My Aquaponic Experience So Far This Year

[TomKat]

I like your style, but you missed the whole point of the aquaponics system. You need to grow fish that you will eat. Aquaponics is awesome because of the fish protein grown in the system. Tilapia tend to be the best suited to aquaponics due to how hearty they are and how fast they grow. Throw some duckweed into the fish pond and that is all the food they need. You have to keep an eye on the duckweed though, too much and it will start clogging your equipment.

I have already done the duckweed thing, it does clog up the system, but also it is free here in the swamps!!
Ironically, I don't even like fish. I thought about tilapia and maybe catfish if we could catch some this year but for now I am just sticking to the cheap fish for cheap crops.

[TomKat]

Tilapia might not be the best choice if you're keeping them outdoors in North Carolina like TomKat is. Winter will be tough for them. Also, tilapia tend to be very aggressive and so that limits how many can be stocked in such a system.

This is why I have been trying to talk myself into making a greenhouse for gardening as well as for my hot tub aquaponic system. I could add a hot tub pump and heater to it and have tilapia and crops year around.

[TomKat]

Fish protein is not the main output of an aquaponics farm..
Leafy vegetables usually are. Fish is just a 'once a year' bonus.

Very true.

[newbitech]

Excellent info! I have been 100% organic in my dirt garden and try the same in aquaponics so I am aware of this as well as many of the other extra additives that my water comes with so I have tried to only use rain water to fill. When I use city water to fill, I fill a bucket and let it sit in the sun for a day and test it before I add it. My biggest concern about chlorine is that it would kill the benificial bacteria that tranform the nitrogen from the fish poop into nitrites as well as the bacteria that turns the nitrites into nitrates, which feeds the plants.

As a pool guy the word, chloramine, rings loud and clear. When you add chlorine to water, it gets broken down into hypochlorus acid also known as "Free chlorine" in the pool world because it is free and available to kill organic matter. Chlorine kills by breaking the cell wall of organic matter and then dissolving the cell and then it becomes airborn because it is an oxidizer (thats why you smell the chlorine at a community pool, you smell it dissolving organic matter and becoming airborn. You cannot smell chlorine even in high amounts when it is in water. #FunFact, also it is the ph that burns your eyes not chlorine. Tears are normally 7.4, where I try to keep my pools). When the hypochlorus acid attaches to organic matter and starts to dissolve it, it is called "combined chlorine" in the pool world, also known as chlorimines. Any pool test kit, whether liquid or test strip, will have a reading for "free chlorine" and "total chlorine". If you subtract the free from the total, you will get the combined level, or chlorimine level. In my aquaponic system, I have only put in chlorine free water, no combined, free, nor total chlorine allowed. Lol
(Sorry so long, I am a total pool nerd, as shown)

Yeah after I posted I watched a couple more of your vids and realized you probably know whats in the water! Ha! Well I am curious now, cause we used the test kits off the shelf from a local pet supply and it had a chlorine test. I did end up learning that a regular chlorine test does react to the chloramine. I also learned that I can't just let buckets sit out for the stuff to go away, and it only takes such a small amount to contaminate the fish water.

What is really disgusting to me to be honest is that if fish cannot live in it, how can it be safe to drink? I am not really a purist, cause I make my coffee and tea with tap water. It is just startling to me how much impurities I ingest that is deemed "safe" and I really have no idea what it's doing to me!

Also, something else I learned about water, cause I had to deal with some AC problems recently, the water that comes from the AC drain is distilled, no chemicals, just about as pure water as you can get once you boil out any organisms in the drain pipes.

So of course I have gone ahead and set up a collection system for that H20 (its a lot! 5 gallons a day!), and use it to water my garden.

I REALLY want to give aquaponics a try, and your first video has reignited my interest that I kind of gave up on cause of lack of time. You set up looks completely self sufficient tho. I bet it's something that can get going over the weekend!

I hope getting a larger aquarium solve the fish die off problem. I'd also like to know what you think about pest control with that set up, I bet it helps to not have dirt. Your plants look awesome!

[TomKat]

Also, something else I learned about water, cause I had to deal with some AC problems recently, the water that comes from the AC drain is distilled, no chemicals, just about as pure water as you can get once you boil out any organisms in the drain pipes.

So of course I have gone ahead and set up a collection system for that H20 (its a lot! 5 gallons a day!), and use it to water my garden.

I REALLY want to give aquaponics a try, and your first video has reignited my interest that I kind of gave up on cause of lack of time. You set up looks completely self sufficient tho. I bet it's something that can get going over the weekend!

I hope getting a larger aquarium solve the fish die off problem. I'd also like to know what you think about pest control with that set up, I bet it helps to not have dirt. Your plants look awesome!

I forgot all about using the a/c system. Recently it has been 100% humidity and it runs nonstop and like you said get rid of the organisms and you are in business. Also a point of interest, some good a/c guys will add some "pills" to the air handler overflow pan to kill bacteria that may acrue due to the overflow is sometimes higher than the pan bottom and water will collect . It probably wouldn't be good to water plants with this since they need bacteria to get nutrients. On the other hand, if you are just using the air handler drain (the one that drips water more than the other) then you should be good to go with your plan, just wanted to add that in case you tried to get more water stored faster.

