Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Finally, back to the Forum after lots of interruptions to good intentions.

As previously stated, I have a serious lack of space so I've had to do much of my preparations at my B.I.L.'s place. Now, at last, I've started to put it all together at Home!

Here's a picture of my "back yard" before I started.
It's about 3 metres wide by 4.5 metres long.
Yep, that's all there is!
Still, I'll make the best of what I have.



Here's the start of the construction.
At last.
Because of the limited space I've got to "make pretty" as I go ...



A few weeks later I was able to add the first of the cut-up IBCs

By now the rotten weather had struck so progress was slow, but steady:



Construction is mainly 150mm x 25mm treated pine, painted and/or lined with black plastic sheeting.



I've gone for a 90mm PVC SLO and continued that all the way through to the GBs.
GBs are about 400mm deep and filled with Hydroton.

GBs drain into 90mm collection pipe that runs to empty into just one ST rather than just letting each drain into the ST that's directly beneath it.

I've used 40mm pressure pipe to connect the pump to the FT and also to inter-connect the STs. I couldn't source any connector that would fit the outlets of the IBCs (about 85mm diameter). By connecting the 40mm pipe through the outlet-caps I've retained the use of the butterfly valves of the IBC outlets. This way I can still isolate the individual STs and use one or more for emergency treatments.

STs are about 450mm deep.

Water has been running OK so far with 15 minutes on and 45 minutes off.

Nice work.

Wow! Very impressed at your handy work there pelican.

I think it will be a perfect addition to your surroundings and will no doubt turn some heads. Well done.

Nicely done Pelican...

I think I'm basically finished now - for the time being at least!

My first plants have gone in and seem to be coming along okay. Going with fishless cycling for now using Seasol and Charlie Carp to keep the plants fed.

Here's the first few plants, bought as punnets of seedlings.

I've got some Mini Cauliflowers, Spinach, Lettuce, Leek and Garlic.
Probably a bit late for the caulis but it's only trial and error at the moment.





A few Snow Peas as well . . .

Here's a pic of the Fish Tank showing the water being pumped in and distributed. I'm hoping this will create a good bit of aeration/oxygen but I also have an air-pump waiting to be connected.

I've made a cover for the tank but it's not shown here (obviously!)

I've tested the water a few times and I think it's coming along okay.

I'm lucky to be able to start with rainwater and pH is close to neutral at the moment.
It started at 7.2 and has now dropped back to 6.8.

Ammonia was 4 (about 4 weeks ago) and is 0.25 today.

Nitrite was 5 and is 0 today.

Nitrate was 10 and is 80 today.

Comments please?

I'm uncertain about getting fish at this stage.



Is it still worthwhile getting trout so late in the year?



Our summer temperatures will often go into the mid-thirties and my system is facing almost due North so will get plenty of heat once the weather improves.

As far as I know my nearest trout supplier would be in Ballarat but would love to hear if I can get them any nearer to home. (Leopold is about 10 Kms south of Geelong on the Bellarine Peninsula.)

Any ideas will be welcome. Other fish variety perhaps?

Thanks for looking and reading.

Looking good, Pelican.

You could defiantely add fish at this stage although we are getting a bit late in the year for trout, unless you can get hold of some yearlings. Other options could be silver perch which are quite hardy or maybe Jade perch or catfish.

Just checked www.livefish.com.au and they are out of stock of silvers and jades. John at Glenwaters probably wont have any till the end of the year and central Victorian fish seem to be offline. So maybe some goldfish till you can get fingerlings off John and he does post them so you don't have to travel

The setup looks very nice, well done!

I hope you don't get trouble with algae in your GB water inlets.

Cheers