Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Restocked the system with trout yesterday, 18 of the little blighters went in, all swimming around nicely and fed well this morning, I have winter seedlings getting started so they'll be going into the AP beds shortly.

My son grew some tadpoles into little frogs, striped marsh frogs, spotted marsh frogs, see how they go in the system, apparently they lay eggs in still water, so unlikely we'll get tadpoles in the sump.

Trout are good fun

Thought about getting some trouble here is it gets hot pretty early we can get 40s celcius in early October

I harvested my 6 big cod and got 25 more

When I lost all my fish to insecticide spray drift I stocked my system with heaps of tadpoles they were good fun I set up a floating island for them when they started to get legs

You could create a "Still water" section in the corner of your sump

yea, I've been thinking how i could do that, might need to wait till I expand.

So smoked up the last of last years trout season yesterday for lunch, here they are going in, forgot the after shots, but geez they were scrummy!



This morning we awoke to the first frost of winter, a tad chilly.


The AP system is chugging alonng, some winter crops are in and the tomatoes are starting to fade away, will be pulling the last bed out this weekend.



I have 18 rainbows on the go this season with no losses, they've been in for 9 weeks or so, so looking good so far. the only downside is I'll likely need to harvest in Sept by the looks unless I can move them.

We've made an offer on a 35Ha property south of Adelaide that looks like it will be accepted. With 800mm rainfall and a 500ppm water quality bore I've got great water to use, gives me room to expand my AP, have a productive veg garden, orchard and run some livestock.

So the urban farm is on the verge of upsizing!

Well we now have our house on the market and contract on a rural property all signed pending sale so fingers crossed.

The challenge is going to be shifting the AP system unless the buyer want to keep.

I think I'll need to invest in another IBC on a trailer to move fish/water and 12V airpump, or see if the camping inverter I have will run my current pump. Luckily neighbours across the road have a nice big flatbed truck I can put everything onto, he's offered to help out moving if required. Just a matter of getting everything out to the front of the house. I figure if we drain the cut down GB's we should be able to hoist onto truck, might be wishful thinking, but can only see. Then it's a matter of getting to the end destination and plumbing back up, a days work I'm figuring.

good luck with your move.

Well after a long process of 3 offers, 2 frustrated contracts and way to many open houses it looks like we have finally got a contract to stick and the house sold. We're on the move to a small township about an hour south to ~90 acres. More than enough room to expand the AP, graze some livestock, raise some meat birds and slowly develop a small farm holding.

Great Graf...on the Fleurieu peninsula?
If so well done: I love that area.

Nhibbo, Mount Compass. heres a pic of the land, good rainfall and storage, excellent quality bore, fencing and decent pastures. house block is up at the back middle.

Plan to be getting some more trees planted and and following the regenerative agriculture path. Looking forward to the work and fun times to be had.

Stunning Graf. Beautiful property in a beautiful part of the world. Well done!

Wow that is beautiful.
You said 800mm of rain ?

Please be careful, always have the Rubber Duck and scuba gear close by, so you do not drown.

So the move is happening in 2 weeks. This weekends job was to finish emptying the wicking beds and cleaning out the aquaponics.

Started off with 18 fingerlings on 18th March, harvested 17 eating sized yesterday. I would have liked to get another 4-6 weeks growth, but the logistics of trying to move the system was going to be impossible.

It was all hands on deck including the kids and of course the dog!


Leo, our husky, is partial to the guts. Here he is "supervising"


and keeping a keen lookout for any scraps!


Final effort vacuum packed and ready for the freezer.


So a successful trout season this year. Looking forward to what the next year brings. I have full intentions of upsizing!!

Awesome harvest - they look tasty!