Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Dale, could you use your angle grinder to nick out a nice square?

Brilliant, cheers!

through the side or bottom what ever your comfortable with i have the glasshouse ones through the side see my thread for directions

Hi Dale, love your work so far. Your tank surrounds look really great I'll have to make mine a little nicer too soon! I have removed the frame of one IBC but the metal base doesn't come appart and leave the cage strong. I ended up putting it back together as it was less work. The star screws are a real pain!
I had to smile when I saw your note about digging the hole - I only got 1/2 way down and quit! Tough work once the dirt turns to rock or clay. Looking forward to the updates - esp as your system is similar to mine

Update.
Have cleaned the grow beds, I used a nylon scourer this time with water and it all came off easy, may have been different stuff from the sump tank.
and cut a hole in the metal tray for the plumbing to go thru, I used the angle grinder as advised, it worked well. Still working on a stand.
Had to grind the bolts from the top of the fish tank cages, they wouldn't come undone nicely.
Then cut the tops out.
So need to give them a clean and think about cladding them.
Hopefully be up and running before the end of the month.
Dale

Dale,

For the stand you can have a look at eBay and search for "work bench". There is a company making them from used dexion/Colby pallet racking. I was going to get them. On eBay it is advertised at 270 for 2 levels. The 1 level version is 170. Tell them you don't want the chipboard and it will be 140.

The size makes it not very suitable for me. I will be using besser blocks with redgum sleepers (200x75).

Not much of an update I'm afraid, its too cold to go outside.
Still haven't sourced any besser blocks for my grow bed stands, but have some free pavers which will go some way to it to pick up next week.
But here is a photo of my Almond tree just blossoming with the IBCs in the background.
Spring is almost here, I am so over the grey skys andf freezing winds.
Dale

Arent we all Dale. Arctic here today.
Wimmera river is flooding and running into lake Hindmarsh, and the resevoirs are filling so got to be happy about that.

Hello to you all,
long time coming update on this system.Oh my goodness, what has happened, my grow beds are filled with soil and so are the fish tanks!?
Well sorry to say I gave up!
I just couldn't do the plumbing and the grow bed stands. It was making me miserable!
So don't be cross with me but you can be disappointed, I am.
I don't like to fail or give up on anything, ask anyone who knows me, but this was just beyond me and beyond any friend I could have asked to help. Perhaps Aquaponics is too new? I just couldn't face the blank stares from Bunnings people any longer, when I tried to explain what it was I wanted. Then buying the wrong thing and having to go back and try again. Life is too short for that.
However all is not lost, the infrastructure is still there, it is still intact and I can come back to it in a year or two and try again when I am more ready.

So I have turned the tubs into wicking beds.Clad in bamboo screening to try to keep the sun off. I tried painting some but the paint wouldn't stick too well.
I am used to dirt gardening, been doing it all my life, just like a lot of you good people. And Spring has sprung and I must plant!Here are a couple of Roma tomatoes gone in. The pipe nearby is a worm feeding station. Push a pvc pipe into the soil, this one is 30cm long. I had drilled lots of holes in it so the worms can come and go, Put worms in and some food scraps on top and they will distrute the goodness thru the bed.
I understand this type of gardening, am comfortable with it. AP is too foreign for me just now.
My little AP system is still going strong though and I have plans to make that better.

cheers
Dale

bummer dale
you all come back now you hear

Oh no. I thought I was looking at a "I have done it" post.

Aquaponics is not really new, but the idea of doing it in your own backyard is new. Don't be disappointed, the fact that you found this website and you tried to have a go, you are already better than most. Out of the 10 people I speak to, about 1 have heard of aquaponics and out of that only 1 in 10 person actually moves out of their comfort zone to even have a go at it. Most of the people possibly thinking I am crazy. Actually, I did get a PM on another forum once expressing just that... "I am crazy"...

It is like me telling people that I have two investment properties in Victoria that I purchased as established properties about two years ago, but have never actually walked through the walls of those houses before. Not once.

I know I am different and I am glad to be that amongst the 5% of the population who dares to be different. So don't give up. Unfortunately I am on the other side of the country, so I can only provide moral support.

thankyou Ivansng, that was very nice what you said and you too red beard.
Dale

Hey Dale!

I agree Good to see you have a go at it and i bet now your Mind will tick over and over and over and you never know you might just have another go at it, and we will all be here to give you a hand and some guidance on the matter!

I must admit my system takes up a lot of my time Due to moving, changing bettering my system, wife seems to think its just a never ending Money Pit, but she see's that i am happy doing it and its actually going to produce somthing in the long run.

i Manage a Metal Fabrication Workshop, and i have Access to steel at cost prices, if needed next time you wish to have a go at it, i would be more than happy to Knock up a Couple of Metal Frames as stands at a very reasonable price for you, freight can be organised down to you cheaply as well.

its good to see you have planted up for spring, Wicking beds are awesome as well the worst thing about a long cold winter is missing spring for planting, so i can understand your move

hang in there and keep up the thinking, planning and ideas, cos there's always next season

Well at least you now have some kickass wicking beds and I bet they grow heaps of stuff for you.
Keep working on and expanding your small system might be the way to go.

Dale,

You can start smaller!

Get one of those sealed pottery fish ponds that you can get from a garden shop, sit a B* tub over the top with a hole drilled through the bottom. Pump up, drain back, minimal plumbing, no elbows, no hassles - grow yourself some herbs and some goldfish.

The system I describe above was my first system. You'll learn from there.