Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Great to see things are accelerating bio!

What are your plans to stop water flowing into your external tanks?

Do you mean rain water?

Yep. Certainly not aquaponics water

Well we need water for the system and it has to come from somewhere isn't it? better off getting some free natural osmosis water from the sky than that clorine/fluoride/phosphate/cloramine/ paid for tap water. don't you reckon?

We are going to cover with a tarp only when needed (too much rainy day or too much sun, this not so often here anyway)
In UK we get some rain... but it's nothing compared to your tropical rain.

and probably you are going to ask about algae now?

well, you either get the natural stuff floating on your pond or get to alter the nature of things for the sake of a clear pond water , the carp in the settling tank will surely love a bit of filamentous algae to nibble on, and in organic aquaculture you are not allow to cover with an hard roof, not to mention I've came across some research that suggested that fish that are not getting light will suffer from skin conditon, and I have to admit that color on trout in a covered tank tend to fade off, like my bum when I get tanned pretty much!

At least, to keep blown about things from landing in the tanks... and keep overflow from happening... you'll need cover. It could be clear? Lexan/ plexiglass can be drilled with holes for hinges, and still allow light.

It will age, but what doesn't? The risk of something getting IN that wasn't under your control would be the worry.

Man, oh, man... I'm deeply jealous. Y'all are doing a fabulous job, and I wish I were there... to help. Not to live. I HATE snow.

if some birds poo fall in the water we are talking 10g of poop in 50.000 lt water.
Leaves, there is a net with a mesh size of 1.5cm,
If I fall in...I shall put a life jacket on every time I go close then!
Plexiglass and stuff.. too expensive especially when you need a solid structure to go with, I'm a greenie, leave it natural, open pond plan at least for the next month then when it'going to get sunnier it will be shaded with white tarp, and a good quality (250gm xsqm) fireretardant too!
In case I get a meteorite shower!!

Your shade should work... and your net...
Be vigilant, be prosperous!!

I think what rsevs3 is concerned about is that the top edge of some of you tanks appears to be below the surrounding ground level meaning that during heavy rain or flooding you are going to get soil and any chemicals in the soil washed into the system clogging it up and contaminating it.

Do you plan to do some earth works or drainage to prevent this from happening or have I been decieved by the angle of the photos?

Indeed, this month the work will be starting again and the fish area will be the first to be finished, the settling sump and every other tank will be 30 cm above ground(flood barrier) and the fish cove frame will be in place soon too. In the main time I've been digging a flood prevention trench system all aroud the FT and polytunnel.
Touch wood no more flood this year!

nice!!!!!!

It's looking great, there's a lot of man hours gone in to that lot!

Finally spring it's here, the first crop of radishes is ready and soon some lettuce will follow.
I've built my first polytunnel side vent with a roll down curtain winch operated, I must admit I love it! it took a whole week, great areation and breeze will help the production of lignine in the plants stem to help harden off.
We have added 200 char fingerling too, not so good at FCR like the rainbow trout but it has a higer market price!

Some updates pics...

a few more pics of our winter growth !

Great pictures and to see the progress. Hope the weather is better up by you, it's bucketing down again here. How's the website going?

I missed this when you posted it, but it's looking great!

How did the plants and fish like our early May warm spell?