Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

THought that it would be interesting to see what turn of events got people hooked on aquaponics...

For me it was a case of researching ways to build a better bio filter on the net, I clicked on the wrong link and learnt about aquaponics - it was all downhill from there! One of my friends at work told me about this site and they have not been able to get rid of me since!

Hey AM:
I was reading about aquaculture I think a few years ago, because it seemed like a progressive way to be a farmer and farming has a certain romantic appeal of course. I'm sure that's how I ended up reading about it, as a side-track of aquaculture. Efficiency has an irresistable pull, that's why I think permaculture and sustainability are appealing, really for me from the engineering angle, as well as a the peaceful relaxing gardening part. It's like how golf is a good sport to learn because you can play it for the rest of your life...

I have always been keen on fishing and have had an aquarium, but really it's Joel's fault.

It was the Speraneos and their systems that did it for me... Found them while surfing the net looking for backyard fish growing info....

I think I might be gettting a fair bit of blame here Gav (B2B)....

I grew up in the bush, had aquariums for a lot of my life, and have often thought of aquaculture as a way of returning to farming. But what got me was I as at my chiropractor sitting in the waiting room reading a story by Joel (in earth garden I think) and it just seemed to make so much sense.

Now I've got the fish, before I was really ready (and I've only killed one) but moves are a foot to get it sorted properly.

Warren

I was having the out-laws over for tea and my MIL was talking and I wasn't listenening as per usual. The next day, I was reading Earth Garden (joel's Article) and brought the magazine home from the Outlaws house, hopped straight on the website and have been hooked since. Funnily enough, my wife said "I thought you would have been keen on the idea when mum was talking about it last night". We are all into sustainability, passive solar stuff etc (most of it dreaming) but this seemed like a ground floor way to do something good for me and my family and maybe have a small contribution to the environment aswell. And I love eating fish and veg!! A win on all fronts!!

I got my first look at aquaponics in the mid 1970's. We were into small scale farming and I used to buy every book that I could find on the subject.

A group called the New Alchemists had demonstrated the effectiveness of integrated aquaculture (as it was called then) and authors like Michael Allaby and Dr John Todd provided the detail that people needed to get up and going.

The 1970's was arguably the golden age for a lot of alternative farming stuff. The second oil crisis of 1973 spawned a heap of interest in things like solar energy, bio-digesters, wind power, alternative building and micro-farming.

Many baby boomers found this stuff interesting but very few of them got anything happening - too much free love and plenty of cheap marijuana. While I never lost interest in the subject, it was simply a case of moving about too much. It's much easier to move a hydroponics set up than several tonnes of aquaponic systems.

And then, one day, I clicked on 'backyard aquaponics' and the rest (as they say) is history.

Grew up in the bush Warren. I lived in the bush for several months. I'd still be there if it weren't for Winter. Loved it. No resposibility at all I just lived there with my girl and we lived off the land. Life was incredibly good.

Comparing this to fame and moderate fortune (since spent) there is no comparison. Life as a caveman all the way!

LOL, never heard them called out-laws good one Stu. I'm a bit nuts I guess so telling my story here. Veggiepond.com
A work in progress as everything in life and it gives me time to reflect.

kinda gives the phrase "going clubbing" a whole new twist then...


LOL

When you said bush, what kinda 'bush'... I found that here in Australia people have refered to Cairns as living in the sticks / living in the bush...

Grass Roots or Earth Garden for me!

I'm a sustainable nut. Trying to build a complete system (I mean complete, like as in no input and no output). I had actually brought the Earthgarden or Grassroots magazine several days before someone on another forum I frequent mentioned it. I went back to the magazine.....looked up the site..brought the book and DVD and am hooked!!! Hopefully my first system will be up and going soon!

I remember watching tele- gardening Oz.
I looked around and thought I've got most of that.
Got square eyes for a few days reading post and stuff.
Now I have my ponds flowing and herbs and veg going
in soon with fish to follow..Yippy

Bush - trees, mountains, coastline, no people, you have to walk there.

Had much shellfish, marine fish, kokopu, trout, eels, puha, watercress, and stocks and rice bought with us. Campsite by a stream, cooking on fire, the whole shebang.

Fantastic!

The rat race has paled in significance ever since I lived there.

ad-is it near the bay of plenty