Aquaponics has got me frustrated

[RichnSteph]

It's taken so long to get things up and running (still isn't) that our duck pond turned rancid and I had to pump it out and refill it. So I tried to get the next few posts set in the ground yesterday so I could at least get one bed more or less set in its permanent spot and got so frustrated with the posts that I eventually just pulled them all out. So now I've got two huge grow beds sitting in the dirt while I try to get myself inspired enough to try mounting them again. With the money we've already spent on this you'd think I'd have it up and growing so that we could at least be enjoying some home grown veggies.

My motivation is shot......

 

[lazy gardener]

Sorry you're having such a rough time with it. Funny how the doing of a project is always more difficult than the pics of the project look! Any way you can give yourself a little mental pick me up about the whole process? Perhaps do a very simple 10 - 20 gal starter bed system stocked with goldfish, just to get your feet wet (pun intended) with the process and get a few salad greens going??

 

[politicalcenter]

It's taken so long to get things up and running (still isn't) that our duck pond turned rancid and I had to pump it out and refill it. So I tried to get the next few posts set in the ground yesterday so I could at least get one bed more or less set in its permanent spot and got so frustrated with the posts that I eventually just pulled them all out. So now I've got two huge grow beds sitting in the dirt while I try to get myself inspired enough to try mounting them again. With the money we've already spent on this you'd think I'd have it up and growing so that we could at least be enjoying some home grown veggies.

My motivation is shot......

Don't give up the ship! Start up on a new project always seems more expensive than first estimated and most lessons seem to learned the hard way. I don't know what your system looks like or how it works but have you thought of other alternatives besides posts? Maybe a neighbor has some cinder blocks laying around he doesn't want you could put them on. Or maybe you could make some tables out of old palettes.

Like I said...I don't really know exactly what you are trying to do...but don't give up if it's what you really want.

 

[RichnSteph]

Thanks for the encouragement folks! I went out this morning and leveled the ground first thing, a tad time consuming but worth it. I then built the supporting frame work and leveled that. Tomorrow I'm adding in the upper supports and cutting off any excess and then mounting the first grow bed. If all goes well I'll have that one in place, leveled, lined and ready for plumbing once I get some adjustments done to our pump. The second grow bed is going to be a little more difficult to set due to the ground being very very out of level but with some patience and dirt work I should be able to repeat the success I had today. Once both beds are set and I've cleaned up the area a bit I'll post some pictures. Still a long way to go but I'm hoping that once set up properly this system will run year round and provide veggies even in winter. We are going with fewer fish than initially planned since we have ducks and all the research I've done points towards "Quackaponics" being a viable alternative since duck poo is high in nitrogen. We'll add in some crayfish to help consume the larger particles and I've got a plan in mind for swirl tanks to help filter out the largest parts before they enter the grow beds. That material will be siphoned off and used to fertilize the plants we have in the ground as well as our fruit trees and larger vine plants.

Wish us luck and keep the advice and help coming!

RichnSteph

 

[politicalcenter]

Thanks for the encouragement folks! I went out this morning and leveled the ground first thing, a tad time consuming but worth it. I then built the supporting frame work and leveled that. Tomorrow I'm adding in the upper supports and cutting off any excess and then mounting the first grow bed. If all goes well I'll have that one in place, leveled, lined and ready for plumbing once I get some adjustments done to our pump. The second grow bed is going to be a little more difficult to set due to the ground being very very out of level but with some patience and dirt work I should be able to repeat the success I had today. Once both beds are set and I've cleaned up the area a bit I'll post some pictures. Still a long way to go but I'm hoping that once set up properly this system will run year round and provide veggies even in winter. We are going with fewer fish than initially planned since we have ducks and all the research I've done points towards "Quackaponics" being a viable alternative since duck poo is high in nitrogen. We'll add in some crayfish to help consume the larger particles and I've got a plan in mind for swirl tanks to help filter out the largest parts before they enter the grow beds. That material will be siphoned off and used to fertilize the plants we have in the ground as well as our fruit trees and larger vine plants.

Wish us luck and keep the advice and help coming!

RichnSteph

Good work! We also have been running into a few problems with our little fish farming attempt. I am going to try using cattails and other plants in my filter tanks (110 stock tanks) for algae control. We are also using a shade cloth on our biggest tank (a 12 ft. swimming pool) to see if we can get this green water thing under control.

We are also raising Koi and Goldfish and we would really like to see them all year long. Green water is just plain nasty looking.

So you are not the only one with problems.