Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

WR,

Welcome aboard!! Good to hear of another big system going together in the SE! I agree with BRB, and glad you understand, but seriously looking forward to seeing some posts and getting to know you. Sounds like you have some to contribute and a heart for helping people which goes a long way on this forum. I think the general attitude is one of sharing info and helping each other along to promote sustainability and improved small scale food production in all economic environs!

Peace, and welcome aboard!

CB

Hi Randy, Sounds interesting, what your trying to get going. The week long course you took, was it at Morning Star ? I'd like to be able to take it some day...even their one day course would be interesting.

I used to live in N FL too. I worked in Jacksonville. But it gets too cold there, so I moved to the Orlando area.... Actually, the 100 miles or so South, does make a big differance.

Randy, I hope to see your own post, with some pictures soon...David


Looking forward to the day we all get to meet up....

*Breaking NEWS FLASH*
For anybody who can get to SW Houston TX on Easter Sunday:
I will be boiling crawfish and hiding Easter Eggs as we do every year. I would love to have AP brethren join our usual suspects (neighbors, friends and relatives) who drop by after church and hang out till whenever.
Kids are more than welcome, dogs and cats and fish will have a good time too.
Just PM me to get directions (and so I can ensure to order enough mudbugs!) and we will fix you up.
Tent sites still available if you want to arrive the day before. Indoor accommodations for girls and boys (mattresses thrown on floor in respective rooms) hosted upstairs by Sarah, 15 (PlayStation 2), and Eric, 20 (Xbox Live).
WiFi, fresh ground coffee, chilled Shiner Bock and warm Red Stripe provided round the clock.

No, I won't make you wash gravel either. But we can have fun dragging two empty RubberMaid Stock Tanks around to see where they look best.

Hey, reading the above, I'd wanna come. So let me know.

Rick

Oh man - already made plans. Would have love to come though!

But remember you, sir have a season pass - your whole household are welcome any time we are there. The difference being we just will have to make do with ribs or grilled catfish instead of crawdads...

Rick

Wow Rick, that's a really nice offer ! I'd love to be able to get over there and meet everyone.It's been way too long since I had some mudbugs.....'slurp'...'drool' ....lickin' my lips'....

I am not able to travel far because I have no one to feed goats rabbits chickens pigs & fish. However, if anyone is planning a trip to Las Vegas, you are welcome to come and see my systems. I live an hours drive south of Vegas in Arizona, on the way to the Grand Canyon Skywalk. I do have an RV hook up with power water and sewer. In addition to the permaculture sort of place and aquasphonics we run lots of alternative energy that will interest you. I can also give you a short course in biodiesel production. So if comming this way or living nearby let me know your schedule and I will PM diections. On the map the nearby village is Dolan Springs Az.

OK, who's in for crawfish and comeraderie on Sunday? I'm doing a few projects today so may not check so much for posts.

Rick

so where is the meet up going to be? i think i may be the only socal APer willing to go, i think i am the only socal APer tho

Looks like it is at your place...

I'd like to vote for Charleston SC.. Everybody loves the place, and it's near barrelponics Travis and Countryboy (sorta)

I am very interested in going to a conference nearly anywhere in the States.

John

Well, scheduling for a "conference" I'm sure could be a real challenge but I believe most of us around are happy to show others our systems whenever we are available. At least I usually am willing, it's just the availability that sometimes gets tight.
But, when people are going to be in central Florida, they can send me a PM to let me know and hopefully schedules work out for a visit.

I know there are a few people doing workshops for Aquaponics in the states. Like morning start and the people who publish aquaponics journal I think as well as Friendlies out in HI. But it would be fun for us to get all the flood and drain media crowd together from here some day. I suppose some one who wants to host is just going to have to set a date, plan the party and see how many they can get to RSVP for the gathering.

TCLynx,

You are right, and I want to thank you again for the tour of your system and the information you provided my friend and I about a year ago. We also spent a day at Morning Star, while they are doing an awesome job, their system isn't quite what we read about here. They are using the raft system, and their information hand outs are pretty generic.
Here in America, we need someone like Joel or someone equal to his "Aquaponic Know-how" to come to the states and hold seminars on all the aspects of aquaponics. I also wish we had a place like Joel has in Australia to buy anything that has to do with Aquaponics here in the states. I know we have all the big box stores where we can buy anything we need, but if we were able to buy those awesome grow beds Joel has provided to the growers in Australia I would be first in line to buy them here.
I think that the interest shown in a US based conference that would charge a nominal fee would be able to cover the cost of a plane ticket and whatever he felt would be needed for his time and expertise knowledge.
We just would need a facility that has a system that is well established growing so that we can see a system from start to finish.
Just my thoughts - John

That's a very interesting point.... it took me 2 years and still counting to understand Aquaponics... I know I know it's a simple concept and it's not hard to come up with a system but when it comes to what you WANT it takes time to find the right equipment, set the heights right, the timing and electricity, feeds, fish and seeds costs right, how much food, plants and fish I wanted to eat and was willing to grow. And to work out how much time and effort I was willing to put in. It really is a good experience to understand other people's systems, and what they paid (money time and effort) to get it.
I guess my advice is... Keep it simple right from the get go. if you want something else, add it after you have finished the last bit of setup. Do each thing one step at a time. if you try to put all the gizmos and everything in at once you're going to crash. Do it only as you know how, and with the stuff you don't - do plenty of research and make it happen with caution.