Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Thoroughly enjoyable and inspiring thread!

Thank you so much for taking the time and effort to share!!

We had a 98 degree day this week the greenhouse was 90 degrees with good air flow.

My fish water temp was increasing so I did a high tech solution. I put a white tarp over where the sun comes in and heats the water up.



It is working well so far and keeping the fish water under 80 degrees.

Next Wednesday I am getting twenty more tilapia. From a fish place that is about 1 ½ hours away from my house. They are delivering fish about 10 miles from my house. This is so convenient and I hope it works out.
They are cheaper than what I have paid so far $1 pre fish.

Sun is murder here too.

My strawberries are doing a little better. We have had a heat wave so it is amazing they are producing at all.







I would like to get another 40-50 strawberry plants but I need to get my DWC growing better than it is now.
I get 20 more fish tomorrow. Hopefully that will help.

I picked up my fish from the fish truck today. That worked out very well.
This time we counted each fish as we added them to our tank.
I ordered 20 @ a $1 each they gave me 33.
They had Mosquito fish so I said give me a $1 worth .20 each.
He was like I put in 20 fish so it will be $5 the bag cost $1. I was ok with that so I bought them they were already bagged up.
We counted 65 of them when we got home. I am not sure how many will get eaten by my other fish.

awesome deal! the mosquito fish look like guppies with no color to them... I'm planning on keeping a separate tank to breed guppies in as a cheap alternative food for my fish when I get the system up and running.

It appears that all 65 Mosquito fish have been eaten. I wound not do that again.
I guess that is why I told him $1 worth at first.

At the beginning you can see how much air is being put into the fish water from the Hydrocyclone aeration.




No big deal I did want to try Mosquito fish out but now I know.

@Fresh-is-Best Thanks!


The new fish are doing their jobs. The nitrates are back.

This is really my wife’s garden but she does not seem to have much interest lately. So for now I guess I will have to do more with it.

I took out some of the tomato plants I will probably take about a few more. We have had an extended 90-98 degree days but the fish water is 82 degrees. This is great last year I had trouble keeping it form going over 90. If it gets any higher I will they the heat exchanger at night to cool off the fish water. I might try it just to see how well it works.
The DWC is doing better with the new fish and all the fish are eating more.

I sold two of my IBC containers (I got more than I paid for them) I really only need three to capture rain water. It is good to have them gone I need to start cleaning up the construction zone and get rid of things I got but did not use.

I keep just under 1,000 gallons of captured water to top off the system. I really think two would be enough but I would like to have more than I need than not enough.



The tomatoes have grown up over the cables and more than 1/2 way back down to the bed.

I see some people posting about their greenhouses and getting mold on the plants because of poor air flow. Saying they need to add fans.

I am pleased that I do not have any mold on my plants and the air flow has been good.
96 yesterday and 88 in the green house. Fish water 83 degrees.

I was so hot outside it felt so much cooler in the greenhouse. 88 is still hot but it had good air flow.

It needs more of my attention but we are hitting the lake every weekend having fun.

Now that I have more fish the DWC is doing much better. I need to plant more plants in it now.

I ordered 200 hundred rockwool starter cubes. I plan on starting some seeds and put them in the DWC. I have never used these but they get good reviews.




My nitrates are doing good so I am ready to get more plants started.

I can not get my nitrates up like this. Yours looks great. Our plants look like they are missing everything they need. I think I need to rework my flows from the filters. Which fish ate the Mosquitofish, the Talipia?

I was not able to get my nitrates up until I added more fish this last time.
Yes it was the Tilapia that ate the Mosquito fish. I will not be getting them again. I did not have any issue with mosquitos at all. I have had one caterpillar and a few stray wasps a couple flies.
At the beginning of the year I had fruit flies but I caught them with fly tape.
I have been so lucky to not have pest so far.

We are getting ready to start all our plants over just keeping strawberry’s, cucumbers.
Mow that it is cooling off I and going to finish the outside with the hardie board.

Don't wear anything yellow going into your greenhouse. If you notice the sticky traps are yellow and there is a reason for this, some pests are attracted to this color. Whiteflies are one of these and they are a pain to get rid of in a greenhouse plus they like strawberry plants. You'll probably wind up getting some in the greenhouse at some point but no reason to be in a rush