Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hi everyone, After reading some of the other post I decided to go ahead and post here and see if I can take the heat others have taken about going commericial. The system I am going to build would be mostly IBCs as they are what I have to work with. I plan to have 6 systems in the end connected as to keep as even a system by having fish at different ages. My plan is to use a 260 gallon IBC as the FT and IBC halves as the GBs. I hope to stock 100 channel catfish in each tank with a line of 6 to8 halves as the GBs, with possibly floating raft system and grow towers added.I want to raise the fish to around a pound and a quarter at harvest.I know the DO levels will have to be worked with but hope the solids removal will be done by the growbeds. By my research I believe the fish can be grown out in 6 months so will harvest and restock one tank per month. I have read many comments about commericial not really being feasible but if it works as a small backyard system why not in a larger scale? I pretty well have the market for the fish and produce around me here. I plan to rease mostly tomatoes,peppers cuc.s and simular veggies in it as the fruit producing plants use the waste faster by my research. Any input on feasibility and comments on stocking rates are welcome. I really enjoy this site and look forward to hearing what you all think. Thanks ahead of time for your input.

Hi there,
I'm thinking 100 fish per fishtank even with 6 to 8 Grow beds is a fairly high stocking density. (1 fish to 2.6 gallons) (Maybe you can add a swirl filter to help out with solids removal??)
Having 6 systems connected together may increase the spread of diesease throughout all systems rather than confining it to 1 or 2 systems.
Looking forward to seeing some designs/pics.

Lyndon

Good luck Mighytmite If you are new to this you have a lot to learn, as AP is one big learning curve, keep researching and have fun. If you listen to the advice here you will save some heartache. Go for it and we will look forward to watching and sharing your progress.

Yeah I'd so go for more fish tanks and lower stocking. But first things first, build a small system and start slowly..

Welcome to BYAP. Provided you can maintain water quality, growing larger channel catfish fingerlings (6-8 inches) up to 1.5 pounds during the warmer half of the year shouldn't be too difficult. High stocking rates as well as cool temps will slow growth. That's purely from my aquaculture perspective. The plant side of aquaponics may have more profit potential. Don't get discouraged everything begins with an idea. Your definition of commercial may not be the same as everyone else's. Your at the right place to learn more.

Thanks everyone for the input, This is still in the planning stages even though I have started working on the basics, I must be misunderstanding the fish to water ratio Lyndon as I thought the volume of the water in the GBs went into the equasion giving me around 6 gallons per fish plus the raft system and towers.These are just numbers I have come up with and will change as needed for an efficient system. As for the 6 systems connected I understand the risk but thought it would keep the package in balance better that way. I am flexible on stocking numbers and GB space. Most everything else also. That is why I am here and Thanks for the input. I do plan on a small start but want to add the other systems as I can. This will be an addition to my organic gardening. thanks again and hope to hear more input,Ken

i tend to agree with the thinking here, in that you stock your fish to the amount of filtration you have..
about 25lbs grow out size to every 100gallons of gb, so for 100 1.25lb fish, you'd need 500 gallons of growbed..
good luck! and take lots of pics!

OK time to get really moving, 32 IBCs, 12 half barrels lengthways 2 barrels of pvc fittings from 1 in. to 4 in. mostly tees and elbows,several sections of gutter, 10 30 gallon poly tubs, and the first 10 tons of rock. I am not sure what you all consider commercial but I believe I will be bigger than a backyard system.So will leave where this needs to be up to the moderators. I will be pushing my system to find the maximum capacity and output before extreme risk.I have read where low stock systems work on here many times but want to see what is possible. Maybe we will all learn from some of the things i mess up. Theres not much chance competing on most leafy veggies so will be concentrating on fruiting ones most.

Good to see you making a start mate, no one will critisize you having a go at this. If we can provide guidlines well we have done our job.

My thoughts are if you are going to have 6 systems as you mentioned, you would be better off running them seperately. my reasoning is if a failure or isue occurs in one - well, its only one and the others will carry on as per normal.

just a quick calculation - if you have 32 IBC's. you could use 6 of them for independant FT's, that leaves you with 26 IBC's. 26 cut in half gives you 52 GB's. That gives you approx 9 GB's per FT with a filtration volume of 4500L (~1200gal) in each row. A total of 27000L of filtration in IBC GB's alone.

With 4500L of GB per FT, you could comfortably stock about 200 fish per FT - BUT! 200 fish in a 1000L FT is way too overcrowded and the fish just wont grow too well at all. Even a 100 fish in an IBC FT is pushing it.

