Coffee & Chaos: My Aquaponics Adventure in Fayetteville
Sipping on my lukewarm coffee, I can’t help but chuckle at the chaos I brought upon myself last summer. You see, I had this grand vision of creating a beautiful aquaponics system in my backyard. Little did I know, my little piece of Fayetteville would soon become a mini soap opera—complete with fish, a few building mishaps, and quite the aroma that could only be described as “whatever that is, it shouldn’t exist.”
I’d been pent up inside during the pandemic, scrolling through social media feeds filled with lush gardens and homegrown veggies. My buddy Tom had successfully pulled off a backyard herb garden, which apparently took zero effort and had him basking in fresh basil while I, on the other hand, was still trying to convince my houseplants to stay alive. I needed something more ambitious; I wanted to marry fish and veggies. My wife laughed, probably imagining me knee-deep in green muck before giving me a playful “Go for it!” that would ring in my ears throughout the summer.
The Quest for Components: True Fayetteville Style
I scoured our shed for stuff I could repurpose. I found an old fish tank that my son, Matt, had used for his ill-fated goldfish venture—poor little Jerry never stood a chance against the mystical allure of the cat. A quick wash later, and I was one step closer. Then I found some pallets that needed a second book and a tarp that would have made a decent tent for a six-year-old sleepover. Before I knew it, my backyard was transforming into an accidental compost bin of leftover materials.
Next up: the fish. After chatting with the local feed store owner over some awkward small talk about the weather, I decided to go with tilapia—hardy fish that are practically designed for a novice like me. "They won’t die unless you really do something wrong," the lady assured me. I took that as an endorsement and filled my cart with tilapia food and a small water filter, hoping to keep my living aquatic buddies happy.
The Grand Construction
The afternoon sun bore down as I assembled my creation in the yard. I was feeling highly accomplished until I realized that the bags of pebbles I picked up from the store were not going to cut it for the filter system. There I was, muddled between excitement and confusion, standing next to three pallets stacked haphazardly, wearing my work boots, and thinking, “Surely, I could do better.”
After hours of sloshing, stacking, and leaning awkwardly over my newly-constructed aquaponics assembly like some sort of mad botanist, I felt I’d nailed it. I poured the water in. That is until a week later, when I noticed it had turned the shade of an unflattering green. My heart sank—what had I done wrong? Algae blooms, I realized later on. I rushed to the local co-op, hoping to find a quick fix for my mistakes. The sweet lady there just shrugged and said, “Well, cleaning is part of the fun, ain’t it?”
Things Take a Turn
The fish arrived the next week—delivered in a plastic bag, and they flopped around like they were auditioning for an Oscar. I brought them home and gently released them into their new environment with great care and hope. I named them all after famous rock stars—Bob, Freddie, Janis. The little critters seemed to settle in pretty well, or I thought they did. It was only after a couple of days that I noticed Bob was swimming a bit awkwardly. Then, tragedy struck—he began floating. I felt like a fish murderer.
My wife found me sulking in the yard, staring blankly at the fish tank, the aroma of "whatever that is" wafting up to greet me. “If we can survive the incompetence of our day-to-day lives,” she said, trying to console me, “we can certainly do this.” Thanks, honey, I guess we’ll give it another go.
Embracing the Struggles
So, between the numerous failed attempts at getting the water temperatures right and struggling to figure out why the pump refused to work half the time, I learned a lot. The beauty of aquaponics, I finally understood, lies not in perfection but in the small victories and the learning curve that comes with them. My plants started sprouting—albeit slowly—and to my surprise, the kale was the only thing thriving. Who knew kale could be so resilient?
By the end of that summer, I stared down at my little underwater garden with a mix of pride and utter disbelief. If someone told me I’d lose three fish, battle algae like it was a monster under the bed, and still come out with kale and Swiss chard, I would’ve laughed in their face. Yet, here we were.
Final Thoughts
Fast-forward to today, and my backyard is a bit of a jungle with wonky tomatoes and kale that’s taller than my seven-year-old. The fish are still popping along, and despite the ups and downs, I’m convinced I’ll keep pushing myself to learn. Look, aquaponics is not a one-and-done kind of deal; it’s creative chaos, and you just have to roll with it.
So, if you’re thinking about diving into sustainable gardening—be it aquaponics or a simple container garden—don’t sweat the small stuff. It’s more about the journey than perfection. Start where you are, and just see where it leads you. You’ll figure it out as you go.
Join the next session on sustainable gardening and dive into the joy of your own messy, beautiful venture at this link.
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