Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Here's the design brief for my next system:

- Safe to be around
- Ability to control the production parameters.
- Small footprint – vertically integrated – convenient shape and size
- Sustainable – no herbicides, pesticides or chemicals
- Integrates with other backyard food production systems
- Durable
- Easy to install and operate – comfortable working height.
- Capable of producing at least 1kg of fresh fish per week….and copious quantities of fresh vegetables, soft herbs and small livestock fodder.
- Versatile – system components to have multiple uses
- Cheap to operate
- Designed specifically for an urban backyard
- Affordable

Have I left anything out?

Gary

Yep, setup cost.... define affordable, or reasonably affordable LOL

It says cheap to operate.....any chance of it being solar or wind poweres, etc for remote areas?
But then im not sure if thats where you want to take it...

Scalable? Like, low cost/energy/output in Winter and high output in Summer.

Looks - for urban utilization it shouldn't be something that gets the neighbors up in arms!

"portability" for those renting and get kicked out just as their system is up and running.........like mine rofl

to expand on BK, location generally...

climatic location factors of heating/cooling...

species choice and growth rates...

Aesthetically pleasing with simple form and lines.
Flat stack pack componants.(using pond liner in boxes for sumps, GB's,tanks).
Vertical Intergration with pipes of decreasing sizes(one inside the other for packing x multipals)
C1... V.I. I can see it on a hinge so you can swing it to be able to harvest/tend.

If you could modify something like these shelves, or at least use the stacking method.

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=p ... lpage=none

Use a two-tier system, bottom tier is tank, top tier is GB that nests inside. Use PVC pipes to separate them vertically. This way, if you want to make it into a micro GH, you put additional posts above, drape plastic, (double layered if needed). Use a quick-fill, slow drain and timer method.

This way, if needed, you can ship in a box the size of the tank.

(Sorry about all the edits, I'm trying to get the picture working.... -Doug

Hi folks,

Thanks for your input.

Rupert.......I guess the issue of perceived value comes down the the prospective buyer. Until I build the prototype, the exact cost will be unclear....but it will certainly compete well with anything that's currently on the market.

Daniel.....I'll probably operate this system off the mains (with appropriate backup power systems) initially. The capital cost of setting this up to run on alternative energy systems would be too high initially.

Dave......the backyard scale of the system will enable us to exercise complete control over the production parameters.....in any season.

Greenodo.....I agree Doug......the system has to be aesthetically suitable.

BK.....portability will be a feature of the backyard scale of the system for exactly the reason that you've stated. When we first moved to Queensland, we suffered at the hands of enough rental agents to have sympathy for renters.

Creative 1......we've got you covered......the system will feature a 'stacking' element.

Thanks again for the input.

I hope that we'll have a prototype ready inside a month.

Gary

Who are you working on it with GD?

Gary, not dissin your idea, just wandering if with all the varibles you wish to incorporate, particularly...



with the desire to ...



can be "affordable"...

To produce 1kg of fresh fish per week I figure you'd have to be stocking 80 - 100 fish minimum of various sizes.... that means 1500ltr > tank plus at least that amount of grow bed capacity....

To stock and manage at that density (consistently) seems to me (input from others here please) to maybe close to the edge....

... given the climatic (heat/cold) and environmental (water quality/chlorine/pesticides) factors many here in the forum have wrestled with, often unsuccessfully, I wander if it's possible to provide a turnkey system with the "ability to control the production parameters"... without constant and very reliable monitoring equipment.

Add the costs of plumbing, feed, power etc IMHO I think we are approaching $2000+ for a system with the parametres your list, maybe even up to double that $4000.

If you analyze Joel's system (from the book) that's about the stocking and production rates you are suggesting and (again from the book) Joels breakdown of costs exceed $3000.

A question for Murray, and Monya, VB and Steve in particular... what are your stocking/capacity rates and production returns and what are realistically your costs.... I mention these people in particular because they have been the people with the longest running, stable, producing systems...

And even they've had some major disasters.

Add the cost of dealing with climatic factors, greenhouse, heating, cooling and power to drive anything... (has anyone actually figured an annual cost)... and I am seriously doubting the viability of producing a "backyard" system for under $2000....

So the question as you say is .... is $2000+ running costs an affordable system???

NOT in any way saying that we should not try to achieve the end goal...
just saying that IMHO I think we have to be realistic in measuring the cost of all factors and components

I am not going to give a complete run down of how much I have spent doing this but it is in the thousands not hundreds. As for production, I currently have around20 kg's of fish in 3500 litres with 3000 litres of gorbeds. Production of the vegie side is good, toms just starting to ripen, stuff's happening. I am sure next year it will rock as I nail the do's and don'tsd and get stuff coordinated. Ongoing costs are a bit higher than I will settle for in the long run. ATM, my system is keeping me sane, so costs are irrelevant. If I want something I buy it.. I estimate around $2 a day in power. One of my pumps is oversized and throttled right back. I also have 2 others 1 that runs 24/7 and one for the heater. The next power bill will give me better indications because I have stopped using stick heaters in the vat.

surely now with the forum this far advanced we can now gather enough data to "plot" a graph or provide an indication that would give a "rule of thumb" result for all wanting to start a project, comparing expected investment in a particular climate with proven stocking denisty providing a given output/yeild

would probably (seriously) be a good starting point BK... any mathematicians statisticians out there..... LOL