sinking our toes into Aquaponics

We both enjoy our garden, it's an extension of the studio. A creative space to spend time sketching, reading or photographing each season brings new inspirations and surprises. Our latest garden venture is with Aquaponics which is a combination of aquaculture and horticulture. Fish swim happily in the bottom tank their waste is pumped up to the grow bed that sits on top of the tank, the grow medium and the plants process the by-products resulting in fresh water going back to the fish and lots of fresh herbs, Asian & salad greens and vegetables for us and our hens.

Clever husband with the help of Vic (Chris's hubby) & Dad set the tanks up earlier this year. They adapted two of those IBC tanks to become two systems both of which have Jade Perch in the bottom. Husband has since set-up a third system which has red-claw (a type of crayfish) in it. We have now had the systems for three seasons, we've both been very happy not only with the taste and amount of produce the system produces but also with how well the up keep fits around our day job hours. It takes 12-18months for the Jade Perch to reach plate size so it's a few months away before we'll farm those in the meantime we'll keep enjoying the other goodies. Here's couple of resources that we have found helpful for information / supplies: http://ibcofaquaponics.com/ & http://aquagardening.com.au/