Simple Courtyard Aquaponics Course
Grow Real Food — Even When You Don't Have a Big Backyard
You don't need acreage, a huge garden or years of building experience to start growing food with aquaponics.
Simple Courtyard Aquaponics is my step-by-step online course for building a compact, productive aquaponics system that fits into everyday life.
It's completely above ground, takes up approximately 1.5 metres by 1 metre, and is ideal for courtyards, patios, paved areas, small backyards and rental homes.
I'll take you through the entire process — choosing your location and preparing the parts, building the system, establishing the ecosystem, adding your fish and plants, and learning how to care for everything once it's running.
You don't need to design a system yourself or piece together information from dozens of different places.
You can simply follow the plan, understand what you're doing and build with confidence.
Beginner Friendly
Small-Space Design
Herb Garden Bonus
Unlimited Access
No big backyard. No permanent construction. No previous aquaponics experience needed.
You Don't Need the Perfect Backyard
Maybe you have a paved courtyard instead of garden beds.
Maybe you're renting and can't dig up the backyard.
Maybe you only have a patio, a small outdoor area or a corner beside the house.
Or perhaps you have plenty of space, but don't want to begin with a huge aquaponics system.
That's okay.
Aquaponics doesn't have to be enormous to be productive.
The Simple Courtyard Aquaponics System takes up approximately 1.5 metres by 1 metre, sits above the ground and can grow a surprising variety of vegetables and herbs while providing a healthy home for your fish.
It's a practical way to start growing real food with the space you already have.
Is Simple Courtyard Aquaponics Right for You?
You're Renting
You'd love to grow food, but digging garden beds or making permanent changes to the property isn't practical.
You Have a Small Space
You have a courtyard, patio, paved area or small backyard and want to make better use of the space you have.
You're New to Aquaponics
You don't know where to begin and want someone to take you through the process without assuming you already understand everything.
You Want to Start Small
You'd rather learn with one manageable system before deciding whether you ever want to build something bigger.
Aquaponics Isn't Difficult When You Understand What You're Doing
When I first discovered aquaponics, I could see the possibilities immediately.
Growing food without needing good soil. Keeping fish. Recycling water through a living ecosystem. And being able to do it without owning acres of land.
Then I built my first system.
And it tanked.
I didn't know what I didn't know.
That experience eventually led me to study aquatic husbandry through TAFE and university and, over the years, understand not just what to do in aquaponics, but why we do it.
That's what I wanted this course to teach.
Not hundreds of different ways you could build an aquaponics system.
One small, proven system that you can follow from beginning to end while learning how the ecosystem actually works.
By the time you've finished, I want you to understand the system you've built — not simply have followed my instructions.
Your Course, Step by Step
The course follows the same order you'll use when creating your own system, so each lesson leads naturally into the next.
Module 1 — What You'll Need
Before you start building, we'll look at what you need, where to position your system and how everything fits together.
You'll learn:
Choosing your location
Understanding the components
Planning the layout
Materials and equipment
Preparing for the build
Module 2 — Building Your System
Now we'll turn those individual components into your Courtyard Aquaponics System.
You'll learn:
Measuring and preparing components
Constructing the grow beds
Plumbing the system
Installing the pump
Testing the water flow
Module 3 — Creating Your Ecosystem
A working aquaponics system is much more than water flowing through some pipes.
We'll establish the living ecosystem that allows your fish, plants and beneficial bacteria to work together.
You'll learn:
The nitrogen cycle
Beneficial bacteria
Cycling your system
Water quality fundamentals
Preparing for fish
Module 4 — Your Fish
Healthy fish are at the heart of a healthy aquaponics ecosystem.
You'll learn:
Suitable fish
How many fish to keep
Introducing fish safely
Feeding
Recognising healthy fish behaviour
Module 5 — Your Veggies
Then comes the part you've been waiting for — growing food.
You'll learn:
Choosing suitable crops
Adding seedlings
Growing from seed
Natural micronutrients
Growing throughout the seasons
Module 6 — Caring for Your System
Once everything is running, I'll show you the regular care that keeps your ecosystem healthy.
You'll learn:
Routine maintenance
Feeding your fish
Cleaning your system
Water quality testing
Regular system checks
Bonus Module — Grow Your Own Aquaponics Herb Garden
Fresh herbs are one of the easiest and most rewarding things to grow in a small aquaponics system — and you don't need a traditional garden bed to grow them.
In this bonus module, we'll look at the different herbs you can grow in aquaponics and what each one needs to thrive.
Because not all herbs grow the same way.
Some love warm weather. Some prefer cooler seasons. Some stay compact, while others need considerably more room. And some plants that we use as herbs, such as ginger and turmeric, have very different growing habits again.
Understanding those differences makes it much easier to plan your space, choose herbs you'll actually use and create a productive little herb garden without spending a fortune.
Basil
Coriander / Cilantro
Parsley
Dill
Chives
Rosemary
Oregano
Mint
Ginger
Turmeric
And more
A Little More Help Along the Way
Building the system is only the beginning.
Your Courtyard Aquaponics course also includes three additional workshops and courses to help you build with confidence, understand what's happening in your water, and make the most of what you can grow.
How to Use Basic Tools Workshop
Never used a drill or jigsaw before? That's okay.
