Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hi everyone,

Just thought I'd drop a few lines to intro myself.

I am Aussie, located most of the time in central northern Thailand just out of a city named Khon Kaen. I have only recently discovered AP and find it very interesting.. I'd love to give it a go.. I think my biggest problems over here will be my lack of Thai language, and my ability to explain what I want/need. Having said that, basic PVC plumbing gear like pipes and fitting are cheap as chips (relatively speaking) And ponds are very popular so pumps etc shouldn't be a problem. A reliable 220V electrical source may be though so I am thinking of a 12V system, with solar backup.

The weather here is very similar to Townsville in North QLD and very hot and dry at the moment. My Fiance owns a small vegetable farm just out of town where we are currently building a small cottage. I have access to an endless supply of river water which is running very clear at the moment, but clouds when it starts to rain. Funnily enough I also have a small Talapia, about 7" long swimming around in a waterlily bowl about 18" across.

Convincing my "wife to be" to allow me to take over a small plot of her precious growing dirt to try AP will be another problem, along with the Thai inbuilt "resistance to change" and new idea's.. It's therefore very important what ever I do is successful or at least spark some sort of interest, right from the beginning.

Currently Nang (wife to be) grows yard long beans, Chinese Celery, Coriander, Kale and something they call morning glory.... It's amazing stuff, from planting to harvest is about 3 to 4 weeks!

The farm is almost a full time business, she can easily work there all day and still have jobs to do once the sun goes down. This is where I think AP would be at it's best, reducing the water used and the need to stand there holding a hose for hours and hours, not to mention the effort required to drag a very long and heavy hose around. Sometimes Nang simply cannot pull it any further as she is only a little over 40kg!.

I think my biggest drama's will be things like test kits, and expanded clay or pebbles. I have been trying to find a POS for IBC's but no luck yet, I know they are there somewhere as the guys who deliver live fish to the restaurants in the mornings have them bolted in the back of their utes. There may be an alternate, a huge cement jar used for holding rain water, these are about $15 Aust, but very heavy and are difficult to move, even when empty.

Anyway, I think that's it in a large nut shell, I hope everyone's system is booming. It could be a while before I get anything moving here but I'll keep an eye on the forum for anything I think may help me.


Regards

Bryan and Nang

Hi Bryan, I was in Bangkok a couple of weeks ago and saw numerous blue barrels and IBCs on the side of the road when coming in from the port as well as the road out to the floating markets.
I also noticed loads of what we call blue metal, road base or plain old gravel possibly used there for drainage. This generally makes for suitable media, just check to make sure that it is not loaded with limestone. You won't need much space for aquaponics, so I am sure that your wife to be will be more than accomodationg. You are probably in the best bargaining position now, weddings sometimes change that, so I've heard. Good luck and make sure to post photos.

Hi Bryan

There are a few systems in Thialand now, you could use the search function to find members in your area and hopefully organise a meet and greet. Take you fiance and show her a working system.... she will take your side in a flash.

Thanks for the info guys, Bangkok is a little too far to travel just to get IBC's but I am sure they are available in Khon Kaen..... somewhere. That's the thing about Thailand, it could be there right under your nose and you'd never know it.

I will check into the systems in Thailand, but at the moment Nang is busier than a Beirut bricky with her farm and a few other things. I am looking fwd to trying things out but I will have to pace myself, and also make sure I have some degree of success so I don't get chest poked and told "I told you so"! The Thai people are such "know it all's" and very resistant to trying anything new, especially if they do not understand it...

Thanks again, I'll probably keep quiet until I have something to show everyone, hopefully a smiling Nang with a "lets do more" look on her face..

Regards

Bryan and Nang