Good luck getting a system going. It was really easy to do.

[TomKat]

Quick update: I spent a few hours yesterday fixing up the hot tub fish tank. Today I moved the beds over to the tub, got it plumbed and it is going again. I should have a video of it made tomorrow to show the progress.

[TomKat]

Here is the latest update to the garden. Platform made, beds moved, killed a cantaloupe plant. You know, progress. Lol.



I also made a quick walk through on how I made my aquaponic garden. I hope this may help those on the fence about building.

[TomKat]

Another update video.

[TomKat]

Newest update includes my favorite chicken recipe I use.

[TomKat]

My bro-in-law started building his own aquaponic garden out of an old paddleboat that has been framed in. The bed will be in the center over the "hump". More details to follow.

[TomKat]

[Neil Desmond]

I'm going to be getting very involved in this kind of stuff. I recently joined the board of advisors for a startup that's trying to automate aquaponics to help improve the situation with world hunger problems: http://www.cyberfarmsystems.com/cont...pagename=board

[speciallyblend]

simple plan for me . I will not be combining the systems. I will just fish farm and then do the plants hydro. I will just use the fish heads and waste for the compost . I am more interested in keeping them seperate and using nutrient water for my plants. I do not need the headaches since my hands are full with many projects. I just see too many problems to worry about combining the systems. keeping them seperate just seems to be the best option, i know folks say aquaponics is the best but i really see no need. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nb-ENedIEwE

[angelatc]

Your algae eater (a pleco) might very well start sucking the slime coating off your goldfish. They're not compatible. The fish sleep at night, and that's when the omnivorous pleco roams. When the goldfish's slime is damaged, it's an invitation for disease.


If you can manage tropicals in your locale, otocinclus are a better bet for algae eating goldfish roommates.

Also - snails. They're a nightmare in an aquarium, but they eat algae like anything.

The only way to beat algae is to keep the water out of the sunlight.

[TomKat]

I'm going to be getting very involved in this kind of stuff. I recently joined the board of advisors for a startup that's trying to automate aquaponics to help improve the situation with world hunger problems: http://www.cyberfarmsystems.com/cont...pagename=board

That is too cool! I am super jealous. Wish I was closer so I could help out.

[TomKat]

Your algae eater (a pleco) might very well start sucking the slime coating off your goldfish. They're not compatible. The fish sleep at night, and that's when the omnivorous pleco roams. When the goldfish's slime is damaged, it's an invitation for disease.


If you can manage tropicals in your locale, otocinclus are a better bet for algae eating goldfish roommates.

Also - snails. They're a nightmare in an aquarium, but they eat algae like anything.

The only way to beat algae is to keep the water out of the sunlight.

I read about the threat of this happening and decided to take my chances since it is a low probability but yet a possibility. I just wanted to get something to help clear up some algae and all of the pet stores around here had this one kind of pleco. The good news is that if I fail and all the fish die, I only had about $12 in goldfish! Lol!

[Neil Desmond]

That is too cool! I am super jealous. Wish I was closer so I could help out.

I sent you a PM.

[TomKat]

I just made a new filter prototype that I will be modifying in the future. The basic design is to use a hot tub filter backwards to filter the water and then let gravity take over and deliver the water to the beds. Here is the mockup.


And here is my new filter in action in an update! Also I pulled all of the jalapenos and replaced them with romaine lettuce and trimmmed the tomatoes and strawberries.

[Deborah K]

This is truly badass, TomKat! I was planning on starting up aquaponics to grow duckweed for tilapia, and also give it to my chickens and rabbits. I got hurt pretty badly riding one of my horses and had to scrap the idea for this year. Next year for sure. Thanks for all the great info.

[Deborah K]

Just finished reading through the thread and noticed the mini-debate over tilapia and duckweed. This is the best use for us since it's a cheap way to feed the fish, foul, and meat for our consumption. We've accumulated about a dozen blue, thick-plastic barrels like the ones seen here:



This is the sort of set up we're looking to do.

[TomKat]

Just finished reading through the thread and noticed the mini-debate over tilapia and duckweed. This is the best use for us since it's a cheap way to feed the fish, foul, and meat for our consumption. We've accumulated about a dozen blue, thick-plastic barrels like the ones seen here:



This is the sort of set up we're looking to do.

I love that blue barrel design! If I could find some I would have a design like that siting on and draining into the tub.

As far as duckweed goes, it might be worth trying again now that I have a deeper fish tank and it shouldn't get caught up in the pump. It also might help shade the tank to help prevent algae growth as well. Not to mention that it is cheap (especially since I live in the swamps), multiplies quickly, and is good food for the fish or for the chickens like you said. I will have to try it again.

The chickens also love any garden pests that you find (one snail so far this year, yesterday in the ap garden, but many in the dirt garden) or any pest damaged crops.

