Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hello everyone,

I am so glad to have found this wonderful resource, and hope that I can contribute as well as learn, from the wealth of information here.

First I would like to reveal my motivation, I'll do my best to do it without getting too worked up. :-)

I'm a disabled veteran, who is sick of having to depend on the foods provided by the corporate American food industry.

My health was sacrificed for the benefit, of those who don't think my life was worth a hill of beans. I've been near death for the past 4 to 5 yrs and getting the VA to do what needs to be done, is like having my teeth pulled without pain killers. I guess I should have read the fine print of the benefits, before signing my life away to the US federal government.

Anyway, I received a massive dose of RF radiation when one of our new recruits powered up a radar jamming pod, which was used on the F-111FB aircraft. I just happened to be leaning on the forward transmit antenna talking to my supervisor and got a full dose. My insides were cooked like a chicken in a microwave.

Ever since I have had bleeding ulcers and multiple digestive problems, which have over the past few years gotten worse. I now have a condition called colitis and just absorbing nutrition and retaining water is an hourly chore. I'm almost totally, on a juiced fruits and vegetable diet, which makes it tough to get what I need to survive.

With an AP setup, I hope to get the nutrition needed from both the veggies and fish, with as little expense and manual labor as possible. My limited income, small space available and the low energy for maintaining it, is of course a major deterrent to my success.

With your help, I look forward to being able to design a system, that meets mine as well as others needs.

Shaking head here, Bloody hell mate.
I am Ex-Australian Army, broke a knee and got the boot out, i feel your frustration above all your pain.
We are only good to them when they can use us.
When they break us we are and annoying embarrassment, to be fobbed off with third class treatment and little respect or consideration of life outside the life of green.
Best of luck to you, we dont thank our servicemen here but i know its custom there, so thanks for serving.
We look forward to your progress both physically and with your system.

Kind Regards
Porter

I would say the hardest part about the aquaponics system may be the setting up part. Depending on how big you go, there may be some heavy lifting (with rocks for grow beds, fish tanks, etc). But once you get things in place and plumbed the way you like it, I would say the biggest part is just maintaining water levels and chemistry.

I am new to aquaponics and just finishing up my first system. I can't wait to hear about your progress.

Thanks Porter,
Nice to meet you... I thank you as well.
Are they still flying the F-111's in Austrailia? Last I heard Austrailia was the only place they were being used.
I look forward to sharing info here.

Kenny

Sorry to read your story my friend. I am a retired US Army and have had my share of injuries, but I made it through them. Of course I knew when I sign the dotted line, I am signing my life way. I joined not because of benefits. My reason was, as an immigrant to this great country, I wanted to pay the price of freedom. Freedom is not cheap or free and too many people in the US these days, they think they are entiteled to it. Some sorry asses we got here these days!
Keep strong and keep fighting, they have to take care of you. Do not give up, and do not wait for them to do something. Just keep at it.
For nutrition, if you are able to eat peanut butter, that would help.
Also I highly recommend you take Ginseng everyday for a long long time. That will increase your healing ability. I hope you take a lot of different vitamins and supplements to the best of your $$ ability.

I am also new to this aquaponics. I have already invested a lot on a system that is almost 70 percent done or so. I am thinking positive about aquaponics, but I know there is a price for everything in life.

God bless, will keep you in my prayers.
MR

Jeff_M,
Thanks for the info,
I'm just as new as can be. I just started looking into this yesturday. :-)
I'm starting an indoor system to begin with, once I figure out how much it will produce I'll expand later. If I can't handle a fish tank, I'll recruit my son to lend a hand. Plastic tubs pumps and rocks in small buckets shouldn't be a problem. I have a fireplace harth that has an area that's 24"x70" and 42" high Hopfully I can squeeze my first system in there.

MR,
I agree... I didn't join for the benefits and didn't even use them until I had not other way. Always thought other vets were being over critical until I had to deal with the VA myself. I think those guy's were holding back on what was really going on. lol
If I had waited on the VA, I wouldn't be here right now. It's just sad to know there are others who are worse than I am and I know don't have the ability to fight for their own survival as I have. Thanks for the nutrition tips and prayers!

