Help!

[Chris]

Hey everyone, so I have been watching videos on YouTube for awhile now on aquaponic and want to do it! I want to do a 1500 gal tank and a crap load of grow beds. Here's the problem. I wife said no bc it will cost to much money. So I want to do a small system that I can show proof that it can work. Can someone please help me with a cheap design and how it would be set up? As in this hooks up to this and this hooks up to this and so on.i have seen some people us filters others don't. I have looking to show my wife it can be done. I know it takes time but I don't know where to start. Also what type of system do I build? Please help. I upset up a proof of concept one but it looked really bad. It got water from A to B and back to A but wife didn't like it.

[Jeremiah Robinson]

A 10 gallon tank with a grow bed made from a pizza dough tray, a small hydroponic pump with timer, an air stone, rubber tubing and grommets, some pots with hydroton (small clay balls), and peet pellets for starts will get you started for about $100.  If you're doing it indoors you'll need 4100k T5 lights (another $50-100).  Between a hydroponic store, hardware store, and a pet store you should be able to get what you need.  Be sure to get an aquarium test kit and allow for nutrient cycling before adding fish.  Most folks start with goldfish. Small systems are finicky so you'll have to test PH and ammonia twice daily when you get fish.  Once you get above about 200 gallons it gets much easier.

[Shelia Hoyt]

Hi  Chris, you could build a 30 gallon system for "proof" fairly cheap with a 30 gallon Rubbermaid tote and a plastic concrete mixing tub can be purchased for about  6 or 7 dollars and used as the grow bed plus the cost of a pump, or you could build a bigger system  with an IBC tote and use it for different stages and it could be enlarged later.

   I made a small aquaponic set up to make sure that aquaponics would work for me over 3 years ago, then I made a 150 gallon and Now I have  600 + gallon system. When I made my 150 gallon system I purchased a pump that was big enough to run my 600 gallon system so I did not have to upgrade the size of my pump again.  I have taken the 30 gallon  system  to sustainability events to show people how aquaponics works so even that was not a waste., .

[Chris]

I love the idea. I spoke to soon. My birthday is in a few days and so my wife got me a 250 gal tote for this.

[Shelia Hoyt]

It seems like I built the 30 gallon system for about $50. - 60.00 dollars, but that was 3 years ago and that did not include the API fresh water tester. I had the hydroton and shale because I had run a test system with hydroponics to see which I liked better but regular river gravel will work too. Below is a picture of my second system which was a  150 gallons

[Averan]

You could try something like this CHOP2 design I created: http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/details?mid=1dc612ce01c8faaf.... Just swap in your 250gal tote for the tank. It's all built from wood palettes and liner for about $750 in parts. Less since you have a tank already.

[Chris]

I like the idea not sure if I am that good at building something like that. I live in an area where people complain if stuff looks ugly or if u have a solar panel

[Chris]

I was also just given a water pump which fits like a garden hose. My mother use to use it to drain her pool. Would this be to big to use

[Averan]

My system is designed to look nice, not ugly or industrial!

[Chris]

Ya that's what I am looking for averan! It's hard for me to see it up close using my phone is there a way to see the plans? Also do I need a filter on an aquaponices system

[Averan]

I haven't created any plans as such, but if you install Google sketchup you can disassemble the model to see how it's put together. Eventually I'll provide 2D plans and instructions.