Hi from Pahrump NV.

[Doright]

Found this forum last night what a Great forum with Lots of good info!

Looking forward to doing lots of studying and asking stupid questions as I have never done any Hydroponics stuff let alone Aquaponics.

I am very excited to start this new hobby and looking forward to being around for a while.

I especially like how this forum isn't at all like the others trying to make a profit off of people selling their wares.
I don't mind people selling stuff mind you every one has to make a living but when people start clamoring to sell you expensive classes or expensive systems for hundreds & even thousands of dollars its a big turn off!

Its very refreshing to find a true do it yourself resource keep up the good work.

[JCO]

Believe you me...I'm going to sell something someday...just haven't got an idea of what, but at least it will be useful and of value, and at a fair price when I do.

[davidstcldfl]

Believe you me...I'm going to sell something someday...

How about signed pictures of you, wearing your cape, sitting at the computer deleating 'SPAMMERS'... :P

[davidstcldfl]

Hi Doright, welcome to the forum...
Sounds like you've got the right idea...reading lots and asking questions...

Man, I bet Pahrump has really grown sinc I've been there ! That was about 30 years ago... It was one of the places I would ride my motorcycle to, jus to get out and away from Las Vegas.

Looking forward to hearing about 'your' system and seeing lots of pictures...

[Doright]

Hi JCO !!!!
I have nothing against any one making a living but I visited another sight and it was suggested I should start small and learn instead of my grand plan of using my entire Barren yard as I have plans too. Sorry but no small system for me I want my whole yard used.
The differences between a large and small systems are just that both have same problems just ones easier to manage for a beginner.

Then It was suggested I attend his week long class which they just happened to put on which cost around $1500-2000 per person plus staying at there convenient bed and breakfast for hundreds a night.
Or for guys like me we could buy his expensive chopped down video's or his book for a fraction of what the class costs.

Sorry but that's not what farming is all about not in my book, Farming is not just for the super rich and neither is Hydroponics or Aquaponics!

JCO
You wanna make money with your presentations the classes you wanna put on??????
Make a cheap Video edit it and sell down loadable copies of it from your web sight for 5 bucks each.
There is FAR more to be made from guys like me that wanna see it but are not rich enough to travel half way across the country and spend thousands of dollars doing it.

Think about it why does every one use PVC in every system???? why not copper??? because its cheap!!!! or why do people use so many recycled chemical containers??? and those blue 55 gal drums???? because they are cheap to get!!!!

Sure there are a few people out their that have large sums of money to do up nice systems but their are FAR more people out their just like me that need the information for the real thing to feed themselves!!! not just to show it off to their friends, bridge club, or Garden club!

Think about it this way say you do your presentation you want to do say you get $100 each from 30 people = $3000 not bad for a weekend but to do it again you have to do a lot of advertising and go to another city to do it again...... not to cool in my opinion.

Now do it my way provide the info down loadable from your web sight cheap $5each x 50,000.00 down loads = $250,000.00
Far more money over a longer period of time yes but you will make yourself a celebrity at the same time which will allow you to make even more videos into the future. Once you have a Fan base established and a reputation for giving out sound information basically free the world will beat a path to your door and the world will forget about the greedy ones who cater to the super rich.

That unemployed family in Backward America trying to feed his family will be forever grateful as will the Family's in third world country's!!!!

Farming is about feeding people, Plants grow as long as they have sun light and water always have always will that's no secret.
Hydoponics has been around for thousands of years the Romans had it so did Incas Myans and Aztecs.
And they did it without Plastic & Fiberglass tanks or PVC Pipe. so Hydroponics isn't new or a big secret either.
And Many farmers have long since known of a symbiotic relationship between aquaculture and plants for a very long time too so that's no secret either!

Its when some one put it together in a class room or in their back Yard and slapped a fancy new name on it that it became such a Black Magic deal. The truth is If you can keep a Gold fish alive in a fish bowl and you can put a seed in soil you can grow food.
Is it that simple well depends where you live but no, You do need a bit more knowledge than that but its still the same basic idea basically now isn't it?

Personally I would rather be remembered as The guy who helped feed millions of people all over the world as compared to the guy who was just in it to make a few quick bucks.

Being wealthy is a state of mind personally I would rather be independent of society than to be dependent on others gratuity.

Dennis B.

[Doright]

Hi Doright, welcome to the forum...
Sounds like you've got the right idea...reading lots and asking questions...

Man, I bet Pahrump has really grown sinc I've been there ! That was about 30 years ago... It was one of the places I would ride my motorcycle to, jus to get out and away from Las Vegas.

Looking forward to hearing about 'your' system and seeing lots of pictures...

Hi David
I have been here about 10 years myself yes Pahrump is much bigger now we even have a Wall mart now and a Home depot
But any way you know what the property's out here look like completely barren lots with a house or a trailer on them.
This whole valley is an ancient dried lake bed.

Well sorry to say but I don't have any system YET Still studying and learning first BUT I do have a ruff draft on paper of what I wanna build. It has 16 40 foot grow beds two large Fish Tank and one large sump tank 60 feet long that all the beds will drain too all under Hybrid Green house 80' x 100'. This will burn up ruffly 1/3 my property.
Have it in the plans to add on a few more larger beds out side of the green house after system is up and running as well.


