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Comment by Jeff S on December 28, 2013 at 4:11pm

A good place to go for right on aquaponics info is Bright Agrotech on YouTube. Real information you can use. Another that I thought was entertaining and educational was Tilapia Man. 26 videos, watch them in order. It's like a TV series of a guy that took fish farming to all types of levels.

Comment by Leo White Bear on December 28, 2013 at 1:18pm

Everyone here have very good ideas.  More totes = more grow space = more veggies = more chances for a bio-problem.  I have a 14-tote system inside a barn and the first thing I thought of was bio-security.  If all my totes were hooked together into one continous system, there is potential for a fish disease to halt ALL growth.  One disease will mean that you will have to shut down every tote and sanitize them, ALL.  My system that incorporates the 14 totes are run off of 7-pumps, one pump per two totes.  If something happens, I just have to shut down two totes while the other 12 keep running and growing.  I have seen large commercial systems/businesses go under because they didn't instate a bio-security contingency.  I know most here on the forum are enjoying their backyard systems of one, two or more totes.  If a disease hits these, not too much damage will insue, they still have to shut the system down and sanatize it.  That means the totes, grow beds MEDIA, piping pumps and everything that touched, water.  Do yourself a favor and at least consider a bio-secure set up. Just my two cents worth.  Click my avitar to check out my indoor system and how I seperated all the totes.

Comment by Jim Fisk on December 28, 2013 at 11:06am

Jeff has a point BUT it all depends on your level of prior experience.

My starter system is what you see in my photos (24' x 24'). I planned for future expansion in 8 foot increments off to the West side. I have been building things like this all my life so it all depends as I said on your individual experience and level of expertise. We have no way of knowing this about someone else so I say go for it based upon what you know, where you live and how many you plan on feeding.

I planned on paper (well computer) and broke ground in a weather break in January just one month after hearing the word "Aquaponics" for the first time and my layout has worked perfectly ever since. Of course there have been minor detail changes but all under the original floor plan and layout. That is what forums are all about. Take advantage of my and other's experience and apply it to your situation. You may be living in an apartment or on the family farm. Build and dream accordingly. Money might just be another factor that again we don't know. Personally I was looking for a layout and details I could copy but alas, after joining 3 forums, signing up for every newsletter I could, (yes IBC of AP is great but still no definitive details) I found no such layout and had to come up with my own based upon my land, my money, (scrounged nearly everything) and my desires. You should do the same but we are here to help. Just ask.

Personally I would start with a plan that will actually be big enough to grow food as opposed to a hobby. That was our intent from the get go and it has worked out perfectly. Commit yourself and it will happen.

Comment by Jeff S on December 28, 2013 at 10:30am

If you are new to aquaponics I would suggest to not get too carried away at first. One bed, one FT, gravity feed with bell syphon. Start cycling your bed right away while you wait for the weather. One step at a time. Plants, fish, baby fish, etc. and then expand as you learn. I tried to do too much at once and set things up all wrong. What looks good and works for someone else may not be good for you. While it's fun to make things and create projects I've found that sometimes to just go out and buy something is better (and cheaper) than making it out of PVC. I have lots of basic advice if you're interested.

Comment by Jim Fisk on December 28, 2013 at 10:25am

Hi DJ, here is a link to my current layout. I may be replacing that row of barrels with more IBCs as I have more room than I thought as we build that front S side wall. We have been raising Trout with great success and you can push the fish by adding biofilters as we have but more GBs full of veggies to consume the nutrients is a good thing.

I also have 5 full size 275 and 330gal fish tanks so I do not have to over crowd the fish. Click on my avatar at the left and ck out my photos to see how I cut my FTs and GBs.

NEVER too many totes. I have a 330 I just pu and I may replace one of the 275s with it or replace our 275 below grade sump and make GBs out of the 275. Too much waste using a 330 for 14" high GBs. Great for fish as I fill them to about 6" from the top for more water volume. NEVER too much water volume. The more the better in every way I can think of. Note I do not cut off the tops of the FTs but rather cut a lid, door, whatever, at the front leaving narrow hinges that have worked fine for 2 yrs now. Why cut off the tops just to have to build some sort of cover? You sound like you also have good IBC sources. This last one cost me 40.00.

We have enjoyed many Trout feasts now and they seem perfectly happy in the full size 330 gal IBCs. The newest fingerlings are growing at a much faster rate and I think that is because the system is very stable after 2 yrs. So this AP thing just keeps getting better and better. Dive in.

Comment by DJ Wambach on December 28, 2013 at 9:56am

I was going to set up a system using 3 totes that would give me 3 GB, one sump and one tote as a FT as soon as it warmed up a little. I have already cut them but now I just got 3 more totes! I would like to eat as much fish as I can. Any ideas on how to add all of this together into one system? Photos would help.

Comment by Paul Phillip Meyer on December 19, 2013 at 12:24pm

Hey I'm interested. I'll email you definitely.

Comment by Craig Shevlin on December 17, 2013 at 8:49am

There is an availability of 275 gallon IBC totes in Ohio.  Need to order minimum of 10.  Anyone in WV/VA/MD/NC interested in going in on them?  $45.00 each plus shipping.  Email me at CraigSS@live.com

Comment by Jim Fisk on September 24, 2013 at 9:31am

I posted this elsewhere but it should be here as well. Buy used!

Comment by Jim Fisk on September 11, 2013 at 8:57am

"A message from Jonathan Paul Grenard to all members of IBC Aquaponics on Aquaponic Gardening!
I am using 7 IBC totes for my system"

Hi Jonathan and welcome to our IBC community. The best place to post to all members would be here so we can comment rather than an email to every member. Having said that tell us more about your system plan, your totes, like what was in them and how you are cleaning them, etc. Let us know how we can help.

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