A Community and Forum For Aquaponic Gardeners

Getting started, Here is my plan

I just found out about aquaponics. I have always love to garden and have always owned and aquarium. So i guess this is the next step for me. I am currently building a 20X40 greenhouse that should be done by this fall. I am very interested in aquaponics and would invite your thoughts on my system plan.

I have a 10' deep ground water well that i installed last year inside the greenhouse. It has a sealed lid and is vented to the outside to get rid of radon gas. It is a 3' diameter plastic coulvert pipe and is only open on the bottom. I checked is several time through out the winter and it has always been between 1/2 and completely full of ground water. I am going to use it as a sump for this system.

The greenhouse is 20X40 metal pipe framed. I have the rafter and wall pipes done, and the purlins are installed. I purchased 15 sheets of coroplast to use on the endwalls that still needs built. The sides will be vinyl banner material that can be rolled up in the heat of summer, And the roof will be 2 layers of 6 mil. poly. I intend to inflate the layers of poly with regulated dry air that will discharge into the fish tanks.

I currently have 6 IBC 330 gallon totes that i am going to cut down for the fish tanks. The frames are gone but the tanks are in great shape. So i will have to build some frames out of wood. I am thinking that i should line them with insulation to keep the water temp as consistent as possible.

The grow beds will be 3'x10'. Made out of 2X12 wood, and use peagravel as grow medium.

I have some 15 gallon plastic drums that will become the biofilters. One for each fish tank.

Each fish tank will have a small clarrifier to catch the solids

I haven't put much thought into heating yet, but was thinking about a small hot water heater. The well will keep the water around 52 deg. year round. This will vary some in the heat of summer and the freezing of winter. But i don't think it will be to difficult to regulate.

I intend to grow tomatoes, lettuce, peppers, tobacco, cabbage

I'm not sure what kind of fish to raise but was thinking of fathead minnows and blue gills. At this point the fish are not as important as the veggies. That may change as i get this system up and running

Let me know your thought on this project. any advice you can give will be appreciated.

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Tony Gilliam on March 27, 2012 at 12:26pm

Here is some quick numbers i came up with.

1650 tank gallons

2040 total gallons in the system

350 square feet of grow beds

Permalink Reply by Tony Gilliam on March 29, 2012 at 11:55am

Come on guys, I want to get started in this venture. But i can not do it alone. I need some in put! from this community. Be fore i get growing it is my intention to get a baitfish tank going, So i can go fishing. I'm thinking a charcoal filter will do the trick. I'm going to catch minnows and chubs and crayfish from the local streams. They will be used to catch fish for my family to eat, and maybe put in the tanks to grow veggies.

It is starting to look like the fish are more important that the plants in this community but i have to say. My family needs to eat and we like both but the bait fish will be used as god intended them. BAIT!. I want to grow alot of veggies and plenty of bait and plate sized fish for my family to eat.

If you can help me get a bait fish tank going then that is the first step.

So far i have had 44 views and not one reply to this subject. Come on guys help me out I'm just trien to feed my family.