Just Starting My Planning

[Hollis Armstrong]

I just ran across aquaponics yesterday and Im as excited as a kid in a candy store with a $100 gift card. I can seem to absorb all the information quick enough because my mind is spinning with ideas of how I can create an aquaponics system that will work best for my family and accommodations (I live in a small town). 

I am diabetic and desire to eat healthier than I have in the past. Fish and green leafy veggies are at the top of my list. Zucchini, yellow squash, cucumbers, various peppers, radishes, onions, and tomatoes being the staples I have always planted. Last year I had to reduce down to just tomatoes because I had a project (trailer mounted twin 500 gal tank smokers) that took up most of my gardening space. Yesterday I saw an article for the most nutritional foods available and saw that water cress is #1. I had never heard of it so I started doing research and found it grows ell in 36: of water or in marsh. So I started to think of a koi pond to grow it in and one thing lead to another and I ran across aquaponics and now I am hooked. 

I would like to dig a deep but small hole in the side yard to make a fish pond/waterfall. I need this to be decorative so it will be accepted by neighbors and city officials. I would like to create a maze of planted beds that can serve the purpose of growing my veggies yet not look like a junk yard at the same time. This is where I need the most help. I have been looking at different systems and like the floating beds but since it will be outdoors I dont think this would be best. You tell me? I think media beds would work well but dont know how to build them so it looks good in my side yard that will be exposed to the thru traffic and neighbors. I wwill give measurements later to help figure out what size fish pond and how many beds will need to be built.

Im excited to start this journey and look forward to learning, making new friends, and creating a viable working aquaponics system.

I am also interested in building a system for an orphanage in Honduras that our local church helps to support. They have little to no money and depend on handouts and donations for survival. If we could help them to be self sufficient it would be a tremendous blessing. Any adivice or help there would be awesome.

Thank you

Hollis