qualification get bantered around, commanding respect.

Steve

Woah!!! I don't wanna get too deep here, but will chuck in my 2 cents worth.

Simplicity IMHO means minimal labour involved. Anything past feeding the fish and harvesting and planting plants, and some water top ups, is too much labour for my liking. Dr NIck, who spent $500000 of Canada's finest dollars on AP research still couldn't explain why a 12 month old AP system beat hydro hands down for plant grwoth. We're back to the notion of a mature system. I would be surprised if a system like Minnamurra could ever become truly mature, if they are talking about cleaning biofilters etc, and I remember Wilson saying the bean bags balls were no good, and they were going to replace them with another medium. I can't remember the reason

I have no experience with this whole this bar what I have learned here, and from the book, and from minimal outside research. I have seen the system at Minnamurra, and refuse to get into a bagging of it. However, what I want to see is results. How did the projections end up at the end of year one? How is it going in 5 years etc. I reckon with AP, only time will tell.

I personally would like to see all types of systems created on a backyard level, and want photos, costings etc and more photos. Show us growth, both fish and plants and lets work it out in a mature adult fashion without shit canning each other. Personally, I will eat my shorts if anything beats good ole gravel for simplicity, and productivity, but bring it on.

As for respecting the good doctor, and if you are out there lurking Wilson, sign up mate, show your hand, respect is earned by results not by pieces of paper. I am results orientated. There's the challenge Royale. Set up your system the Minnamurra design on a backyard scale and really keep us informed of your progress, and we will wait for results eagerly Please don't dissapear into the abyss like others have, we need to see this kind of system up and running on a backyard scale to make real judgements. Try and keep a track of time spent each day as well when it is up and running and we'll analyse all that too. Be aware as the only person I am aware of on this forum not using any gravel beds as part of their system, you are a BYA pioneer, and we will await your progress eagerly!!

Don't forget Murray and his trials with coco-peat

True enoughm but there's stiull some gravel in there, and in growbed biofiltration

bugger

Well, the second small step was taken today.
My rainwater tank was full and seeing rain was forecast for most of next week I thought Id better transfer some it too my blue drums. I of course then found myslelf with 4 220L mozzie breeders so i promptly went out an grabbed some commets. The water in these drums will go straight into my system when i get myself organised so the goldies are starting the cycle as we speak .

comet (any fish really)will make light work of them. When i had my first power out and fish kill in my indoor aquarium (22 perch) the tank was left without fish for a month or so (during summer) was woken every night by the sound of a mozziewith the corresponding welt. I lifted the polystyrene cover of the tank to find AMonster mozzies. I fished one small perch from outside, and the mozzies and larvae were no more by that evening.

I wouldn't have thought 2 comets in 200L (with about 2 grams of food) would be enough to cause an algae outbreak in 2 weeks, but it has happened. The two tanks that had 2 comets each have plenty of green stuff (not quite pea soup yet) while the other 2 that had no fish are full of mozzie wrigglers- time to organise some convicts to clean up the place. Anyway, its good to know the water is part cycled, Ill have to run some tests on it soon.

Ordered my tank today, 3000L Nylex stock tank (the 4500L one was too big, it wouldn't fit through the shed door), it will be delivered next tuesday.
Water has been collected 3200L worth, and is some of it is being cycled by 20 comets...and soon some convicts.
Dodgy greenhouse has arrived but I havent put it up yet.
Plastics and storage wharehouse are the next stop, they have some great options for sump tanks and modular growbeds, as well as some bins for a swirl filter and maybe something to make a biofilter.
After that nightingale will be visited for a primary and standby pump.

after all that humming and hahhing over which tank, simple logistics got the better of you!

Yeah, I may have diagonally fit the 4500L one through the 2.6m door but I wasn’t going to risk that maybe. Also 4500L was just too much water
The 3000L one was about $60 more

Ahhhh, nightingales.........the home of the $350 aircon

I'm sure Les could loan you a chainsaw!

hehehe - I was gonna suggest get a bigger shed door (but yours is better) :sunny: