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Aquaponics Update

Preppersaurus · 2013-05-21T15:00:37Z

Heya,Back in December some one showed me a video (probably a YouTube Video) about Aquaponics. Being in BC I figured it was just a grow op thing for pot. After watching the video I started checking this 'be all, end all' full circle, do nothing to it once it's up and running, food production system. For those who have never heard of it, here it is in simple terms. 1) Fish in a tank, poop. 2) The poop is full of ammonia, the ammonia gets converted to nitrites (don't ask, I was put off by the poop).3) Nitrites are then converted to nitrates (this, I know plants love), 4) Pump the nitrate water from the tank into a grow bed for the plants to eat. 5) Plants poop (don't ask about that either, I am no scientist, nor a plant poop expert)5) Let the plant poop water from the grow bed, drip back into the fish tanks.6) The fish seem to like something in the plant's poop. 7) When the veggies grow, eat em.8) When the fish grow, eat em too. I told my wife that I would like to give it a try. Keep in mind, I made the effort to garden 30 years ago and discovered several things. 1) It sucked 2) weeds sucked 3) dirt under my fingernails sucked 4) the snakes in the garden sucked 5) open season on rodents was fun. 6) veggies from the garden were good eatin. 7) I liked fried fish.I had some of the materials to make a aqua system for in my basement. I made a stand, got some fish, which was a monumental undertaking for someone who had to help clean my Dad's 52 fish tanks, as a kid. (My sister and I swore off EVER having fish, and I have been teased by every living family member now, for having even ONE fish that isn't eye up on a plate). I took notes on EVERYTHING. Ammonia levels week by week. PH , GH, KH, N02, N03, NH3, EiEiO etc etc. I was going to do this methodically, to the point where Einstein was going to come back from the grave and tell me it was too complicated. Basically, I wanted to know what worked, and what didn't. My wife acquired an old fish tank from a neighbor that I used as a reserve. (when I killed off some fish, I had backups....shhhh don't tell the fish). The fish I used, were the budget, 10 for a buck variety. Non eating ones. As long as they proved this system worked, I could afford it. I bought some seeds to start. Cukes, Peppers, and Tomatoes. First I let them grow in Jiffy pods until they were about 3 inches tall. Then into the grow bed they went. BUT, I wanted to be sure this system was going to be better than the traditional 'Dirt under the nails' system. I took several of the tomatoes and kept them in dirt, fed only rainwater and treated tap water. I then took several plants and kept them in dirt, BUT fed them my secret blend of Phish Poop Water (PPW). The third set, was removed from all dirt, and stuck in the grow media. Fed nothing but PPW. The results were as follows: I measured the tomato plants that were in dirt and fed rain and tap water. 12 inches with 7 scrawny leaves. The tomato plants that were in dirt and had been fed PPW were about the same but had about 40 leaves. All green green green and doing well. Now, the third set, the ones that were deprived of dirt, and fed nothing but poopage from the fish are now 46 inches tall, I've had to move the light up 3 times now and it is as high as it will go. The leaves are glued to the bottom of the light. For the record. The cukes have over 50 flowers on just one plant, and the peppers are little bushes, with flower buds just starting. I've been told that my tomatoes have too much nitrate in their diets and that will stall their bloom. I have since diluted the water with fresh stuff. Time will tell. Future plans will definitely be to a larger scale system with tilapia or trout that can be harvested. Also a smaller version that will be set up in the kitchen / living room for growing herbs for day to day consumption, like chives. If you have been thinking of doing aquaponics, check out the YouTube videos on some of the basic systems people come up with. I grew everything from seeds, but plants already at the garden center will speed things up. Preppersaurus

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anitapreciouspearl

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25/05/2013 2:30 am

I've been reading this post with great interest. What do you do in the winter at this point? shut it down? would you need to heat the greenhouse in order to keep the fish alive... I've watched lots of videos but they seem to be southern States or Australia not Canadian winter temps.

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downunderpom

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26/05/2013 2:12 am

I've been reading this post with great interest. What do you do in the winter at this point? shut it down? would you need to heat the greenhouse in order to keep the fish alive... I've watched lots of videos but they seem to be southern States or Australia not Canadian winter temps.

I've been getting the gear together to start up a system, and have been watching these videos: http://www.youtube.com/user/BrightAgrotechLLC

This is Dr Nate Storey, who makes up IBC aquaponics tanks with snow on the ground! They've also got loads of information on double skinned greenhouses, geothermal heating, and a lot of great information. I don't know how much space / money you have, but a lot of what he comes up with involves sweat equity, rather than a large bankroll. I highly recommend it.

I'm fortunate - where I live in NZ we are at the same latitude in the southern hemisphere as Barcelona is in the northern, so we rarely see snow at the lower altitudes. It's well into autumn now, (fall), and my newly planted peas are just poking their heads above the ground.

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anitapreciouspearl

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26/05/2013 2:42 am

Thanks downunderpom!! I will be watching as many videos as I can - if a guy in Wyoming can do this I should be able to as well!

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*´¨`•.¸¸Anita <>< *.•´¸¸¨`*
(¸.•'´(¸.•'´ `'•.¸)`' •.¸)
¸.•´
( `•.¸
`•.¸ )
¸.•)´
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Quack, Cluck, Moo, Hee-Haw, Meow and Baaaaaaa from Shalom Engedi Farm
http://adventures-in-country-living.blogspot.com/

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Anonymous

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26/05/2013 5:25 am

downunderpom great link thank you

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oldschool

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26/05/2013 5:38 pm

Wow I had no idea that there would be that kind of growth difference. I have always just used my tank water (fresh water tanks only) for watering my plants. I have done a salt water set up with a recycling water pump with my salt water tanks. The plants in that case acted as a filter for the water but leaving the salt intact.

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oldschool

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27/05/2013 12:16 am

Sorry I should have mention that it is called a refugium.

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Preppersaurus

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Topic starter 27/05/2013 4:22 pm

When I first started the system the water in the fish tank was dirty. I checked into a bio filter that I could make myself. Before I had a chance to come up with one, the water cleared up and, aside from a little sediment in the bottom of the tank, the fish tank is clear. I suspect the cloudiness was caused by the hydracorn sediment. Going to go with a biofilter for the big outside unit. Don't want leaves and pine needles blocking my system.

Preppersaurus

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Syn

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28/06/2013 5:25 pm

There is a segment on aquaponics on Radio Ecoshock podcast :

http://www.ecoshock.info/2013/06/start-something-to-live-for.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+EcoshockNews+%28Ecoshock+News%29

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