Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hello all!

long time AP enthusiast, first time poster. Thanks in part to peer pressure from Steve and to get my questions up and running (thanks in advance for all and any support).

So, a bit about me;

I'm moving to Toronto in May and want to set up my very first AP system. Being Toronto and subject to mild winters, I'm thinking of an indoor system. I'm moving with my lady friend, Beth (who has cautiously allowed me to set up an AP system) and will be living in a smallish 1 bedroom apartment.

Questions:

Does anyone have any good (they are all good, i'm sure) indoor systems that I can use to woo Beth with?

What are good fish to use?

What's the best size tank for an indoor system?

Is it a good idea for someone as completely inept at DYI as myself to attempt to put together something like this?

I know that most of these questions have been asked to death, but it's a hard task sifting through thousands of threads looking for them.
Also any ad hoc advice or warnings signs for Beth to look out for, like;
blurry eyes, scaley fingers, facial tics and other signs of addiction,
would be great.

Thanks in advance APers.....

There is an Apers toolkit for DYI somewhere on the forum, basic tools are:

chainsaw (for the fine detailed work)
holesaw (electric/battery drill required)
apple corer (putting holes in styrofoam - use chain saw to neaten the hole and add a professional touch)
mince grinder (for mashing maggots, dead fish and scraps into fish food - use the chain saw for a finer blend)

good luck in your travels and hope to hear how you progress

forgot - before you become a true blue Aper, you are required to wash gravel

Check out Janet's system, it is a very neat indoor example, also Dave Donley's, sorry if I have left anyone out!

Welcome guys, and best of luck

I would just watch those "mild winters" mild to someone from toronto is still about -15 bc for a Canadian it ain't really cold till it hits the minus 20's

Thanks for the tips. I am especially looking forward to individually washing, rinsing and gently towel drying each individual piece of gravel. I may even name them

Is there a type of gravel I should be aiming for? or can I just scoop it up from the side of a roadside highway extension project.

I think Beth may start changing her mind if she sees me in a hockey mask starting a chainsaw and 'attempting' to neaten up some delicate holes in my containers. ..I think it would be a deal breaker.

I've had a look at one of Dave's system... do I need to get a little dog as well?

Hmm... Sounds like I may lose a finger or two....

AH come on. -20 is nothing you wait till you get on the praries -70 with wind chill. You piss and it freezes before it hits the ground. I would be worried about other extremities than my finngers in that kinda cold

I have spent two years in Toronto. That city has a lot to offer. Enjoy!

Look at http://www.backyardaquaponics.com/forum ... .php?t=971

That's my system sitting in my garage in Montreal. That's 6 hours away going Northeast. It suits my needs. It is easy to build and you will have no problem sourcing the parts in Toronto.

However, it is not esthetically pleasing and the only reason my wife does not complain about it is because we have both agreed that I am the sole ruler of the garage and the backyard. The rest of the house is hers.

If you decide to use cold tolerant fish and leave them on the patio outside then don't expect much activity during the winter. The wont' eat, they won't poo and they'll do nothing but conserve their energy - but if you chose the right specie, they will survive.

My garage is heated much less than the rest of the house. The system has been on for many weeks and it has not even started cycling yet.

JTJF_1, I think that if I don't do the AP correct and it leaks in the house or looks bad, I won't have to wait until the next winter chill to lose an extremety

Julien - Thanks heaps for your advice. It's good to know that you are only 6 hours away if I need help drilling holes

What kind of fish are you using in your system and do they become a welcome addition to the dinner table?
Do you find lighting/heating during winter is expensive, Is it a waste of time to run a system during winter? I'm beginning to worry about the cold now and think I may stop pooing if it gets cold enough...

Terminal, welcome! One of the usual methods for selling reluctant spouses/partners on AP is to grow their favourite foods Bribery is a marvellous concept in AP terms So, if Beth is particularly fond of Wong Bok, grow that! You will have a clean ready source of her favourite, and you will win brownie points

Have a look here for the essential tools of AP!

Thanks Jaymie!

Steve mentioned how friendly and welcoming everyone is and I still feel like he underprepared me.
I'm going to be ok wooing Beth to the dark side, she's a vegetarian who has an unnatural obsession with peas. Guess what my first APS will include? lol

See, now thats just not going to work for you............you're obviously selling the george grill on ebay too then?

nah, you can grill eggplant or stuffed mushrooms

LOL - I am actually!

I won't be giving up my top of the food chain rights of being a massive meat eater..

Doing AP even in winter is extremely valuable to me as it maintains my sanity.

At this time I am raising goldies. I have still to decide what kind of fish I will raise for food.

Whether or not you want to warm your water depends on your situation.
It probably would be quite feasible to warm the water in my setup since the garage is kept above freezing temperature by the rest of the house.

I eventually want a big system so I am thinking in terms of minimum energy requirement. I have learned a lot with this very basic setup.

Light is an issue in winter. Days are short. Because my system has not cycled yet, I don't know how feasible grow lights are. However, I am starting to think that that November to February should be seen as maintenance months where the fishies are kept alive and not much happens but repairs to the system and planning .

As for how to avoid losing members in the cold, the key is appropriate clothing. You need cloths that will keep you warm but not too hot. You don't want to swet in them because then you'll get cold. When you get there don't be shy about asking the locals what works for them. There are many outdoor equipment shops that can help you with that too. You get good cloths and good boots and you won't even feel these winters.