Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

VB, am out at at the moment (how sad ) Will start a new thread under harware and answer all your questions when i get home. about an hour.

Steve

Hey Duncan,

Haven't really started yet. Am pondering about what tank to use. Tempted to use Murray's fibreglass insulated tank, but his post in this thread reads that he will not make the tank until he's got his greenhouse built. . . (Murray, is this true? Not till September?)
Don't want to wait that long, since I want to have perch for Christmas, so I figure I'd better start cracking with it all sooner or later. Reading all the posts in this forum I am starting to feel like I am lagging behind by not getting anywhere at all. . . .

Intend to buy one growbed (1.7 x 1 m foodgrade plastic "budget trough") to try and set up and see what it does when filled with gravel. Some small containers for a different spot as well will be the start of my set-up. Just looking for a decent size tank to go with it. Did find a 3300 ltr hexagonal fibreglass tank (2100 x 2100) for some $900 + transport. Also have quotes for galvabond/aquaplate tank, but I think I'll stick with fibreglass.

Karel

Karel - the hex tank you saw for $900 is that down south. The transport is as much or more than the tank Am I thinking of the same one.

Mate I think you aspirations for perch for Xmas are a bit high, unless you are intending on eating pretty small fish. Though having said that - some of Murray's jades are already 15cm and he has only had them for a few weeks. On the downside, Murray has them in a very controlled environment and is therefore getting growth that would otherwise not be seen in winter.

Yeah, it is the tank from near Newcastle, and yes they wanted some $550 for transport. That's a bit off-putting I'd think. Maybe I have to look at organising transport myself, maybe we can slot two tanks together and half the costs?

And yes, I do realise that I need some time to grow the fish, that's why I need to get started. (Did I say Christmas this year though?).

And I do also intend to put some solar heat in, from either black poly pipe on roof, or some second hand hot water unit collectors maybe?

Karel

Christmas 2007 hey!?
That would be abut a year before I get mine

It is tempting Karel - but I don't think we could get the shipping down low enough for it to be worth while. I may hang out for Murray's tanks - though ideally would have gone a bit bigger than the 2,500l capacity of his (which may even be a bit less unless filled to the brim). The Hex shape is an attractive proposition.

Where are you getting you poly troughs? How high are they and how much $$?

Hey VB,

As stated in an earlier post in another thread: "I haven't gotten as far as you yet, though I think this weekend I have found my growbeds. They are plastic, 1.7 x 1m, 0.3m high, and cost $145 each. I guess based on some 3000 ltr tank I need 6 of them and am going to try and get them cheaper, or find out where they come from and go direct to the source. I found these at the local produce store (Brookfield).

I have to say that they felt a bit sloppy, really all they are is a rectangle of thin-nish poly with a bottom, so they look a bit warped. That's why I will only get one first and see what happens when I build a support frame (thinking of 4 posts with 2 70x35 pine longways and a number of 70x35's the short way on top) and then fill it up with gravel. It might bulge out I guess, who knows?

Karel

ROSKAR, I will have the first tank off in about 2 to 3 weeks - have grow beds already.
I will post pix on the forum when first tank is made.
Tank size....I am going to have several in the end... I have already placed my order for 100 Murray Cod so I will need two at least to house them....but they won’t be ready (the Murray Cod) until late January so I have a bit of learning time between now and then, to get the grow bed numbers etc on my first system firing along.

Also my Jade are doing really good (now that I have learned how not to kill them)
I hope to be having one or two for the Xmas BBQ - but if there is only a few ready I might have to find some where in Brisbane to meet the Brisbane Forum guys and we will have a ceremonial "First Jade" BBQ (Secret boys business !!!!) I certainly don’t want to share the first few with some of my scoffing rellies

Murray

Ouch, that not going to be fun to clean up if it does Karel. Depending on what your using for your medium, you may want to go a little more solid in your main lengthway supports. Perhaps 2 70x35s bolted together on each side, but then as I said, just depends on how heavy your medium is going to be...

I can't stop staring at your bike avatar whenever I see it.....

Yeh I remember you saying that now Karel, just didn't twig because I couldn't remember you saying they were food grade previously.

Murray - you must be getting excited about the prospect of having the first tank produced within a few weeks . Can't wait to see a photo - or may see the mould when I come out to pick up my first grow bed in a week or 2.

I am almost finished the plug for the mould , that will be done by this weeks end then a few days to lay up the mould, leave it cure out for a few days then make the first tank. When I make the first tank then I will be able to accurately cost the tank, I will know then the materials used and the labour content, but I will make sure they are very competitively priced.
I am getting excited because my Jade really need to have a bigger home soon...so I really need one myself...badly...

Right,

I'll hold off until the end of next week then, and see what you come up with Murray.

Joel, is July to December long enough to be able to throw something on the BBQ (starting from 5 cm fingerlings, that is)? Actually, I don;t even know if I can get any fingerlings when I am ready for it anyway. Murray, why do you have to wait till January for the Murray Cod?

The growth rate of your Jade's seems phenominal. I wonder if they will slow down at some point - hope not. I gotta get me some of them. My silvers are showing obvious growth - but nothing like as good as your jades.

R they eating the commercial native pellet yet Murray (or is that what you have always fed them in the afternoon and flake in morning).

Have you kept any data on how much food you have gone through?

When I get my proper system going I will try and keep track of all inputs and outputs (at least inputs that cost a buck - won't be practical to track duckweed input).

The Murray Cod are hatched in late November and it takes to mid Jan before they are 50mm or so long and ready to be sold off. The hatchery for Murray Cod do not have any left from this last seasons hatchings.
If you want any you have to order well in advance evidently and pay a holding deposit.
I figure that I want to grow Murray Cod so I am ordering 100 because I will grow them out over a 2 year period gradually eating my way through.....
There are still some Jade perch available from the hatchery at Beenleigh and Jades grow out very quickly....by the look of mine I expect to have several ready for that (secret forum mens business) BBQ around Xmas.
Murray

VB, no not keeping any hard data, I guess I should be. I purchased a 2 kg bag of native pellets and I have used about 1/4 of them together with one medium sized can of tropical flake. I am not going to buy any more flake I reckon, I ran out a few days ago....I think I will just keep them on the Native pellets and wait for that duck weed to get a go on...they really like that stuff I can tell you.