New to AP - just investigating

[chuckt]

Hello everyone. I am brand new to this world having stumbled on the article about web4deb's system in a recent NYT article. Seemed pretty interesting. We currently have 1 12x12 flower bed, and 3 4x12 veggie raised beds that we set up when we moved in about 10 years ago. Mostly my wife's work on all these since I work FT in IT in NYC and commute 4 hours a day (live in the Hudson valley of NY about 60 mi north of NYC).

The veggie beds have been hit & miss for us over the years and the yield for the effort hasn't really been there for us. I am now thinking about replacing those 4 beds with a similar system to web4deb's - HF greenhouse & hydro or aquaponics set up. But - like I said - I am totally new to this and just evaluating the possibilities at the moment. Hope to learn a lot reading the posts here and will eventually start asking questions.

A little about me - I am married for 23 years with 4 kids (16 - 22). We are looking for ways to grow more food for our family on our 1 acre (though only about 1/4 is usable - the rest is a wooded steep slope to a stream) to supplement and or significantly cut our fresh veggie costs.

I look forward to getting to know more about AP and some of you here.

Cheers!
ChuckT

[wolfracer]

Welcome chuck Some pretty cool systems here and lots of info, Definitely check out Stucco system it is pretty cool! Mine ain't bad but needs to be expanded.

[davidstcldfl]

Hello Chuck, welcome to the forum.

[JCO]

Well, I see you finally go on board, that's great...Welcome to the show....pull up an easy chair, relax and stay awhile. New voices are always a welcome addition to our family..! Whatever questions you have on you mind, this is the place to get the answers.

[badflash]

Sound like you live next door. Give me a PM with your 20.

[chuckt]

Thanks for the warm welcome folks. Is there a set of standard newbie resources (web or otherwise) that one should look to in order to best get up to speed on this stuff? Like I said - I am a rank newbie who knows zippo about hydroponics, aquaponics, and even gardening in general. My wife is really the gardiner of the family. But if I can help her find a way to be more productive for her time investment I'd be thrilled. Plus - this looks pretty cool.

Cheers!
ChuckT

[JCO]

I'm kind of predigest since I burned so many hours of the midnight oil creating the content, at any length, read all the articles on the main site first, then come into the forum and start reading the post on the items that interest you the most and then start asking questions...any question...we may all have different ways of doing things, but we share what we know and then modify what we find until it fits us and our needs...and then we tell everybody who will listen what we've done...abut QUESTIONS ARE THE ANSWER...IF THAT MAKES SENSE....

[jackalope]

chuckt Welcome to the forum ..... good to see you here, we always like new input, and we like to share our knowledge as well ..... the one thing I think you will learn about the difference between hydroponics and aquaponics is that hydroponics requires expensive liquid fertilizers, which, in some states are considered a toxic waste after a few days - whereas, with aquaponics, you can use the fertilizer and water from the fish, which is then cycled through the growbed, the fertilizer is used by the plants in the growbed, and then the water goes back into the fish tank to be fertilized again .... no toxic waste, it's a closed system ...... and, if you use the right kind of fish, like tilapia, catfish, or carp, for instance, you can eat the fish ..... you've just reduced both your veggie bill and your fish bill, all at once Once again, welcome to the forum