Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I think I've decided to begin with the barrel-ponics setup, in order to learn this process. I have a lot of questions now though about pump size/cost and plants that are ok/good. I picked up some water hyacinths from a lady in town with too many and have them down in a white drum cut in 1/2. My bees are very thankful for the new water source. Do water hyacinths work ok for aquaponics setup with goldfish to begin?

I know that goldfish can live in livestock tanks here in OK with water lettuce in them without having to have aeration and so figured that I could begin with those while I was building the barrel-ponics setup.

I took inventory of the scrap woods at the barn and found I have 2X4's, some 2 X6's and some 4X4's but not enough concrete blocks and no 2 X 8 for the frame. Could I get away with using 2 X 6's for the angle pieces that the grow beds nest in or would they not hold them at the right angle? seems to me the grow beds would set just fine once filled how would they go anywhere? I guess I'm asking if using the 2 X 8 and 2 X 6 isn't more for visual rather than really structural support?

Would it be stable enough if I just made 2 X 4 bracing on each side of 4 X 4 legs instead of buying more concrete blocks?

let me know if this is the wrong thread for this.

Have you downloaded the Barrelponics Manual ...

http://www.aces.edu/dept/fisheries/educ ... ponics.pdf

Yes, I've read the manual. I phoned the local lumberyard and will just cost me about $7 to get a 2 X 8, so next trip to town, I'll get one and proceed with frame building. I decided that since I have enough water barrels I should finally install rainbarrels at a few of our downspouts from the guttering as well, so today I've gotten one of those partially completed, will take the parts store to complete that one (just need a little atrium gate for a filter for the top. Hubby already had an extra spiget and we had a pipe assembly from our pig project where we used the 55 gallon drums for pig waterers. These drums are just so versatile! Also phoned our local bait shop and they've finally got some little goldfish in, so I'll get some of those also. So, it would be a good thing for me to also get some scummy stuff from someone else's pond to add to the setup?

Can someone look at these pumps and tell me what the best fit is for a barrelponics system:

http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?pat ... &id=166937

http://www.webbsonline.com/catalog/pump ... agodWAVtYA

I was looking at the Calpump at webbsonline. I have absolutely no prior experience with water gardening or pumps, so there is just so much I don't understand yet.

Hi. I just recently finished building a barrelponics system about two months ago. I was confused about the pump requirements as well. I looked at the same ones that you were looking at too! If you are looking for a permanent pump, someone else with much more experience will comment.

While I was at Home depot, I noticed a 300lph "fountain" pump for ~$30US. I know it is a temporary solution (I'm working on a solar setup), but it works great. The pump to top tank distance is such that I get roughly 4 dumps an hour, so about 80gph?

Good luck!

We got our barrels cut today! I posted two pics: www.shepards-gate.blogspot.com

Don't really understand how to upload pics here yet. Will work on that.

Don't know if this helps, but I wish I'd seen these when I was looking for drill bits:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/d ... mber=38425

I just got some from Home Depot, paid way too much for a single bit!

Kristopher

Pump wise, from the websonline link, the best bet there is the T1500, even that is very oversized for barrelponics. At 10' of head it gives over 4500 litres per hour, so it's pretty powerful.

The other page's pump has bronze in it, so its not really good.

Just a quick update, haven't done a thing more on the barrel ponics due to deciding that given the time of year, I'd better erect the hoophouse to cover the barrel-ponics system. So, we've got a 20 ft X 12 ft hoophouse erected, no end wall framing done yet, just hoops, baseboards (2 X 12's), and purloins up. Bought the missing 2 X 6 for the framing of the barrel-ponics and plan to get that done tomorrow, then new pics! Just ordered some broilers, so am thinking I'll do something in the hoophouse for them too till they're feathered out. Got in on the last hatch of the season. Our minnows are still alive in our barrels with some hyacinth, it's been fun watching the bees enjoy that source of water.