Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I would like to first thank many of you contributors here for plenty of your valuable advices that I have gathered when I was lurking around to build my own system. I built this in March 2011 as a test system at my brother's place. It is really my first step in aquaponics. I was inspired by a fellow Malaysian named Affnan to change my initial plan which was a hydroponic system to an aquaponic system instead. Thus, the journey began...

Initially, I thought that I wanted to do all the updates and stuff in a blog but because I feel that I owe so many people here a big thanks on their advices (whether directly to me or advice to others) I decided that it is only fair to have a similar updates thread here as well.

From my lurking around, I know you guys just love pictures so lets have a look at them already...







I've really learned a lot from this small system and after fiddling around with it. I think I've made peace with it and it will take care of itself from now on...I'll continue on the next post, exceeding the limit of attachments here...

My system has come through external shocks twice, a month apart. This was in May 2011 I guess. I have been using mosquito sprays to the dwarf long bean plants as they were being attacked by aphids. Somehow it found its way into the water and a lot of fished died. However, prior to that I have harvested nearly all of my plants so the skyrocketing nitrates could've also killed the fishes.

Mozzie sprays have been proved fatal by a fellow aquaponic guy here, and high nitrates could also kill the fishes. When I came back from my week long training I changed 50% of the water and also added more pots per row so I can provide both solutions for the two possible causes of fish loss. During this time, the newly germinated veges were really stunted and many didn't make it...





What I'm grateful so far is that I really didn't have to fiddle with the pH because my media was hydroton. Though I didn't have spectacular growth at first, I solved the problem with the addition of coral grits. I didn't realize the pH has dropped to about 5 (test kit range 5.5-7.6, I think) and was shown by the other wide range pH test kit I got. After that, things were taking off except for one thing...

If you remember, this system is at my brother's place. He is the kind of guy who'd get so interested and excited in the first few days and then forget about it. He is the caretaker of this system, thus when my biofilter overspilled and drained the fish tank (about 2 days of no water - think I know the difference between wilting and crisp dry leaves). When I came, I found the pumps dry buzzing and the fish tank was almost bone dry and fishes were cramming the little puddle left. Half are drying and rotting away. My brother works at home. I don't mind that it happened but I do mind that it went unnoticed, for about 2 days...His office window is overlooking the system. Honest, I shed some tears when I saw the struggling fishes. Another half of the fish gone...A quick modification to the biofilter and I think it is now quite spillproof...

Fortunately, since the system has found its stable point my brother has been harvesting and eating fresh veges thus more interested in feeding the fish. I'm still trying to get him to replace a harvest with a seedling though...so I don't have to come over and do it for him

Lets cut the story short and take a look at what's happening now...







6 months running and I'm really happy with my journey in aquaponics. I've definitely learned a lot from my system as well as from this forum. About three weeks ago, I accidentally switched the system to a continuous flood by reducing water flow to the beds (so it wouldn't start the siphon) and left the timer to continuous on mode by accident. I wanted to try the flood and drain without activating the siphon (read from BYAP trials post). When I came back from the holiday the plants grew like mad. So I figure this irrigation method must be working well and stuck to it except that I run flood and drain without siphon and stick with the 1 hour flood 1 hour drain planned from the first day. More pictures and updates in the future

If you're a blogwalker, my blog is at http://www.mahfudzaquaponic.blogspot.com

If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions I'm all ears!

Cheers,
Mahfudz M Nor

Oops, I have forgotten the fishes...

I chose tilapias to start with and also added some catfish later but the catfish have perished with the mozzie spray shock. I haven't harvested the fish, I'm waiting for them to get bigger. They don't grow very well as this is quite a neglected system when it comes to feeding the fishes. If my work at home brother feeds them everyday and not once a week (Yeah, he is that kind of guy) I should be having tilapias in a month or two.



Cheers

great thread! I'm checking out your blog as well. Cannot wait to start my bigger system at my new house, so far only vegis i harvest are herbs and tomatoes would be nice to have real harvest!!

Thanks Matt. I truly understand that feeling to have a bigger system. I'm moving into my own house late next year. I'm already designing a bigger system where I'd have a conventional growbeds, these rafts, and pvc tower components all in one. Can't wait, but a new system has to go through the painful wait for cycling too haha!

you can always pinch some of the media from the pots or the bio filter to kickstart your new system

an interesting system i like the gutters thats a good idea

Cheers
pete

Yes, I am waiting for my new system to cycle as well. I lost many fish in my last cycle and I hope I have learned enough to prevent that this time! Ide love to see your ideas for your new big system, its starting to cool off here so unfortunately I am going to have to wait until next year to start. At least I will get alot of time to plan.