Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hi Meg, unfortunately for you, we do know very little of you and the response from members here is often prtotective of the aquaponics information that is given out around the place. This is often where people end up when they need help and have fallen victim to those who oversell stocking levels, meaning people have fish deaths and aquaponics as a whole gets a bad name. It would be nice to have people that write the books have first hand knowledge of what aquaponics is all about and provide accurate information.
Some of the headings in the book look overcomplicated for newbies, from my perspective and I deal with newbies every single day.
The reaction that Joel received when he asked for input and permission with the IBC manual, just shows how supportive these members can be. viewtopic.php?f=51&t=9240&hilit=ibc+forum+help If you had been a member here and involved yourself with our community, the responses may have been quite different, you may have had some more support.
Everyday there is a new aquaponics business and someone else selling hardware or running another workshop, or another publication. There are thousands of gardening books and magazines out there and I guess they will just keep on coming too.

Oh, I love this community! I've just been a lurker. I've even pretty much been a lurker on the other aquaponics forums I'm a member of.

But I have buttons on my website referring visitors to the forums.

Thank you all for your outpouring of support and constructive criticism - I am so glad we had a chance to have this conversation now, while the book is still in formation, rather than after the book was on the shelves.

[PS - my logo was not intended to be a rip off - I just came across the ancient solar implications of the yin yang symbol, loved the idea of the implied recirculation, put the fish below and the plant above, and daughter added the stream of bubbles.]

Your forgot to mention that BYAP is the BEST site

True that each site has its own culture. And BYAP is fiercely loyal to its own and overwhelmingly generous to newcomers.

So we get back to me wanting to highlight the right folks in my book. Right now I don't have any images that will allow me to bring attention to the BYAP community or to the critical role Joel played in igniting the Australian passion for aquaponics.

An example could be:

Joel Malcolm, founder of Back Yard Aquaponics, in the interview that jump-started aquaponics in Australia:

Meg, I've posted a heap of photos on the ning community... let me kniow if any are of use.. and I can send you the hi-res....

Sent some through to Sylvia when she was writing her book, but I don't think she used any...

And then there's a few of my newer system that probably haven't been posted... like this...

Time for a new clothes line rupe...

Forgive me for drawing a blank, but what is the url for the ning site?

Thanks!

Thats a nice looking setup there Rup

Meg if you find a picture in either of my threads let me know and i will send the hi res your way

I agree with Faye to keep it simple ....... this is my favourite pic....more than welcome to take it and keep your fiver, or give it to charity

http://community.theaquaponicsource.com/ ....

Search my albums....

Nah... it's coming out Charlie.... it's in the road of my AP expansion....

I'm not afraid to defend Meg, as she is the only person on this forum that I have actually met in real life. BTW, Meg, is the pump I sold you still working? As I told you when you bought it I am redisent about uding bilge pumps, but if it is still working for you, great.

Hi Ron!

I'm afraid the bilge pump is still sitting in it's packaging, since I haven't had time to do the solar or back-up power wiring yet. Once this book is done... Or once my day job stops sending me out of town for weeks on end.

One of the true testimonials to the power of aquaponics is that my garden is thriving even though I've neglected it so much between my travels and the book (and someone else's terminal cancer and a handful of funerals). Luckily writing can be done on planes, in hotels, and while quietly waiting by the side of someone's sick bed.

How has your system build been going? When we met and chatted, it was still early planning, as I recall. It was so cool to say "I'm looking for parts because I've got this aquaponic garden. It's fish and plants..." and have your co-workers say, "Hey, that's what Ron's doing! Hey Ron!"

Next time I'm near Chula Vista, we'll have to hang. Don't know that I'd be out there before March, though...

You may want to add trout in a cold water fish section, depending on whether you think they belong in an idiots guide. I noticed this wasn't in your Table of Contents.

Meg, you were going to send me a draft to review... haven't as yet recieved it...