Aquaponics Revisited

[Guest]

Cabinet is another system I've seen

It has all sorts of rocks in it and no deficiencies. I suspect the rocks are providing iron, as fulvic and humic acids can actually dissolve rock albeit slowly, but don't know which rocks do which (yet).

 

[Guest]

I see how the post I made sounded like I meant your cabinet.

 

[scegy]

well i took courses in pedology and i know how to identify rocks and if u take a photo of those rocks i can help you with them and figure out what's in there, feel free to ask me

any kind off iron fittings? adding some minetal nutes to the system?
what kind of food do you use? maybe the food itself contains iron(somewhat)


ahaaaaa man, i think i got something in my eye

clay absorbs iron, so you see, the red clay that you see in some soil types is actually full of IRON, that's why it's red
so maybe hydroton is made out off the same clay that i'm talking about here and it releases iron into your solution, slowly, but surely

i've heard a lot of good things about clay in AP, it keeps the system in a nice balance, since the clay can absorb or release ions, depending on the osmotic pressure in the surrounding

do you use the same medium in both systems?same fish tank/growbed ratio?

we'r getting close

 

[Guest]

I'll try get some shots of those rocks. Pedology, ouch, shame about the name... Sounds rather dubious.

 

[scegy]

hey bong

well the values i've heard off were the best are 0,5-1-2 fish/tank/bed, ment for high production filtration

clay is like a sponge for ions, it releases certain ions if the surrounding water is hipotonic(has less solvents then clay), if it is hypertonic(has more solvents), the minerals get absorbed and locked into the clay...the process depends on how many mineral ions are present in the water already

read about this here, probably explained a little better
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osmotic_pressure

here's what i wanted to show you, look what different clay minerals consist of
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silicate_minerals#Phyllosilicates

i'm not saying this is it but, this popped in my head, try to give more info, hmmm

pedology....it was dubious but still, i got a few valuable lessons in my head left, so that i can somehow identify a certain rock if i see it with some effort and research in most cases

 

[Guest]

Got a pm from a member thought would be better shared. Questions are always welcome, even when I don't know, they lead me to thinking, which isn't always a bad thing

"Hey, I didnt want to clog up your thread with somthing that may have already been covered. I have skimmed most of the thread, but there's alot of info there.

My main Q is how you flower with your aquaP system.
I know that PK isnt found primarily in fishtanks... fill me in. Do you use the pH^ then pHv for PK?"

This question will take me a while, there's parts to it, so bear with me...

The fishes diet is the primary nutrient input. I'll get into this more shortly.

Aquaponics is better if plants are in varying stages of growth. Some fruiting, some leafy crops... For the MJ we run mainly 12/12 and add younger plants as the older ones mature so there are always plants growing. Most of this is done with seedlings (seeds just put straight into beds in 12/12 do well if you've got a strain that will grow a bit before the stretch and set) we are fortunate enough to have an all fem seed line. Most folks don't. Having twice as many seeds sprouting and pulling the boys shouldn't be a problem provided you know what you're looking for with regards to sex.

My system prior to 'adjustments' had an enclosed flouro veg cabinet and two flowering DWC buckets under the HPS running off the same tank. Again, the veg and flower plants running together, seems to balance the nutrition. Now, nutrition.

Most fish feeds have a range of nutrients available in them however if you want to go fully organic with the fish food you will need to search for local suppliers or do some research on home made fish foods. Backyard Aquaponics has much information and experimentation on this very thing. Insects, egg, grains, legumes, greens...

A method for providing your own organic fish food that is nutritionally correct for your fish is to study what they eat in the wild and replicate that as closely as possible. This is not easy for many species that graze on aquatic insects that graze on bio-film. Even the leaf grinders get the bulk of their nutrition from bio-film (not the leaf itself) and this is passed up the food chain. It can be a daunting research curve, finding out what your fish want.

This is why I mainly use fish food, the cheap stuff without 'additives'. It is formulated for fish. I disagree with how the stuff is made, so try to supplement without compromising the fishes dietary needs. There are so many learning curves to all this, I play around with breeding insects and algaes now and then. I regularly supplement with worms, greens if they'll take them, algae, insects I crop off trees and shrubs when available (flick branch over container of water catching many at once), my trout have had chicken, beef, calamari....

I eat organic so don't mind sharing my food with my pets.

I've never used pH up and down merely because they are so impermanent. I'm more inclined to use peat, system plants and algae growth, for pH down, and try to balance this (and buffer the water so pH still) with seashell and limestone for pH up.

Additives - I've used Earth Juice Bloom, and Seasol Original (organic) both as bloom supplements with success. At 1/20th - 1/40th strength! This stuff is great as your system matures as it takes a long time for all the bacterial and micro-floral interactions to sort themselves out so things are all buffered, chelated etc the supplements help fill the gaps in the meantime. AP systems are very forgiving, but they're also living things, and must be treated kindly.

When the systems running sweet, you don't need supplements to flower, just fish food (and possibly iron but we're getting into that just now).

Hope that helped rather than confused. There is no 'flower' and 'veg' nutrients in AP, rather, fish food. The more variety of plants and stages of growth, the better the system runs on fish food.

 

[Guest]

secure,,,

 

[scegy]

good luck with everything man, i'd love to pay you a visit in your greenhouse and have a bite

i've also found that patience and caution is the key, the more the system matures, the more it gives out, i share the same optimism with you

 

[Guest]

tra la a laaaa

 

[phr3d0m2gr0]

Spectacular thread, i haven't read the whole thing but i will be.