[dannno]

Did you ever get a TDS/PPM meter?

Do you think it may have been the iron supplement that was giving you issues?

When water evaporates, it actually increases the TDS/PPM of your solution, so you would optimally want to add back zero or near zero PPM water (Reverse Osmosis is good enough), plus micronutrients to bring it in around 200-300 ppm. I don't know what the solution of the water in your system should be, but for hydroponics it is usually around 800-1100 PPM for growing plants. The fish poop and any supplements for your plants will bring up the PPM, but then the plants of course filter out the nutrients and will decrease the PPM over time which is why you have your fish to put more back in.

I won't discourage you from using TDS, but PPM seems to work pretty well for hydroponics.

I've had some experience with hydroponics, haven't experimented with fish yet.

[Deborah K]

I love that blue barrel design! If I could find some I would have a design like that siting on and draining into the tub.

As far as duckweed goes, it might be worth trying again now that I have a deeper fish tank and it shouldn't get caught up in the pump. It also might help shade the tank to help prevent algae growth as well. Not to mention that it is cheap (especially since I live in the swamps), multiplies quickly, and is good food for the fish or for the chickens like you said. I will have to try it again.

The chickens also love any garden pests that you find (one snail so far this year, yesterday in the ap garden, but many in the dirt garden) or any pest damaged crops.

Have you ever seen a chicken go after a scorpion? It's priceless! They stand right over them and then WAP!! Nail em right in the middle of their backs a couple times and then eat them up! Like pros! Our hens free range and keep the pest population pretty well under control. Except the flies. We order fly predators for the flies (among other tactics), and I think the chickens are eating the fly predators.

[TomKat]

Did you ever get a TDS/PPM meter?

Do you think it may have been the iron supplement that was giving you issues?

When water evaporates, it actually increases the TDS/PPM of your solution, so you would optimally want to add back zero or near zero PPM water (Reverse Osmosis is good enough), plus micronutrients to bring it in around 200-300 ppm. I don't know what the solution of the water in your system should be, but for hydroponics it is usually around 800-1100 PPM for growing plants. The fish poop and any supplements for your plants will bring up the PPM, but then the plants of course filter out the nutrients and will decrease the PPM over time which is why you have your fish to put more back in.

I won't discourage you from using TDS, but PPM seems to work pretty well for hydroponics.

I've had some experience with hydroponics, haven't experimented with fish yet.

Hmm.. now you have me thinking....
The chelated iron that I used solved the problems at the time but that was because I had a small system and it used up the iron in the water and it needed to be supplimented. Since I moved the beds to the bigger tank there hasn't been any signs of iron depletion so it should be ok for now on that front. I don't have a TDS meter yet but using my "pool guy eye" I can say that for sure they haven't got worse, aren't in the highs, nor the extreme highs yet, but I don't have a number to throw out.

[TomKat]

Have you ever seen a chicken go after a scorpion? It's priceless! They stand right over them and then WAP!! Nail em right in the middle of their backs a couple times and then eat them up! Like pros! Our hens free range and keep the pest population pretty well under control. Except the flies. We order fly predators for the flies (among other tactics), and I think the chickens are eating the fly predators.

I have not seen that! It sounds like it would be great to watch, though. Can you video it?

[TomKat]

[TomKat]

I am really excited to share this video. It may not help the aquaponic garden much more than cleaning up the water quality but I think it is one of the neatest things that I have made for it.
It is a homemade sand filter, running on its own pump, made out of 1/2" pvc that expands to 2" for the filtrating area then back to 1/2". I let gravity do its thing and it holds the sand in the pipe instead of just pouring out with the water. As the water enters the 2" pipe and makes its way to the bottom, it has to pass through the pool filter sand that I filled past the 90 degree couplers. In this straight run, the water goes through the sand which will pull out big particles and later smaller and smaller.


Since I was in the mood to build, I tore apart the bucket filter idea and replaced it with a real swirl filter that I built. Simple idea. A bucket, hole at bottom with a shut off for draing solids, drain on the side with a 90 degree overflow like the last one, an input line that t's and goes to two 45 degree couplers that "swirl" the water at the bottom of the bucket, and something to deter the solids from floating (I used a smaller bucket lid).
Add these together and you get a swirl filter.

[TomKat]

Water clarity clearing up pretty nice with the new filters. Newly planted lettuce is taking off like crazy!!

[TomKat]

Major progress this week!
The water clarity is darn near perfect (for a fish tank) and the plants are going wild! Even the tomatoes that were dying out have sprouted new growth and are getting big (I forgot to mention this in the video). I modified the drains that fill the beds and then I picked up another two dozen goldfish and they fill out the tank perfectly. They all swim around in one giant school and eat every insect that I throw in. I have sighted the pleco for the first time and he seems to be fine. I picked up some bio-balls so I will be building a new filter system to incorporate them into and replumb the system yet again. Good thing I like to plumb!

[TomKat]

Sorry for this entry. New swirl filter design made with bio balls. Crappy design but another design in my video diary. It will be fixed tomorrow.