Bloody hell - in front of a radar? *shudders* My sympathies, that's a hell of a way to go. Did they shoot the recruit?

My wife came from the states and got very sick after about a month. Went to the Doc and found she was detoxing from US food - the chemicals used there made her stink for several weeks as they came out in skin and breath and fluids. (I've always been a fresh food person and cooked pretty much from scratch)

So getting off their commercial products seems like an excellent thing to do. Just reducing the pollutants you're taking in will boost things for you, but you might have a brief period like her where you feel like crap as all the poisons re-enter your bloodstream.

All the best...

Hi Kenny
Our non-profit's website is http://www.sosfoundationjt.org. We are in Twentynine Palms, California, just near the big USMC Base.
I also have a website http://www.seniorsid.com.. I am a senior, and a cancer and stroke survivor. We are trying to get a grant to start an aquaponics system big enough to help the poor with additional nutrition. All our economic forecasts indicate harder times ahead and if gas goes to $8/gallon then the national food distribution system will be at even more risk. If we are successful then we will make our "how-to" story available to other non-profits and folks like yourself. Please keep in touch. My email link is on my website.
cheers
Sid

Correct on all chimicals in the food Journeyman.
That is the reason, we have chickens(one rooster, and 12 hens). Also, I hunt deer every year and fill our freezer. We do not buy any red meet al all. I have a friend with 8 cows. I get fresh milk as gift! I make my own stuff.
It is unbelievable how much chimicals they are feeding cattle alone.

Hey SID, post few pictures of your system. I am interested to see what you have done so far. Thnks

where in the US are you?
i'd be glad to help if you're anywhere nearby... i'm sure others here would help as well!
good luck

Hey Kenny, hell of a first post. Sorry to hear what happened. That's rough.

This forum is a great place for info. Post a question and receive 8 answers, all different. Pick the one that works for you.

I'm working with my own type of disability, so can sort of commiserate losing abilities most able-bodied folks don't even think about. There is always a way to do something. Sometime it just takes longer to figure out how. But I'll have to die before I give up. Winston Churchill said "Never give in. Never, never, never."

I made my gravel barrel growbeds at a level I can reach in my hot rod (wheelchair). Can still walk around, but not all day like I used to. Only a half hour at a time. So the garden area and the new aquaponics area is just outside the back door and across the yard. Short walk (or roll depending on how I'm feeling that day) to harvest food for the table. No chemicals, herbicides, pesticides, just fish, gravel, and good healthy plants.

Get the word out for what you are looking for. Barrels, IBC tanks, pipe, pumps, etc... are all out there just wating for a new home. Start asking around to see what you can get, then let us help you plan your system. Tons of experienced people on this forum.

Keep us posted

Hey Kenny,

Our radar class at San Diego saw first hand what a small teaching radar could do to a seagull. Can't imagine how your life is now.

I feel your pain, really ,with the VA (40 yrs worth). Maybe you know this stuff already but every county has a Veterans Service Officer. Ours is retired Army (Master Sargent). He got fed up with 20 yrs of BS and got out. He is one strong advocate for ALL Vets.This Jarhead is impressed with him. Also, our state passed a law that drastically reduced taxes on homes and land owned by disabled Vets. Our real estate taxes went from 2100 down to 435 after I was upgraded to 80 %. It pays to hound your local district state representative. Wouldn't hurt to go after Fed representatives and or a Senator. You don't have to tell them you didn't vote them in. If you bug them enough they will say something.

There are some damn good people in the VA system. It takes awhile to find them, there are some that really care. Hang in there. COPY?

Microgreens are easy place to start and lettuce, and you'll get "fast food". Microgreens are sprouts.

Cheers,

Jeff C

Hey Keith,
I should have started this 4rys ago when I lived in Ashley, Ohio, it would have been easier then. Once my health got bad my family drug me kicking and screaming back home to New Bern, NC.