About
Hi, I'm Tim.
I'm a mechanical engineer with over a decade of experience designing and managing integrated mechanical, electrical, and hydraulic systems in manufacturing operations. My day job involves supervising engineering teams that customize complex systems — pump sizing, hydraulic circuits, electrical integration, and making sure everything works together reliably in harsh environments.
I got into aquaponics the way a lot of engineers do — I was fascinated by the system design challenge. Then I noticed something: most of the resources available to aquaponics and aquaculture growers are based on rules of thumb, not actual engineering. "Turn over your tank once per hour." "Use a 1:1 grow bed to fish tank ratio." These guidelines work sometimes, but they don't account for friction losses in your plumbing, your specific stocking density, or how your pH affects ammonia toxicity.
So I started building the tools I wished existed — calculators that actually account for your pipe layout, your species, and your water chemistry. That's what Blueprint Aquaculture is: the design resource for aquatic systems that I couldn't find anywhere else.
What this is (and isn't)
This is a collection of free tools and resources for anyone designing or optimizing an aquaponics, aquaculture, or aquatic system. The calculators go beyond rules of thumb — they account for things like pipe friction losses, ammonia toxicity at your specific pH and temperature, and species-specific stocking limits.
This isn't a replacement for hands-on growing experience. I'm an engineer, not a 20-year aquaponics grower. I bring a systems design perspective — but the biology, the species selection, the day-to-day growing decisions? That knowledge comes from the community, from experienced growers, and from your own practice. The best aquaponics systems combine good design with good growing.
Our core design tools are free — no signup, no credit card required. As Blueprint Aquaculture grows, we'll be adding more advanced features, guides, and consulting services. But the fundamentals will always be accessible to anyone getting started.
Get in touch
Have a question about system design? Found a bug in one of the calculators? Want to suggest a new tool? I'd love to hear from you.