Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hi all. Only been reading for a coupla weeks following the segment on the telly. Done about 40-50 hours reading this past fortnight. Yep got it bad.

Recently put in a 13600lt water tank as we are on stage 4 restrictions in Geelong, which means no mains water for anything outside basically. Some fun pictures of putting it in, when i learn how to upload them. This will gravity feed just thru our garden hose as required to fish tank.

Rebuilt an outdoor spa frame and decking which now will become a fishtank. It is only 1000lt so will be my learning fishy system. Will somehow reduce the pressure from the spa pump, (ideas?) to generate the system water flow.

Got some black drums from neighbor over the back fence, can ya believe it? Was wondering where i was gunna get em from.

Got no money left, so this system is gunna be real simple.

I enjoy the comradeship here and look fwd to making a worthwhile contribution.

Welcome TT - just be careful of waht was previously in the black drums. THe black ones are normally used for hazardous stuff.

Welcome TT!

Thanks VB and DD, formerly acid drums that are washed several times b4 staff take them home, but i will give them a rinse too.
BTW is 20ml black scoria ok to use as my grow medium? Bit bigger than recommended but it seems very volcanic rock like for the baccy to grow in and has little or no dust. Save washing! Price here in Geelong is $38 pcm.

Gravel of whatever size you can get is good We've got gravel ranging from 10mm blue metal, 10-15mm river gravel, up to 20mm river gravel.

Welcome Tragic great to have someone new on board

acid is usually fairly safe as far as residues go (depending on type!)and easily neutralised.

Is one of the placards still on there? hydrochloric or phosphoric acids would be no problem.

Thanks Jaymie and Steve. No id on the barrels so will give em a good rinse.

If I could get scoria for that price I would use it for sure. By the time it gets to Qld, the shipping has made it expensive as anything.

Same here - its just way toooo expensive up here in Cairns
So I am sticking to blue metal (stone)

blue metal is $20 scoop
20mm rock $21 scoop
10mm screenings $15

all prices are dependent on which of Axl's cousins is working that day

Looks like i am winning already with the cheap scoria,supply of grow beds for free and existing fish tank. Newbie question, (turns red) how do i upload photos? (Ducks and waits for torrent of well deserved abuse.)

To post multiple photos in one post (up to 3):
1. Press add attachment and then select a file using the browse button
2. press the add attachment button
3. wait till that function is complete, which will be clear by the fact that the screen refreshes
4. the file field will be clear now, so just repeat the process up to 2 more times
5. select submit

Some photos. Former spa with 10 yo demure daughter. Pump in background. Bludda jarrah decking, wanna be good fish. Also couple of water tank instal photos. 13600lt, 3.6m by 3.6m base, 200mm treated pine base filled with 2mts 10 ml scoria, $30/mtr and 1mtr unwashed sand, $30/mtr.

Took 2 of us a day to build base and site tank, took me 2 yrs to complete rebuild of spa. Satisfying tho and it will still be standing long after the house falls down.

Thanx VB. Next time i will remember to select my pictures in the reverse order to how i want them to appear. Lotsa progress photos for the tank but could only put in 3.

Used hardwood frame on the fishtank, 100mm by 50mm i think. Treated pine 125mm by 25mm facia boards with 50mm by 10mm jarrah decking and rounded 50mm gal(?) nails. Cost me $300 but reckon i saved twice that by doing it myself, with help from the old man.

200mm by 25 mm boards for water tank were $17 per 3.6mtr length. I think they made a price mistake! Predrilled and used some 150mm gal nails, big muthas. All up base cost $158 and reckon i saved $500 by doing it with FIL's help.

Redirected all 90mm roof stormies (bought 3 lenghths and 10 elbows, and we have 150 sq mts of roof area flowing into that tank. If it ever rains again, we will be cooking with gas.

Good one TT. I've had my 18,000 litre tank since about October. It's still on its side waiting for me to get off my arse to build the base and instal it .

Spa will make a very attractive fish tank - is it fenced off in some way to stop any littlies? Make sure you take the daughter out before putting the piranhas in .