How much does an aquaponics system really cost?

Aquaponics . I have talked a lot about it over the last year and predicted that it would be the biggest GILA (green infrastructure, living architecture) news story of 2012.

I've been waiting for over a year to put my own system together and during the week before New Years I had the time to really give it some thought. What did one need to put a system together?

Using youtube videos,a good book and some patience, it wasn't that hard. The tricky part? Cost.

In David Tracey's book Urban Agriculture: Ideas and Designs for the New Food Revolution he estimates it should cost about $120. (On page 50 he quotes Backyard Bounty Collective as the source for this estimate.)

The list of materials includes:

-Ten gallon aquarium
-Grow bed (plastic storage contain approx. 20” x 12” x 4-6” deep)
-Pump (40-60 gph) capacity
-Hose
-Stainless steel hose clamps
-T-fitting
-Growing medium (hydroton, gravel, perlite)
-Air pump/stone
-Drill
-3/8” bit for drainage holes
-1/16” to 3/32” bit for growing bed, tubing holes
-1/2”-1” bit for hose /tubing entry
-Flathead screwdriver

In the best case scenario, your system is free because you have scrounged around and used some gravel from your yard, borrowed a drill, are given a pump and an old aquarium, etc.
However, the list leaves out a few important things like:

-Plants!
-Fish!
-Lighting (if indoors)
-Timer (if you're going the simple route)

Realistically, an indoor system could cost $300. The major setback? The timer, pump and lights. Together, that could be two-thirds of your total budget. However, I'd like to try this DIY cycle timer, it would slash your timer budget from $50-$125, to $10!!!
And bear in mind that it will take a while to put together. I have spent 15 hours so far going to and from the various stores (no one store has everything), washing medium, researching the best way to use what you have on hand and general tinkering, cutting and more.
But if you figure your system produces three heads of lettuce per month, after a year you could be halfway there to making your money back!

Give it a try. I'll keep you updated on how things go with me.