Design Time

Time to Dig In

It is so hard for me to contain my excited about this project that I often jump ahead of where I should be. For example, halfway through the book I was already sketching plans. I would then read another chapter and have to make some major alterations. This is all part of the process and I would not change it. Even as I start cutting boards changes are being made.

There is quite a bit to consider here, and by no means should you consider me as your only guide to building your own system, I am not a substitute for solid research. After you figure out you want to build a system there are some factors which need to be considered. For me the primary decisions I needed to make were, location, available space, and engagement.

The location was super tricky. We experience all 4 seasons where we are at and the thought of shutting down and starting the system up each year and dealing with weather swings seemed too much. We considered the garage, but had a similar concern. The winner ended up being our unfinished basement. The system will be set right next to our floor drain and I can frame in a little room if needed. We can also manage the humidity and temperature better. The biggest downside is the limited space.

With the location selected it was time to figure out how much space was truly available. We have a large basement, but I did not want to take up too much room in case we end up not enjoying aquaponics in practice. I decided to build a more vertical system to eliminate the foot print of the stand. This brought up an additional restriction, height. The design I finally selected fits nicely within the space I have.

Lastly, I needed to consider how to keep the family engaged especially my kids. What does this mean from a design standpoint, primarily the type of material for the fish tank. I decided to move forward with a glass aquarium. The cost per gallon of water held is high with this choice, but it will allow the whole family and guests to see the fish.

I will go into much more detail on the design next post. Which will include material, sources, brands, etc.

Johnny’s Word of Wisdom – Patience: This project has been slow to get started and slow to move along. We are all juggling multiple responsibilities in life whether it is family, work, friends, etc. which makes it hard to stay focused on one project. For my family we have been trying to enjoy the nice weather before winter hits and when we finally get the kids down for the night I just want to relax. I encourage you to remain patient focusing on where you want to get to and not how long each step is taking you.