Our aquaponics system is still in the imagination stage but I'd like to pass a few ideas along to see if the spaghetti sticks to the wall.

We live in a rural area of southwestern Georgia, USA. The winters are very mild and the summers are hot and humid. We have plenty of room and I am eyeing the area next to our house for a covered aquaponics system bordering on the large, potentially small commercial size. The area I am looking at has easy access to both electricity and "city" water. I'd rather a well but that's only in the cards if the system warrants it and it is something we want to expand. I'm looking to have a cover over it because it's probably the easiest way to keep forest rats (Bambi) and other varmints out. Also the covering would allow us a little more comfort when it rains frequently in the wet season.

Space is not a big concern. I have found a 13' by 33' "portable" greenhouse kit. I imagine in half the greenhouse I could raise up at least four tanks for fish (edible and ornamental) along with smaller breeder/isolation tanks. The other half I could build up trays/frames for the green section. The area involved is under trees so I'm sure we'll have to occasionally patch the plastic and might have to invest in some grow lighting to augument the lower light especially during winter months.

I have a good set of tools to build including cement mixer and small tractor we can dig with if in ground tanks are best. I hope to eventually replace the greenhouse kit with something more permenant if we can make this work.

We also have a 1/3 acre "sky pond" that holds water maybe half the year. About now (late May) it's nearing empty and won't be filled again until fall showers hit. If we eventually get a well put in we can probably keep it topped off and I've been reading that it may be a good place to raise some freshwater shrimp.

Any comments on our plans would be appreciated . . .