Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Great to see you go for it OBO! My system isn't up yet but we took the bull by the horns and planted a garlic crop this year, it was a risk and we had no idea what we were doing but having dug a couple up yesterday it looks like we are way ahead. We will have barra in our system here. The local markets on a saturday have a travelling fisho that turns up most weeks. He is asking for and getting $37.95/kg for barra! Keep in mind that the ocean is only 50km from here, So fish is not hard to come by. I think you will do great OBO! Especially if the mechanical side covers the big ongoing expenses like rent and power. It certainly will take the pressure off the AP a bit.
Cheers,
Adrian

That tends to be my experience too, no sharing going on, I thought the idea was "a bit more for the farmer a bit less for the consumer"

That's the thing that chappo is forgetting, not all things can be grown or produced in all areas, increased fuel costs would lead to shortages of equipment, food, medicines, etc. Massive societal problem far greater than local producer issues.

You are right that not all things can be produced everywhere. This is why the whole concept of being "self sufficient" is a bit skewed.

However, some huge steps can be taken toward improving our planet if people do make an effort to buy locally grown/produced/made items when it is an option. Also, it isn't such a huge hardship to occasionally make adjustments to one's habits in order to eat locally produced choices instead of ones that have to be shipped from Chile.

Ah but that's kinda beside the point. We are all curious about what plans OBO has for his system, fish and produce!!!!!

So, OBO, what is the focus of your plans here. Producing eating fish? Producing veggies? or supplying fingerlings or what?

Good point TCL,
I figure the greater the market mix the better the odds are for survival

gutted fish in local Holes woops Coles which looked about 300gms with guts in $8.99 each, last week $5.99 for smaller again

Good for you for trying OBO,

Local produce will always have an advantage over other supplies it has a growing consumer awareness and saves on transport cost, which Chappo
is a huge cost for producers, trust me I have lots of trucks and the only thing we transport is refrigerated food locally and interstate

As to farmers markets, they are all over Syd at least 2 or 3 per week in different areas, they generally are not cheaper than the suppermarkets
because people are willing to pay more to feel better about where there food comes from (or where they think it comes from).

Farmers get "bent over" because they are usually "price takers" not "price setters" there crops are ready or there cattle are finished and they need to sell them now and end up with what ever the market is paying that day I see it every day in the markets, growers send produce into Syd with no idea to what they will actually be paid for it. If the three main buyers stop buying one item just for a day the price can drop 50%.

From what I have read OBO you are going to market direct to his customers with no middle man, now if you can add a small value added range like smoked trout or even a cooked trout product your margins would be far greater (so to is your cost and risk) I have a lot of customers that are small producers and all of the successful ones have gone down the path of value adding.

Its a long winded way of saying good luck it can be done but it wont be easy, but then nothing worthwhile is.

I'd agree with the value adding comments... Smoked trout is absolutely beautiful and demands quite a high price.

No processing allowed on site

TCL - Fish growth and survival are the main concerns in this system. Plant growth is a big thing too, but this will come with high stocking densities. I am yet to organise the plant side, but I dont think I will have trouble selling it.

High stocking densities require high feed rates, high amounts of oxygenation, high bio-filtration capacities, high water volume turnover.... and high levels of management....

You ready for all that OBO????

I'm concerned that your $10K budget is way short.... by about another zero....

Bummer, you could still look at the possibility of getting a commercial kitchen to carry out the processing for you, it eats into your margin, but no capital outlay and a lot less trouble/risk on your behalf.

then again I would assume that might be a bit harder in Kal than say Syd or Melb but something to think about

If you want to kill and process the fish on site would you fall under the legal requirements for abattoirs? I know you cant butcher beef on farm.

Oversize if possible.

Aquaponically high stocking rates Rupe, not super fish farm style. I know it is going to cost a bit, but it's not as if the current system at home has been cheap so far I am pretty confident of being able to manage the risks. Especially with the spiders, you can really add a lot more filtration capacity. I am going to need a couple of 6 port 40mm ones off you too. Would prefer 8 port

Yeah Novaris, processing on site would mean I would have to get a rural block, and then go through all the other crap for health etc.

I am going to run this system as low maintenance as possible, I know this means lower stocking rates, but I am still going to push it a fair bit

I'll get some photos of the block tomorrow. New lino is being layed in the office.

I wonder what the rules are for fishing boats? It's interesting how things can differ depending on historical usage, I mean if someone tried to introduce smoking or alcohol as new products in today's society they would have no chance but we use them every day because they are established.

Does AU have business incubators, like we have here in the U.S.? If so, check to see which ones have commercial kitchens and use that to create value added products or even simple gutting and filleting, if that is an obstacle to getting into your target markets. Have you done a business plan? I highly recommend it, if you haven't. Business plans include marketing, projected income and expenses, break even, future expansion and many other business decisions. I changed my initial system design after doing a business plan- infrasturture costs were out the roof with a commercial system. Do you have the equivilent of Small Business Admistration? They have people who can assist with the paperwork aspect of the business and help in getting loans for operation and expansion.
I wish you luck. I am already where you are and lining up prospective buyers once I'm operational.