Every thing is still in the planning stages. I contacted Fish and feathers yesterday about permits to keep the fish and have been put in touch with a Biologist I am supposed to talk to today about my tanks I plan to build and the species I plan to keep in them.
So far the Lady i spoke with was very informative and helpful.
I spoke with one biologist yesterday but he wasn't all up on Tank construction or one of the species of animal I wanna keep.

I am surprised that so many don't talk about this part of building their systems?

I cant wait to deal with building and safety about my green house LOL!
They are gonna have a field day with my design but will have a hard time turning it down as I know a little about engineering things
For Hi winds and making structures Strong.

[keith_r]

one point,, copper isn't used in aquaponic (or aquaculture systems for that matter) because the water tends to be acidic, and the copper can leach nasties into the water that will kill your fish.. avoid just about all metal.. if you have to have something metal, stick with stainless steel
lots of talk online about all aspects of building a system..
are your growbeds floating raft? do you have a filtration system planned?
what kind of fish are you going to use?

[davidstcldfl]

I am surprised that so many don't talk about this part of building their systems?

Every state is different in their regs about fish. Some states even have different regs for parts of the state. Like CA.
One of the guys here posted all the state regs...
State Tilapia Regulations

Regulating tilapia in NV seems odd to me. I mean, where are your fish going to go...?

The streams in Mt Charelston are too cold. I remember still seeing snow in the early part of July when hiking up around mary jane falls.
The springs at Tecopa are too hot .. of course Tecopa is in Ca...but I can only think of a few bodies of water.
Lake Mead seems too cold...? Maybe past the dam, where the hot springs flow into the river.... It might be warm enough there ? (That might not even be NV at that point ?)

Oliver does get into some design of systems in his posting called....see parts 2 and 3
Aquaponics 101 by Oliver


A hybrid green house will be nice in the winter. I remeber it getting pretty cold durring the winter.
Are you doing anything like the chinese green houses, where the North wall is solid ?
Have you seen aluminet shadecloth? It supossed to do a better job at keeping green houses cooler in the summer.

[Doright]

one point,, copper isn't used in aquaponic (or aquaculture systems for that matter) because the water tends to be acidic, and the copper can leach nasties into the water that will kill your fish.. avoid just about all metal.. if you have to have something metal, stick with stainless steel
lots of talk online about all aspects of building a system..
are your growbeds floating raft? do you have a filtration system planned?
what kind of fish are you going to use?

Hi Keith
I disagree with that statement about copper, Copper has been used for drinking water in homes all over the world for over a Hundred years and when used with Silver instead of lead for joints is completely safe. Im not saying its the best thing for anyone's system though and I was using it as an example only for cost comparisons, And by the way if its safe for your body Its probably ok for fish.

I read on one web sight it said not to use EPDM plastic for your ponds as it will leach chemicals into the water and kill your fish I'm sure this would be news to Firestone as that's what they use to make their Pond liners with!!!!!
I have seen other posts about how not to use PVC Vinyl plastics as well, You got to use some defensive reading when your reading on the NET especially if that web sight is selling the product your reading about!
My point being don't believe every thing you read and never accept anything as gospel if its from only one source.
(I'm sure you don't but I thought I should state it that way for other reading this as maybe they do)

The ability to think & care for ones self is a God given right, Do your own research make your self happy first and never mind what your neighbor does or thinks or swears that the only way to do it is with this or that or it can only be done this way and not that way or that his way is the only way to go. Its almost always usually followed up with trying to sell you something that you have to have as well. On top of that if every one every where did every thing the same way It would get very boring very fast and no one would ever come up with anything new and exciting, Although this would make some very large corporations and Big government's Very happy.

[Doright]

I am surprised that so many don't talk about this part of building their systems?

Every state is different in their regs about fish. Some states even have different regs for parts of the state. Like CA.
One of the guys here posted all the state regs...
State Tilapia Regulations

Regulating tilapia in NV seems odd to me. I mean, where are your fish going to go...?

The streams in Mt Charelston are too cold. I remember still seeing snow in the early part of July when hiking up around mary jane falls.
The springs at Tecopa are too hot .. of course Tecopa is in Ca...but I can only think of a few bodies of water.
Lake Mead seems too cold...? Maybe past the dam, where the hot springs flow into the river.... It might be warm enough there ? (That might not even be NV at that point ?)

Oliver does get into some design of systems in his posting called....see parts 2 and 3
Aquaponics 101 by Oliver


A hybrid green house will be nice in the winter. I remeber it getting pretty cold durring the winter.
Are you doing anything like the chinese green houses, where the North wall is solid ?
Have you seen aluminet shadecloth? It supossed to do a better job at keeping green houses cooler in the summer.

I saw that thread and Oliver's, That one thread is why I contacted Fish and Game officials.
Think they get excited about Tilapia in Nevada? just mention Crayfish and they get REALLY excited!!!! LOL! seams they are trying to eradicate several invasive species now that are darn near impossible to eradicate or so they said. I guess the little guys can live up to 6 months with out water and travel GREAT distances in search of water.
I like how they will try to eradicate a viable food source but absolutely refuse to treat a Reservoir infected with Swimmers Itch brought in on water foul.
I don't think I will ever understand The mentality of the People who run the BLM, Forestry service or Fish and Wildlife officials.
Especially there yearly round up of wild horses and Donkeys for senseless euthanasia.