"Gidday" or as I usually say "Howdy"

[fuzvulf]

I usually go by Fuzzy, even in person. My given name is Matthew but only two people call me that, my wife and my mum. Everyone else calls me Matt or Fuzzy. I studied hydraulic theory and application, power generation, electronics, theory-principle-and application of internal combustion engines, basic machining, welding, protective coatings, basic structural principals, in the military. Since then I have studied general engineering practices, drafting(old school mostly), motor controls, computers, applied electronics, manufacturing process and technologies, and mathematics at University.
I got hurt pretty bad while serving in the U.S. military, a 1723 kilo machine ran into the right side of my body. The worst of what happened was that it bent my right knee 90 degrees sideways and busted up my right wrist doing nerve damage in the process. My father didn't raise me to lay around though.
As soon as I finished my recovery and reschooling I worked as an engineering technician for about 14 years. The leftovers from my injuries and a condition I had as a kid which resurfaced, combined to make it so that I couldn't do that anymore.
When I was younger, I had a bit of artistic talent so Since I had learned during my initial recovery from my accident in the military how to write left handed I decided I could learn how to paint left handed too. It took about three months and I was surprised to find out I could paint better left handed than I did with my right. I worked as an artist for a while until high ups in the companies started shipping jobs to places like China and Thailand so that they could afford their yachts and houses and so I went back to university to learn to do something which my abilities would let me do.
As you can imagine money is a bit tight. I had made some good decisions along the way and so I didn't owe any money on my home and I only owed what would have been a month's pay on my car. The only other debt I had was medical and that wasn't much so I was in a lot better shape than some of my friends.
I started very small scale dirt gardening to supplement our food but bending down hurts and I didn't have money to buy expensive equipment.
I became an "expert" at making do. Most of you probably are aware how much people waste through laziness or ignorance. Patience and vigilance has provided us with garden tools, an extra mower with the blade hardened and sharpened razor sharp to use for mulching organic matter, a weed whacker, and even a tiller(fellow was putting it out to the trash and I asked if I could have it about a month ago) which is in the process of repair using an engine from a salvaged riding mower .
Still the process of dirt gardening involved activities which aggravate my physical injuries. I know someone who does hydroponics and it had a lot less involved which I would have difficulty with. The only problem was the required input and some inefficiencies I saw with the system. I wondered if it was just that my friend had a limited knowledge of the subject and so started doing research. I figured if I found answers to the problems I saw I would share them with my friend and trade that knowledge to get him to help me set up a system using mostly salvaged components.
It was during this research that I discovered aquaponics. Aquaponics seemed to answer all of the problems which I had seen with hydroponics, plus it provided fish in the process. I am currently in the portion of the process which Murray recommends of gathering every bit of knowledge I can on the subject. I am also gathering salvaged materials to set up a small system which is outlined in Travis Hughey's manual called "Barrel--ponics". I am taking notes as I go and making adjustments to previous notes as I learn from those who have gone before me and are wonderful enough to share their wisdom with others.
Also, about 6 years ago, my father's mother died. He inherited the house and land it sits on. About 3 years ago he decided he didn't want strangers living in his mother's house but that if it wasn't occupied it would go into a state of disrepair. He offered me a trade. My grandmother's house for my house. My grandmother's house sits on more land but in the trade he gets to have his grandchildren living across the street from him. He is waiting for the housing market to improve and will sell my house for his inheritance. So, I am now living on a little over 3600 square metres of land, much better than the slightly less than 400 square metres(microscopic city lot) I lived on before. I am at least for now, still outside of city jurisdiction which allows me to be a little more free with what I can build. Where I am, if it is already built when the city takes in the land you are on it usually stays unless it is considered a hazard to others in some way.

Thanks Murray and anyone else responsible for this and the other associated sites. Thanks also to all the members here for sharing your experiences. I will do my best to learn quickly and anything which I can add from previous experience which might help others I will try to do so. Its good to meet you all.

[Castaway]

Hi Fuzvulf,
Welcome. I've read your other posts before I read this one. Well you've certainly had an interesting life full of ups and downs. Not sure how physically mobile you are at the moment or if you could build an AP system from scratch as you'll have to do a lot of bending, lifting and climbing down into awkward positions - but once its built - you'll have a ball as AP really is easy after the initial six weeks of introducing fish, plants, bacteria etc and all is running smoothly. The only advice I can give you is take it slowly and build it well as good infrastructure is needed to keep the whole thing running smoothly without mishap for many years.

[Outbackozzie]

Great story fuzeevulf, I spent 8 years in the Navy, and got away luckily enough without any injuries, good to see you have got back on your feet. I also discovered aquaponics while researching hydroponics.

With so much space, is digging a couple of ponds an option? Ponds are waaaay cheaper than the equivalent sized tanks.

I look forward to following your progress with AP

Colin

[fuzvulf]

Thanks for the welcome Castaway and Outbackozzie.

Castaway.
As to getting around, I walk with a pretty bad limp and sometimes have to use a cane but I walk. I don't carry heavy stuff anymore. I put it in something and roll it. I have to be careful with my right hand. If I twist it wrong with weight or force against it I lose the feeling in it for 20 minutes or so. I have a couple of sources for intermittent labour. I am hoping to talk my nephew into helping me as well. He already builds garden ponds for decoration, he's always willing but he has a new family and so time is the problem with that.

Outbackozzie.
I have been considering ponds. I am a little worried though. The soil around where I am will definately hold water. That is the problem. After about 5 cm of topsoil it is pure clay. Somewhere around here there is a poor quality underground spring and if you dig a hole more than 50 cm it fills with water in most places except during drought. The water is fairly high in contaminants since this was area was all agriculture 25 or 30 years ago. We have to have special seals on our wells to keep it from mixing with the lower aquifers. I considered digging a drain basin nearby and pumping out the water and using one of the stabilisation techniques used in roadway construction. I also considered using a concrete basin covered with epoxy. I haven't set my mind on it yet but I did find a nice simple design which was used by a community college in Hawaii in a joint effort with the University of Hawaii.

They built an above ground tank using 5 sheets of exterior grade plywood overlapped about 14 cm and bolted together at the ends with 18 carriage bolts at each joint to form a hoop. They strapped it with stainless steel band which is sometimes used for international shipping. They coated the plywood with extreme weather waterproofing and then coated about the first 38 cm with asphalt, I believe you call it bitumen inside and out. All this was set on a bed of pea gravel with a layer of garden cloth on top and the whole thing was lined with an above ground swimming pool liner. It ended up being about 3.7 metre (12 feet) in dia. and was trimmed to just over a metre(4 feet) in height. It had been in use for, I think it was 3 years at the time the University publication was written.

That one is sounding the most likely. Ideally I would like to make one which could be accessed and possibly even partially built by a person in a wheelchair. I have, from trips back and forth to the hospital for physical rehabilitation developed friendships with a number of people who are confined to wheelchairs for one reason or another. I feel since I am lucky enough to still be able to walk and I have the experience I do in other things and am set on learning all I can about this, If I can help someone else worse off than I am then a sort of balance is achieved.

I have written enough. I thank you both, I am now going to read and learn some more.

Fuzzy