Backyard Aquaponics

                           (Image courtesy of Backyard Aquaponics)

It’s certainly no secret that I’m pretty passionate about aquaponics (ok maybe only those who read the blog regularly would know that). This morning I came across a news alert mentioning a cool aquaponics site that I hadn’t visited in a little while (but one that is in my “favorites” folder) - ‘Backyard Aquaponics‘.

I was looking for something to write about at the time, so I decided to pop over and refamiliarize myself with the site. I’m really glad I did - what a great resource for anyone with an interest in aquaponics!

The site itself is quite simple in design so it’s very easy to navigate - always a nice treat! As I’ve mentioned before, I’m a pretty ‘visual’ person, so I definitely appreciate the abundant photos (such as the one above) as well.

Here is an exerpt from the homepage:

Aquaponics by definition is the combination of aquaculture and hydroponics. The beauty of aquaponics is that in the combining of the two they equal out the negative aspects in each of them. In other words, the sum of the two when combined is greater than the sum of the two individuals.

Nutrient rich fish water is pumped from the fish tank into gravel beds, where plants growing in the gravel extract the nutrients from the water. The water then drains back into the fish tank cleaned of excess nutrients and freshly oxygenated.

Imagine, your own permanent supply of fresh herbs, vegetables and fresh fish growing right on your back patio, enough to feed the whole family. With no chemicals and no wastes, using about one tenth of the water required for normal vegetable growing. This may all sound a little too good to be true and you might be wondering where’s the catch, but there isn’t one!

For the past few years I’ve been experimenting, designing and building aquaponic systems in my own suburban backyard in Western Australia. The further I delve into aquaponics and its possibilities, the more I’m convinced that it holds the answers to safe urban food production so many of us seek.

Aside from providing a nice introduction to the topic of aquaponics, the site also offers those who are serious about learning more, the opportunity to do just that. For sale on the site is a full info kit (book/DVD/CD) created to help others set up their own systems.

One thing to keep in mind is that the site is based in Australia, but I did notice he has listed an all-inclusive price (in USD) for shipment of the package to any international destination.

One other important feature to mention - it looks like he now has a thriving forum (more than 700 members!) as well. If you have any interest in aquaponics as a potential hobby I would highly recommend signing up for the forum. In a previous post I mentioned an email list that I am a member of - while still a quality resource, I’ve noticed that is has become pretty quiet, so this forum looks to be a great alternative.

Anyway, I highly recommend you check out Backyard Aquaponics when you get the chance! It’s easily one of the best aquaponics resources currently online.

Past EcoSherpa Aquaponics Posts:
Cool Aquaponics Set-Up
Aquaponics - Hydroponics, Mother Nature Style

Other Relevant Links:
Compost Guy Aquaponics page

Technorati Tags: aquaponics, hydroponics, aquaculture, bioponics, fish farming, greenhouse, food production, grow beds, tilapia

Written by Bentley on April 13th, 2007 with 3 comments.
Read more articles on Urban Farming and Waste Management.