Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

yep...in all seriousness...and trust me its hard for me to be serious(and nice )......i think we COULD do it.....there would be enough data that could be gathered from us all no matter how big or small the systems is because it would be all useful info.....i think it would be a great study we could all join in on.....something for the bap quarterly????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
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I'll second that BK

I've spent under $300 (then add $100 for the trial end error stuff) on the harware side. Note though, that although my system has been running around the same time as monya's, his puts mine to shame, both in size and quality.

Mine is stable, and is producing veggies. I have had many a disaster with the fish, but all of them have taught me lots. i've probably spent about $300 on fish to now, and have seven longterm jades to speak of (who are powering my tommies) and a aquarium with about 20 silvers and 15 tandanus that are being grown for relocation to the IBC.

BK and Rupe, i think the stats is a great idea, but the trial and tribulations factor would skew the results. As many people with operating systems have said, they'll be eating $40 salads for a long time.

BUT

I treat my AP as much as a hobby as i do a source of fish and veggies. Where would the fun be if i didn't start it from scratch and have stuff ups?

I liken it to customising a hot rod. any one can pay 100K and have one deliverd, but its not half as much fun as spending 150K and 5 years doing it yourself

Don't get me wrong, i'm not saying one way its better than the other, its just MY opinion for MY personality. i'd baulk at spending $2000+ dollars on a turnkey system, but i find myself realising that i'd happily spend $3000 doing it my self. Weird i guess!

the thing too with the $3000 spent, is that you've spread it out over a couple of months while you learn your way around the system

bout sums it up Steve... and I do hope Gary and or others can acheive something reliable, low cost and productive... I'm all for it....

Closest thing so far from what I can see is the "BarrelPonics"....
I'm not sure what the stocking rates are for that type of system...

... depends a lot on what you can get cheap, donated etc...

[highlight=red]Not strictly on topic - I will delete after a day or 2:[/highlight]
I'd hate to think how much I'd spent and would hate more for my wife to find out .

I've been cleaning the shed up a bit and have found that I have about a 20-30 litre container full of pressure fittings once I picked them all up from around the joint. Just those represnt a big wad of money - and they are not even in a system at the moment.

yep......just meant that it could be used as a "ready reckoner" by that i mean if any newbie rocks up they can see at a glance what works and where as a "rule of thumb".the stats would only help give that rule of thumb at a glance "briefing".....OR maybe a "bullet point form" approach in providing info also giving indications of what can work in their particular area.

Much the same as EB's bible whereby he took us thru his efforts and helped us shortcut the re-inventing the wheel approach................WE can help newbies by taking it to their individual backyards....to a degree.....if that makes sense lol

ok, fair enuf.

maybe like a spread sheet with AP footprint size and what the AP'er has used and spent?

can feel sumthing big rising from all of this .......bap quarterly? sorry ive mentioned that already

It's a Queensland thing Stu - thought up at the last Brisbane meet to show you southerners where the real AP knowhow is. You know - state against state, mate against mate

I reworked a '66 Chevy Malibu for over $20,000 a few years ago, got married and had to sell it on eBay, got $5900 for it.

Startup costs are a lot higher because of false starts, mis-sized components, redundancy of containers and pumps, etc. Version 2.0 of any system would be cheaper and better as long as you are just refining an existing version 1.0 design rather than zig zagging to an all new system.

I think GD is on to something...... If my wife ever finds out how much I have actually spent, I would be turned into fish pellets. The cost of the fish I have killed through sheer stupidity would keep a kid in a private school for a year or two I reckon.
But, it will not change for a lot of people. I purchased "The Book" as soon as I heard about aquaponics.....If I had followed instructions from day one, I would have had a carbon copy of Joel's system for about 3,500.00 .....but no.......I reckoned I could do it better.......
I think it is the nature of a lot of us , we actually enjoy the experimentation.
I just can't help it, it's not my fault !!
Someone on the forum has a signature "The big kids made me do it"
I think I am off topic a bit, sorry Gary.
Muzza

Hi,

Thanks for your input......



I guess the issue of affordability is a question for the individual. For some people, $100 would be an issue while, for others, spending thousands wouldn't be a major concern. I guess it all comes down to one's interests and resources.



I guess I meant an average of 1kg of fish per week.....which I believe is achievable in a couple of batches......using a fish tank of about 1000 litres capacity. As for grow bed capacity, I've already demonstrated that while my growing systems are similar in area to some of the larger ones, they are much less in volume terms.

Growbed volume is much less of an issue if you are not using gravel grow beds. I ony have one small gravel/expanded clay bed (one square metre in area) and a much larger area of non-recirculating coco peat trays and satellite pots. You don't need gravel grow beds if you have bio-filters (I have both).

Once you get away from the gravel grow bed idea, growing systems become much less expensive to put together.



I manage the water quality parameters with frequent water testing (using inexpensive water test kits) and by ensuring that I have enough plants to use the nitrates my system generates.

The other important parameters include water temperature and dissolved oxygen (DO). It's easier to control the water temperature in small systems like mine........and also the amount of oxygen.



I think I'll come in at under $2,000 for the capital costs. Feed works out to about $4.00 per fish based on a feed cost of $2.00kg and feed conversion ratio of about 2:1. I use small water and air pumps so my energy costs will be relatively small, too.



Some of Joels's systems are several years old......and were based on the best that he knew at the time. I imagine that, if he sat down today.....knowing what he knows now.....he may well be able to design a system that might cost less......like his blue barrel systems.



I value the opportunity that I've had to learn from the experience of these (and other) people. My current system (and the mini-system that preceded it) are almost as old as those of Murray, Monya, VB and Steve.

The goal of aquaponics is to raise fish.....not kill them. I've been lucky but I also work hard to apply the things that I've gleaned from others. My total fish kill is 7.....6 of which died for entirely explicable reasons.

I'm not being smug......every time someone reports a fish kill, I seek to learn everything I can about with a view to avoiding the circumstances that caused the fish kill.....and I test frequently.



The design will be my own, however, as this post demonstrates, I'm keen to consider the ideas and opinions of others. I'll also be collaborating with another party to build the system components.

Thanks again for the input......it is really appreciated.....and don't worry 'bout the off-topic stuff in this instance. I can relate to the risk to life and limb posed by one's partner when the money starts to change hands at the plumbing shop, etc.

Gary

Gaz, i assume you mean control in the sense of raising or lowering the temperature through external inputs?

Hi Steve,

That's exactly what I meant......and that it's easier (in terms of materials, mone, time and effort) to insulate/cover a small tank than a large one.

Of course, as you're aware, the larger the body of water, the greater its capacity to maintain a given temperature for a period of time.

One of the things that I like about 1,000 litre tanks is that they can be relativley easily maintained at an optimum temperature......not so easy when you've got a larger tank......say 3,000 litres.....and almost impossible (without a greenhouse) once they get to 10,000 and beyond.

Gary