With larger FT's capable of housing 150-200 fish, then you would give the fish room to move, exersize and grow healthily.

my 2c

good luck

Thanks Charlie for the input. None of my figures are written in stone as That is what I am trying to balance is my entire system to produce the max. The reason I said 6 systems is I hope to grow the catfish out in about 6 months and want to restart a FT every month to keep the waste input into the system consistant. I agree that keeping them separate would be the safer route but then each individual part would change drastically each time I harvested and restocked. Any input to the actual numbers in each tank can be varied if needed as I will be stocking about 4 inch catfish fingerlings and could spare another tank or 2 for FTs if needed Might even incorporate a sump or 2 for the smaller ones.Finding info on catfish isnt easy as looks like most raise other fish instead. I have the ability to build anything I need for this and have any equipment needed for it so thats not a problem. I am trying to post my first PICs now but its challenging me more than building the system. Like you have said I have all the growbed I need but It wont produce what it should if I dont have enough fish to feed it so I am trying to find out more on the numbers for that.

Wish you the best, with your commercial project ideas.

I believe if one is financially well off that can go on without any income for a while, and a little more while!!!, or a retired person who has paid off the house and other stuff this might work very well. In that case, I do not call it commercial, I would call it a fine hoby.

Just put everything on black and white so you can see all the costs and figures. How long does it takes for you to bring any income? And how much income? Do a complete cost analysis.

Me and my son have been studing this for a while now, my dream was putting a commercial system together. but after putting all costs on black and white, there is no way one can make any profite to support a family of 4 even after 4 years. I assumed labor for $370 a week per laborer (That is minimum wage, not considering if there is a need for any overtime, that would cost 50 percent more per hour of overtime. I did not count my labor and my son labor either, just two helpers. That alone without any healthcare cost and other taxes for them would cost $35,520 per year. So, after 4 years $142,080
We were not able to add up enough sales for vegies and fish to even make this much!

There are two many factors that I recommend consider before commiting yourself. Do you have any connection with any resturant chains or super market chain stores in order to sell the stuff? How are you going to transport your goods to them? Consider cost of fuel, cost of repaires, insurance too. I did not configure these costs either, because I have three full size pickups with Diesel engines, and we had plans that me and son will deliver the stuff. And I had plan not to report this to insurance company, because then my pickup insurance would go up at least 2 folds.

Do you know how to do businness accounting, or you have to pay some one to do that for you too? There are too many other issues to think about.


Let us hope that you are a very rich man and you have it by the buckets. So, do not worry, just do it.

... I love an optimist....

There's a fine line between "pushing your system to find the maximum capacity and output".... and "before extreme risk"...

And that line is called... a tank full of dead fish....

Dead fish... means your whole operation... and business plan goes out the window....

If you don't know what your maximum capacity is, will be... or you desire to be....

And don't build your system accordingly....

Then just don't do it... you'll be wasting your money...

Thanks Zublin for the input. There is one in every forum. If anything you just motivated me more. As anyone can tell you telling me it cant be done is the biggest challenge to me. I have spent most of my life doing what others say cant be done and will do it on this also. Yes I have all that experience and plenty more, I run a sucessful buisness from home now this will be only a part of it. I dont quite understand why COMMERCIAL automaticly means 10 employies and a fleet of trucks.This is a one man operation and might add another if I ever get married.As I have already stated I have the market right around me. Most of that will be picked up at my place. As for being a RICH man I am as far from it as anyone, that is why I want to do this and maybe others can also and at least earn living money in todays economy. Our UNCLS SAM says when you make a profit of any amount it is no longer a HOBBY and becomes a COMMERCIAL buisness.IACTUALLY am a VERY resorceful man, because as of right now I have less than $1000 american in everything I have so far. ROFLMAO Rupert, Hell if we wernt optimist we would not be trying AP would we. I am the type that has always thought a machine or anything should preform to its best potential or it was a waste of a good machine and I will be looking at this in the same respect. I could half stock and plant heavily and not worry but it wouldnt be getting the potential of the system. As CHARLIE said earlier I believe I dont have to worry about filtration with as much GB area as I can have so we will see. If anyone knows anything about raising catfish in this system I would love info on them. Aquaculture numbers are no good in this I know.

That is correct, commercial means different things to different individuals.
It is my incorrect assumptions in your case. I guess if you sell few things it can be counted commercial.
To others commercial might mean that they actually not only paying their bills, but also making some profit.

Good luck and have fun at it.

DAMN ZUBLIN It sounds like you were weaned on a sour pickle. It seems someone always picks me out ofthe crowd and it didnt take you long to jump on. If you want to make snide remarks about my system I would suggest you move on somewhere else. I didnt join this site to play word games about what others think or do. If you have constructive input into what I am trying to do and it will be appreciated. Just because your system didnt work does not mean we all should pack it up and quit. I WILL pay my bills with part of it but WONT BE paying 5 or 10 others bills also. When you sell or do any kind of service tothe public its commercial. I think with the growbed space I will have I will be able to grow more than A FEW THINGS>I am a man that lives witghin my means and that doesnt take $10,000 a month to do. I truely believe when you get to a point you have to hire help your production goes down to thier capabilities and you lose money. I think the simplist and most profitable return is when you yourself take the buisness to the limit YOU can do and hold it there. MY bills are all that concerns me ans as I feel I should get a return of $1,500 to $2,000 per month it should do all I need.