Don Stark

Male

Rochester, WA

United States

Profile Information:

How did you find us?
Search engine (Google)
If you found us through a search engine, what search words were you using?
aquaponics
Are you an aquaponic gardener already?
Yes
If so, what type of system? (pick all that apply)
flood and drain media, raft, NFT, vertical
How old is your system?
1 - 2 yrs
What type of fish do you grow with? (select all that apply)
Goldfish, Tilapia
How big is your fish tank?
600 gallon
Please tell us something else about yourself.
Building and Designing systems.
Integrating multiple methods of applying Aquaponics; DWC, Media, Wicking, Drip, Vertical, NFT and now fodder/greens

Comment Wall:

  • Sylvia Bernstein

    Welcome Don,


    Thanks for joining the Aquaponic Gardening community!  I hope you find it a fun place to explore aquaponics.  There is a real blend of experienced and new aquapons in this community, so please don’t hesitate to get in there and start asking questions.  Everyone is quite happy to help out new members – no question is too basic.  


    A great place to start is to read the “How to Use This Site” link on the upper right corner, “Start Here” section of the Home page.  You might also find the “Aquaponic Gardening Rules of Thumb” guidelines helpful.


    Please participate and check in with us every day!  We are constantly posting news about aquaponics and the good food movement.


    Thanks again for joining us, and I look forward to getting to know you.


    Sylvia

    Jun 11, 2011

  • Anne Phillip

    Hello fellow Pacific Northwesterner!

    Feb 24, 2012

  • John M Sheets

    Don This is what Rick Stillwagon says about fish selection:

    Reply by Rick Stillwagon on August 31, 2011 at 9:00am

    Where we are going is a big one. the direction I wish to go is in an organic and cost effective process that runs and is productive year round. This means greenhouses, r-value, energy, lighting, and feed are primary issues.

     

    Project materials: my goal is to find reliable sources for quality recycled materials: glass, lumber, metal, IBC totes, barrels, etc.

     

    I have been researching fish as well. Yellow perch seem to be popular and a re available in the NW. Catfish, bluegill, Crappie, Sunfish, are others. Some of these dont do too well in high densities though.  I recently bought some Yabbie crayfish from Walmart of all places.  They semm to be doing well so far and growing fast. I will keep you informed on what I have success with and what isnt so great...

     

     

     Reply by Rick Stillwagon on August 15, 2011 at 2:28pm

    Hi Christina,

    I am going to be raising Channel Catfish and probably Yellow perch to start out with. I have a mud pond on my property and have already stocked some in there.  Both are natives here in Washington and readily available. The primary issue is still heat. If the fish arent warm they dont eat and if they dont eat they dont create the waste necessary to feed your plants. They are more forgiving in this area should you have a power outage or some other reason for the water cooling. Trout like cooler, clean water, and need to be watched closely for health issues in high densities.

    Feb 29, 2012