Any other preppers out there?

[Daniel]

I don't consider myself a hard core prepper but I do try to plan for potential disaster situations as I can. I think having an AP system is a great match for any survival plan. Wrote a blog post about the reasons here: http://www.whatisaquaponics.co/4-reasons-preppers-need-an-aquaponic...

Any other aquapons consider their system part of a survival plan?

[ray]

by the way in a gov defualt

 

 

is not so bad its actually a very good thing. To me at least, I have my reasons. lloll...

[Brian Rasco]

My wife and I are what most people call hard core preppers. We have been doing conventional gardening for a few years now and really want to transition to aquaponics. We are really concerned about sustainability so we need to know what kinds of "off the shelf" supplements we would have to add to an aquaponic system to keep it going and producing meaningful quantities of food such as squash, beans, tomatoes, etc. 

We strive for off-grid survivability and so we want to be prepared to feed ourselves without being able to go down to a store to get whatever. I am a good plumber, electrician, welder, and general builder so the construction and maintenance of the physical systems are not so much a problem as is being able to keep it going and producing in isolation for an extended time period. I am talking about fish food, minerals, and chemicals that would be needed.

I can stockpile things but only so much, especially when they have a limited shelf life. Is there such a discussion already?

Or is this information located somewhere else? Thanks in advance.

[Jim Fisk]

Hey fellow preppers, been awhile since I was on here. I got the wood boiler made for the house last year and I just yesterday got the water coil in the 330g IBC hot water storage tank. So we are getting there. We also were given permission to clear all the dead locust trees off the mountain top next door so we have truck loads of dry locust and the gasifier boiler is loving it. She really roars to life and keeps our house toasty. We heat with 4 wood stoves between the AP GH, cabin and main house. Here's a pic of the boiler. The white thing in the background is the elevated 330g IBC. Since this was taken last season I have set up automation to take care of numerous functions like keeping the water/heat exchange above 130F to avoid creosote and things like turning on the radiators if stored water gets above 150F. Still securing the door for now with Visegrips LOL. Low on the list. I have a vid of the build and the GH woodstove build on YT under Fiskfarm. This year I didn't have to dry nearly as much wood on the rack.

[Jim Fisk]

Hey Brian, sounds like we are 2 peas in the pod. Do you share your builds on YT? We currently pour the Trophy fish food into empty juice jugs and place them in the deep freeze. Long term off grid is not addressed here yet so we hope TS don't HTF too soon. lol. We have a stream we plan to tap for long term off grid soon. About 1/4 the way there so far. Batteries are the big hunt. BTW we raise trout so heating the GH AP water isn't too bad. Between the solar panel (water) and the black barrels full of water under the potting bench we only run the woodstove when it approaches say 19F and we haven't had any Sun for days. Of course the larger the system the easier to keep warm. Ours is 2500g and the GH is 24 x 24 ft. We easily feed ourselves between the veggies, 35 chickens and 6-8 sheep and of course the trout and eat very well. Runs to the supermarket have dropped like a stone. BTW, check my system plans and photos out on here for ideas and we are on FB under Smoky Mountain Aquaponics and Homesteading.

Brian Rasco said:

My wife and I are what most people call hard core preppers. We have been doing conventional gardening for a few years now and really want to transition to aquaponics. We are really concerned about sustainability so we need to know what kinds of "off the shelf" supplements we would have to add to an aquaponic system to keep it going and producing meaningful quantities of food such as squash, beans, tomatoes, etc. 

We strive for off-grid survivability and so we want to be prepared to feed ourselves without being able to go down to a store to get whatever. I am a good plumber, electrician, welder, and general builder so the construction and maintenance of the physical systems are not so much a problem as is being able to keep it going and producing in isolation for an extended time period. I am talking about fish food, minerals, and chemicals that would be needed.

I can stockpile things but only so much, especially when they have a limited shelf life. Is there such a discussion already?

Or is this information located somewhere else? Thanks in advance.

[Wayne]

Prepper and homesteader wanabe here. Unless a system runs off grid, it doesn't fit in the prepper lifestyle. I am currently redesigning my system and relocating it in the hoophouse I just built. I hope to run everything on less than 500 watts

What do you consider hard core?  

[StevedNETN]

I would consider myself a concerned and informed person.  I have learned that the more skills I have, the less fear.  I can fix or build just about anything.  Few years back I realized I didn't feel comfortable in my ability to grow food, so I started to research.  Fell in love with the aquaponics concept.  Now I have an 8 acre farm with deer everywhere.  Love to do a garden outside, but too lazy/busy to fight with the deer.  So I have put my thoughts to action on the greenhouse and AP.  Really having a blast.  As I have learned so much about nutrition and become more skeptical of the government and medical system, the more energized I am to produce low cost, quality food for my family and friends.  The less I need the grocery store, the more freedom I have.  Win Win.  Don't think i will ever have to fight off zombies, but if the day ever comes where I need to gather my close family together for a natural disaster, disease outbreak, monetary instability or what ever, Food is really the most important piece.  I also love the idea that the less money I pay out each month means the less I need to earn.  This means more time at home with my kids and wife.  All another step in the right direction.  

I look forward to one day being able to help others with scale able systems that can provide for their needs too.  What better gift can you give.