Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Yep, me too...
didn't strike me as entirely practical...so I thought there'd be someone on the forum who would try it

I'd try it, later when I have an established system.

The ultimate ULTIMATE system would be a computerised flood-drain timing device, fed by realtime data on ambient air, fishtank water & growbed temperatures (and if possible, NH3, NO2 and NO3 readings but that's just getting crazy).

Maybe one day the demand for turn-key Aquaponics systems will be there and somebody will develop the "AquaStat 3000" or something to run it all... I'll bet electronic garden sprinkler systems were dismissed as indulgent nonsense when they were first proposed...

Come to think of it, if Aquaponics is ever to be taken up by the masses as part of a self-sustainable urban food production system (eg post Peak Oil), we might need some way of making it easier for your Average Joe (like me and my Dad) to "set & forget"... Any electronics gurus on this forum?

Perhaps a more sane place to start would be a set of thermometers recording max temperatures linked to a flashing light or even a remote alarm, so you can be alerted if the growbed or fishtank are achieving dangerously high or low temperatures, and can take action accordingly. (e.g. flashing red light = more regular pumping needed, flashing green light = less pumping needed). That may be more achievable and sensible.

Hi jdw look at joels first system thats what i based mine on simple cheap been running over 12 months all i do is feed the fish, plant and pick vegies test the system once a month [last one temp 26 ph 7 all others 000] you will find the simplest ones give the least trouble

yes and all the extra power to run valves lights etc etc etc

I agree that it is very easy to set up a system that you can just switch on and do very little from there on, whithout having to rely on all sorts of computerisation. My biggest issue is having to top up the sump due to water loss from evaporation and transpiration. This is easilly solved by having the sump connected to the rainwater tank and having a float switch let water in when it reaches a low level mark.

Yep simple is best

Yes, simple is best.

I was just thinking how my Dad's system demonstrates that - at least in certain environments - aquaponics is not a matter of "set and forget". During winter, temperatures drop to as low as -2 overnight, and during summer his temperatures rise as high as 45 in the shade (probably over 50 in the sun where the growbed is). The pumping regime is obviously critical to the health of the system and some idiot-proof way of knowing when to use a 15on/30off timing, when to use a 30on/60off, a 15on/15off, etc would be good for people like us.

Tried this by connecting a 12v flashing red light to operate when the 12v bilge pumps were in action (mains power loss)...blew the LED when I switched on the bilge pumps with the battery charger connected (14.5v)

So much for lovely flashing lights - it was gonna be my visual alarm for when I switched on the pumps to test them and then have a reminder to switch them off, hence not follow in the footsteps of the 1000% water changers (might get around to buying a replacement one day)

Who me

Just been reading through this thread,

Having been troubled by the temps in Adelaide and surrounds in the last few weeks I measured my sump temp at 32°C recently. The fish I have at the moment live in the sump, 12 Silvers.

All seem happy, the reason is as somebody has already indicated DO.

I for one don't believe that there is an idiot proof method for Ap, or anything else for that matter, we are dealing with living organisms (fish/plants/bacteria) in a closed system which rely on us to try and maintain optimum conditions for them. In that those with some knowledge of fish keeping in an aquarium may be one step ahead of those of us that only have knowledge of growing plants in earth gardens.

Then again that is why we all build a small system as proof of concept (KP excepted). As a trial and error proof ground.

OK I'll stop now..

H

Yes, I built a teeny system (60L fishtank, 10 goldfish, two 30L square palstic tubs as growbeds) and it worked well with NO water testing or anything (fluked it I guess). So this was a proof of concept and then Dad invested the big dollars and built his medium system from Joel's book. For many reasons my success (read: luck) on the small scale did not translate to success for him, so we are now learning all the hard lessons on the medium-scale system.

BTW Himzol, where in Adelaide Hills are you? I'm in Nairne.

on the dead fish stakes
well mine are not dead yet but a couple of barra have milky eyes
they are easy to catch so presume cant see well, I thought maybee fungus
but milkyness seems to be inside the lens. Any Idea what the problem is
other fish are fine water temp 25c - 28c on surface

Welcome Slade.... how many Barra in how much water...

And what are your ammonia, nitrite and nitrate readings??

I have 10 barra
2 seem in trouble others good
water is very large pond over half million liters
I dont know the answer to the other questions
can I get a kit to check this
Slade