New Auqaponic Garden

[todding01]

What a wonderful hobby. My backyard isn't full of grow beds yet but it won't be long. The wife has actually started to enjoy it too. Growth is tremendous compared to our raised beds in the front yard.

Something has happened though. The only thoughts I'm having now are how to change it and make it better like moving the sump to the bottom of the hill so the grow beds can be lowered, build trough grow beds lower to the ground so the indeterminate tomatoes can be trellised and start building a raft system (including solids management) to grow leafy greens this fall.

The system is 3 weeks old and is located in Dallas, Texas. I'm really proud of this aquaponic system. If you have any questions/comments/suggestions, please feel free to respond.

Here are few pictures of the construction:
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-E8mD8CU7nqE/T99DZ0zP5XI/AAAAAAAAACQ/6l94JuDxBFY/s855/toteConstruction.JPG
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-R8KyQcn819Q/T99Dbb48cHI/AAAAAAAAACY/6q779vNM0xc/s855/toteConstruction2.JPG

Here are the fish (and they are very happy I might add):
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-KtEEtjLt1gE/T99DATe7Y6I/AAAAAAAAAC0/qgETjQUqzPs/s855/Fish1.JPG

Tomato Transplant Before:
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-d1vlt5YJlis/T99DS9unZ5I/AAAAAAAAAB4/5000TdyctH8/s1144/tomatoesTransplants.JPG

Tomato Transplant After 3 weeks:
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-1nTiOdTu5ic/T99DLFy1mII/AAAAAAAAABg/lGy1YjT_9ZA/s1303/tomatoes.JPG

Current State:
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-jZRAWJIX2GU/T99DWu9KdiI/AAAAAAAAACI/JHDzD1OClvw/s1303/tote1.JPG

[trebel]

Very nice m8 :p

[kellenw]

Looks good bud! :)

[Drdamage]

Really nice setup, Love seeing so many different setups.

The lid to your FT, is that treated pine? I was going to use treated pine on mine, but in another thread somebody mensioned that if it gets wet from rain etc, it may leech chemicals.

I'm not sure if this is true or not but in any case, I used untreated pine for my lid and thought I'd just mension it.

I may coat it with linseed oil eventually.

[todding01]

Really nice setup, Love seeing so many different setups.

The lid to your FT, is that treated pine? I was going to use treated pine on mine, but in another thread somebody mensioned that if it gets wet from rain etc, it may leech chemicals.

I'm not sure if this is true or not but in any case, I used untreated pine for my lid and thought I'd just mension it.

I may coat it with linseed oil eventually.

The fence panels that were used are about 20 years old. Whatever treatment it had has probably already leached out of them. I do agree about not using treated wood where possible. Is there any scientific proof of treated wood leaching and having a negative impact on the surroundings or is it just precautionary warnings from our organic community? The Google search continues.
Thanks for the reply and I appreciate your comments.

[Frano]

Hi Todding01,
This is a very nice system and the wood cladding allows it to fit into you back yard nicely. looks like the vegies are growing well also. What are the fish that you have?

[todding01]

Thanks Frano,

The system is growing leaves like mad but not producing fruit just yet. That's not a problem though. It should take a month or so to mature enough to support fruiting.

The fish are tilapia and bluegill. They get along nicely and are at home in the warm environment we have in Texas. One thing to note. Large tilapia will kill very small bluegills.

[malikite]

The fence panels that were used are about 20 years old. Whatever treatment it had has probably already leached out of them. I do agree about not using treated wood where possible. Is there any scientific proof of treated wood leaching and having a negative impact on the surroundings or is it just precautionary warnings from our organic community? The Google search continues.
Thanks for the reply and I appreciate your comments.

http://www.finegardening.com/design/articles/pressure-treated-wood-in-beds.aspx

[mjacko88]

Wow, well done, nice system, yes I agree it is a bit addictive, I can see us having GB's Everywhere very soon.:p

[Robert Phegan]

I was hoping to see some sets ups from people in Texas. I happened across Aquaponics on youtube earlier this week and I'm hooked. I can't wait to get started on mine. I'm farther south, on the coast, in Corpus Christi. I'm sure the warmer climate will be perfect for this depending on what fish i can use. Did you have any problems with Texas Dept of Agriculture or Texas Parks and Wildlife for the Tilapia? Apparently it is on the banned exotic fish list and requires special permits, so, i am considering trying Native Texan freshwater fish.

[todding01]

I stocked mine with Mozambique Tilapia and Bluegill. Those type of Tilapia are the only species that are legal to stock in private ponds in Texas. I couldn't determine if an aquaponic tank could be considered a pond therefore fall under this law. It just seemed reasonable to play it safe and stick with this exception Tilapia species.

Welcome to the addiction some people call Aquaponics.

[vk3laj]

sorry, complete newbie question here so forgive me - do you have a diagram of how your system works and how the water flows between the FT and the grow beds?

Ive just ordered two of those tanks and im keen to get started myself,

Thanks
Anthony

[llewelynj]

sorry, complete newbie question here so forgive me - do you have a diagram of how your system works and how the water flows between the FT and the grow beds?

Ive just ordered two of those tanks and im keen to get started myself,

Thanks
Anthony

Anthony if you look through the feeds you will find quite a few diagrams of systems... especially in DIY feed/ pages.

[vk3laj]

Thanks ive just found some :) Chop2 system i presume.

Lots of reading to do....