Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Mate...if I bring a water sample in for testing, you should offer me free shipping for anything I buy

But the BBQ smells delicious!

And there are not many competitors that would spend time giving advice free on a forum.

That's the problem with society these days. When you charge for your service, people think you provide good value. When you give advice and help freely, people think you are trying to rip them off.

Can't win these days.

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No-one gives advice for free these days, that's only one of the things wrong with today's society.

Forums are a great place to discuss ideas, without ramming them down people's throats.

So far for me the Basix Plastix tank has been a godsend. My kids can't get in it, which was my main worry. I also wanted something that 'looked good'.

I always say you shouldn't knock something until you've tried it. Granted alot of people have alot more experience with AP than what I have BUT even if you see where they may be a problem, than point it out. Just do it in the right way.

It's also interesting to see the 'passion' that lies within...

Ummm...noone on this forum gets paid for posting. Or are you saying you haven't got any advice from any of the posts here?

I like the look of that, with a submerged pool light that wouldn't be that hard to see in, not much different to everyone that has the grow beds covering the fish tank. Most of the square tanks that I have seen including the IBC setups have over 1/2 the top of the tank covered. Admittedly swirl filter is a bit pointless at that size.


Not saying you should be testing for free but pretty much all pool shops do free testing, when I used to have a pool I never once tested it myself. They worked on you buying the chemicals from them to make their money. Aquaponics is a little different in the fact that you need to test more often and you use less chemicals to balance the system.

Have you considered instead of saying "sorry, we don't do water testing here" make it a positive and a sale. " water testing is $5 each time, alternately we have this master test kit here for $52, if you buy it I can help you test the water this time and show you how to use it". If the customer is cheap then they will pay $5 and have it tested there, most will see the logic and buy the test kit. If you offer a service with the product then people will be more likely to buy it.

Also competition in the small systems should be looked on as a good thing, from what I have seen all these jumping on the bandwagon are only producing small compact systems. If people can spend a little bit of money to "test" the aquaponics water and see if its something they like then there will be more willing to spend the bigger money and also more people will know about it. I have not seen any jumping on the bandwagon with a system that will produce anything like the "backyard system" for example.

So the customer comes to your shop, is impressed but thinks they can't afford it, they go buy a cheap setup, bug you for help, system gets running nicely and they decide to go bigger, walk into your shop and are now willing to shell out for the larger systems. its a win win win situation.

Q: What sort of feed would you get out of that?
A: Not very much.

Perhaps as a general rule this is a bad aspect of society, but not everyone is like that...

Here have an electronic magazine for free... http://byapmagazine.com/firstissue.html We'll have an interactive IBC manual available in the next couple of weeks that will be free, and we've started on a manual about blue barrels which will be free...




Unfortunately the reality is more along the lines of people failing to do well with AP because of the poor systems and/or information supplied. They give up saying AP doesn't work, it's crap, then tell all their friends the same..

There's some truth in that... and indeed I often suggest that if cost is an issue that people do exactly that.... get an IBC, and/or some blue barrels... or even some Tilkey grow beds....

Indeed, in some ways I do myself a dis-service by showing people through my systems... most of which are DYI components... not full kit systems....

But I've also found that most people that come to have a look over my systems.. are DYI'ers anyway.... and most after having sucess with a DIY bits and pieces system... go on to add more bits and pieces....

And that's the reality of the market... or at least an over-wealming percentage of the market...

The rest already want a proven turnkey system that has some aesthetic appeal.... before they either come and have a look... or contact me....

As to whether or not I have "proof" of contact from other suppliers... yep, I have emails... others sometimes reveal themselves and intentions on the phone, most don't .. but reveal themselves when they start asking questions regarding pricing and sales volume...

And the above never bother to make contact again, and usually decline my offer to come and have a chat with them... or have a look at their product, and/or trial it...

Others I find via the internet... or via other people ....

Nearly all are converted rainwater or stock tanks... stock/sheep feeders/troughs... or as in the case of those pictured... manufactured by the rainwater tank guys that have rotomoulding facilities....

Almost always... there's never any real discussion of aquaponics, or aquaponic principles... even if I initate it... they don't really care... they're just interested in selling a "product"... not a system, or the idea of aquaponics....

A bit like Hardly Normal selling computers... they're box movers...

Sorry VLT only just saw this. No I have got advice from posts on here.

Just saying that out in society in general - no-one helps anyone these days. SAD....

I love seeing this kind of thing on a forum.

You can always tell a worthwhile place to visit by how politely the people pushing another place are treated. That's often an indication of the service and quality of the product for sale by the hosts as well.

I wonder how long we would be welcome, if we went to a randomly selected aquaponics forum/shop and started banging on about BYAP. I'm just a casual user and have no affiliation with BYAP but I've started pointing people to the BYAP shop because the people running this site dont push their products at all. There must be a shipload of work that goes into this forum, and I'm sure the end result is that the future of aquaponics is served, but these people must have a lot of faith in their stock to say things like ...

"
Yeah, that's an awful lot of pushing of Bundy stuff, for your first few posts ever on this forum Mr Spoon... Might want to start a new thread if you want to compare systems and components rather than thrash Rosey's thread..
"
[stuff deleted due to rethink ]

just think about that.

Not "$(^& off" just, you might want to start a new thread.

It's really easy to see who's worthwhile in the world by their reaction to competition and criticism. That's not to say "Bundy" isn't worthwhile, I don't even know what that is, but spare a thought for the fact that I can say the word "Bundy" at will.

Bundy

Bundy

Bundy

This is an amazing place full of amazing people provided by an amazing company.

All things being even close to equal, buy some stuff from them.

hahahah when i start getting paid i might throw you some change

Man have everything ready just not enough time to put everything together expecially with teh 4 IBCs coming this morning

I'll help anyone and give advice for free.

I collect advice and have done so for 15 years.

So far my favourite was from a 11 year old kid who, when I asked for general advice advice, didnt even look up from his gameboy when he replied...

"Dont smoke crack, and brush your teeth."


mmm


That's some good advice.

And free!

and there's plenty more where that came from

[quote="BullwinkleII

"Dont smoke crack, and brush your teeth."

[/quote]

That's some good advice there.

Fair, straight to the point!!!!

And you know what? It's worth keeping your scruples, it's worth not compromising and trying to do the right thing at all times. Because every now and then, someone else will see it and recognise it, even if your average punter generally has no idea...