Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hi,

I'm a total newbie to Aquaponics. I hadn't even heard of it until I set up my 8 year old son's fish tank 3 months ago, and I loved it. We now have a nice 70lt tank with plants, fish and a snail and he loves it to bits. My neighbour has a hydroponics system and his herbs are always bigger than mine, and taste lovely, so when I found out about aquaponics I just knew it was for me! It's like two hobbies in one!

Initially I was going to take it slow and build a small test system but couldn't find any blue barrels or similar on the coast, so I just got 2 IBC which will be delivered tomorrow. I will use one for rainwater storage initially and start working making the other an aquaponics set up with grow bed on top. My wife didn't like the look of them at all, but I recently saw a nice IBC on Brisbane Aquaponics facebook page that was all tarted up with timber, and looked the part on our patio.

I've got to have a good read through the IBC of Aquaponics info so see where to start etc, but if you have any tips let me know!

Welcome aboard lacehim, theres a few sunny coasters on here.

There is also a lot of info and plenty of people willing to offer advise.

My 2 bobs worth of advise is to study up on the forums and learn from experiences of others and post plenty of photos as you go..

As BF said my friend Welcome, the coast is a big area which part are you in. Cheers

I live in the Peregian area south of Noosa. It's good to know that there are some locals. Do any of them meet up?

I've been reading like crazy since I found out about aquaponics, it's all very interesting stuff. I haven't found anyone that's got a system up and running around here, but I read that there is a community garden in Yandina that has a set up. I'm just not sure if it's a members only thing, but it would be good to see that at some point.

I'm sure I will have lots of questions as I read more!

You can wander into the Yandina Permaculure gardens no problems. They are open Saturday mornings and have a wb site for contact details. It is the pink house on the corner opposite the Masonic lodge hall. Yandina markets are held on the green behind the gardens each Saturday. Cheers

I found a guy on gumtree that has IBCs here on the coast and got 2 delivered this weekend for $135 each, which I don't think was too bad considering he delivered and was a nice bloke to deal with. They contained Purasol so nothing nasty, and a quick pressure wash out and they look and smell clean as a whistle. He has more too so I can get more later if I want to expand.

One is on rainwater duties, and the other is to be made into a basic IBC fishtank/growbed. Exciting times are ahead.

They have plastic bases which I was concerned initially after revisiting the IBC video and realising they used a metal base, but I think it should be fine. I can just chop the top, and add a bit of reinforcement. I could have got metal bases, but didn't understand the difference, but I do now! You live and learn don't you.

Also I found a local supplier for silver perch, local natives and yabbies too which will be fantastic further down the track. I just have to convince the wife about this aquaponics stuff. She's very negative about it, but I think once she sees the results she will realise it's worth the effort.

Welcome Lacehim, Give me a PM quiet welcome to come and visit my system (Palmwoods)

+ 1 here too Lacehim, just about any week end is good for us with a bit of notice.

Thank you chainsaw and blind freddie. It will be great to see systems in place and running. It might help convince my Mrs.

I will be in touch!

Make it three and a barbque, sounds like a good weekend

Look at all you queenslanders hugging and petting each other. Very cute. hehe

Charlie you should know better, now he will not stop.

G'day. I am new to this. Have done my research and am ready to start a build. Chasing ibcs on the Sunshine Coast that haven't been used for nasties. If you have any contacts and would be willing to share please let me know. Happy to pay the asking price and can collect too. Hope some of you experienced locals will be able to point me in the right direction to save having to go to Brisbane. Thanks

s_short01@hotmail.com