This practical workshop introduces you to the common tools used during the build, what they're for and how to use them.
You don't need to become a DIY expert. You just need enough confidence to get started.
Included with Courtyard Aquaponics
Water Quality Basics Course
Water quality can feel complicated when you're new to aquaponics, but it doesn't need to be.
Learn how to test your water, understand what the results mean and recognise the changes happening inside your ecosystem.
You'll also learn the fundamentals of keeping your fish healthy and recognising when something isn't quite right.
Included with Courtyard Aquaponics
Would You Like to Add a Little More?
You don't need either of these to build or successfully run your Courtyard Aquaponics System.
They're simply additional tools and workshops I've created that you might find useful.
If you'd like either of them, you can add them when you enrol.
AquaTracker — $7 USD
Keeping records makes it much easier to understand what is happening in your water over time.
AquaTracker is a colour-coded spreadsheet where you can record your water test results, follow changes and quickly see whether your readings are sitting within recommended ranges.
Instead of trying to remember what your pH or nitrate was last week, you'll have your results together in one place.
Aquaponics Fish Viewing Window Workshop — $27 USD
Want to actually see what's happening beneath the water?
This workshop shows you two ways to add a clear viewing window to an IBC or drum, with practical demonstrations of how I install them and the mistakes to avoid.
Apart from making it easier to see your fish, there's something incredibly relaxing about being able to stop beside your aquaponics system and watch them swimming.
Start Small. Learn. See Where It Takes You.
Your first aquaponics system doesn't have to be your forever system.
It can simply be where you begin.
You'll learn what happens when you feed your fish.
You'll start recognising changes in the water.
You'll discover what grows beautifully in your space and your climate.
You'll harvest something you grew yourself.
And gradually, aquaponics stops feeling like something complicated that other people know how to do.
It becomes your ecosystem.
You might eventually decide you want something bigger.
Or you might discover that this little system gives you exactly what you wanted.
Either is perfectly okay.
Please note the fish viewing window and outward presentation is not part of the main course. This is demonstrating a functional aquaponics system becoming a feature.
From Other Aquaponics Beginners
Hi, I'm Candy
I've been building, growing with and teaching aquaponics for more than 20 years.
I'm fascinated by the ecosystem behind it — the relationship between the fish, plants, bacteria and water — but I'm equally passionate about making that knowledge understandable.
Because you shouldn't need to become an aquaculture scientist just to grow some food at home.
I'll explain what we're doing, show you how to do it and, most importantly, help you understand why.
Because the goal isn't for you to need me every time something changes.
It's for you to gradually look at your own system and think:
I know what's happening here.
Ready to Build Your Courtyard Aquaponics System?
You don't need to know everything before you begin.
That's what the course is for.
We'll start with an empty space and some fairly ordinary materials and work through the process together until you understand how to build, establish and care for your own little ecosystem.
Simple Courtyard Aquaponics Course
$197 USD
Grow fresh, healthy food at home
Make productive use of a small outdoor space
Grow without relying on good garden soil
Start small without needing a huge backyard
Understand and care for your own living ecosystem
Build the confidence to make aquaponics work for you
Six step-by-step course modules
Water Quality & Fish Health
Growing Fresh Herbs
Using Common Tools With Confidence
Self-paced online learning
Unlimited access
Simple Courtyard Aquaponics FAQs
Who is this course for?
This course is designed for beginners who want to grow food with aquaponics but need a smaller, practical place to start. It's particularly suited to courtyards, patios, paved areas, small backyards and rental homes.
Can I do this course with no DIY experience?
Yes. The course walks you through the build step by step and includes additional training on the basic tools used.
How much space does the system need?
The Simple Courtyard Aquaponics System takes up approximately 1.5 metres by 1 metre.
Can I do this if I'm renting?
Yes. The system sits above ground, so there is no need to dig garden beds or permanently install it into the property. It can also be dismantled and moved.
Can I do this if I've never kept fish?
Yes. Choosing your fish, stocking the system, introducing them safely, feeding and recognising healthy fish behaviour are all covered.
Can I grow more than herbs?
Absolutely. Depending on your climate and season, the system can grow a range of vegetables, herbs and fruiting plants.
Is aquaponics smelly?
A healthy aquaponics system shouldn't have a strong unpleasant smell. An unusual smell can actually be one of the signs that something within the ecosystem needs attention.
Can't I learn aquaponics on YouTube?
There is plenty of excellent free aquaponics information online.
This course gives you one complete system to follow from beginning to end, so you don't have to work out which pieces of information belong together or whether advice for a completely different system applies to yours.
Is the Fish Viewing Window included?
The Fish Viewing Window Workshop is an optional $27 USD addition. The Courtyard Aquaponics System works perfectly well without a viewing window.
You Don't Need a Big Backyard to Begin
You just need somewhere to start.
Build your first small aquaponics ecosystem, learn how it works and discover what you can grow in the space you already have.
Simple Courtyard Aquaponics Course — $197 USD
Self-paced • Online • Unlimited access
Continue Learning
Not quite ready to build yet? That's okay. You can keep exploring aquaponics at your own pace.
Copyright 2026 | Candy The Aquaponics Lady | All Rights Reserved Email: [email protected]
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