Thanks!

-Phr3

 

[BonsaiBud]

Thats it. Count me in. Right now I'm trying a freshwater plant tank. For these the key ingredient is CO2. I slid the tank in front of an East facing window for a couple hours of direct sun. I'll add a can or so of carbonated water (not soda water) each morning depending on the PH. So I'll have a tank with oscars and it will be the aquaponic system.

 

[Guest]

Hi there

phredom2gro - welcome aboard. I like the project you're trying to do but ..To be honest the thought is great but the site looks bad and has no indication of what the actual content is of the download, or the pedigree of the authors.


BonsaiBud - You put what in it!??? OMG consumerism run rampant you give your plants a daily can of stuff. Don't take it personal the whole damn world opens a can of shit for everything these days.

Here's a tip. Get some peat and a few seashells too. The seashells will react with the peat dropping the pH (causing carbolic acid to be given off which is degassed as CO2). The seashells then push the pH up forcing more carbolic acid from the peat causing a pH drop making the shells react....

This reaction creates - ATP - The energy for cellular division ie: plant growth.

2 handfuls of peat and 1 handful of shells in a 20 - 50 gallon tank should be enough.

 

[G33k Speak]

My random input:

a 5 gallon tank isn't big enough for a healthy aquaponics system- I may be wrong, but I don't think you can have a 'micro-aquaponics setup. One big shortcoming is that you need access to the entire fish tank. My closet set up was nice and kicked out some primo buds, but the everyday maintinence(sp) was a PIA. I takes a little bit of room to run an aquaponics set up.

and on adding nutes. I don't think adding nutes at 1/40 the usual dosage is going to do anything at all. You can use foliar application of 1/3 or 1/2 strength nutes, and you can also add organic nuts at 1/3 to 1/2 the usual dosage. I did these on a regular basis and didn't have any trouble at all.

But aquaponics is definitely the way of the future in my humble(but often paid for) opinion.

and the Rubbermaid Max Latch series of containers makes great fish tanks.

I was in the original Shipperke thread on OG...lemme see if I can find some pix.

 

[Deft]

There are a TON of rocks that contain a good bit of Fe, if you have a metal detector you'll see what I mean, I used to mostly dig up rocks and old metal trash (especially bits of foil) when I had one lol.

You could always just put a few pieces of low grade iron in your water and let it rust lol.

 

[Guest]

Hi folk.

I'm using old nails for iron. The iron is oxidised albeit slowly but it is utilised according to a US scientist who studies bio-film.

I have rocks from cabinet guy to look at but must take photos.

1/40th strength nutes - I'm after micros with these, not macros. You try some EJ in your AP you WILL see the difference.

Hell, try a tablespoon of molasses, you WILL taste the difference.

security.

tried ta leave a lot of good info behind. See y'all.

 

[TheOneWill]

What about turtle poo/water?

 

[Guest]

Does anyone have any ideas for a cheap and effective fish tank? I don't have the money for a glass tank.

 

[konstantgrdnr]

Info from growing edge maybe it will help

Working Togetherby Gretchen Sherrill

The tiny, tranquil Caribbean island of St Croix, part of the U.S. Virgin Islands, may seem an unlikely place to find the world's most established aquaponics program. But almost three decades of research have yielded a nearly flawless production system and a wealth of experience to share.

Dr. James Rakocy, director of the University of the Virgin Islands Agricultural Experiment Station, believes the effectiveness of the aquaponics system illustrates the best of both hydroponics and aquaculture but is simpler to operate than either.

"I like to call raft aquaponics the lazy man's hydroponics," said Rakocy with a laugh.

Of course sloth has not been part of the research process for the UVI aquaponics team, which through trial and error developed a system that conserves both water and land resources. Now the team is sharing its successes with others. Academics, entrepreneurs and enthusiasts from across the globe are making the trek to the St Croix campus of UVI to learn firsthand about this long-running and remarkably efficient program.




History and System Overview




The globally recognized program began in earnest 27 years ago when Rakocy, then conducting aquaponics research with aquatic plants at Auburn University in Alabama, joined UVI charged with developing aquaponic systems appropriate for the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Like many island paradises in the Caribbean, St Croix has no lakes or rivers. It dependends on stored rainwater for its freshwater needs. The island also has limited agricultural land. In addition to the need to create a system viable for an area with restricted land and water, Rakocy wanted to be able to recycle nutrients, since discharge of potential pollutants is also a sensitive issue for island ecosystems.

Specific needs and burgeoning research sparked university interest, but the territory had no aquaculture industry. Lacking an established industry in search of immediate answers to commercial questions, Rakocy enjoyed, "a luxury of a long, long period of time to develop these systems."

The system began as three and one-half oil barrels, two dedicated to production, on the back porch of Building E, the Agricultural Experiment Station headquarters. Yet in a little more than four months this small set up generated more than 100 pounds of food: 30 pounds of fish, 8 pounds of lettuce and 64 pounds of tomatoes.

"The basic design that we hit on then is the design that we've followed ever since," said Rakocy.

Following this early success, the team experimented with adjustments in size and ratio of fish to plants. Early problems such as nutrient accumulation, clogging from incorrect pipe size and poor drainage were corrected during these trials. The implementation of raft hydroponics resulted from problems with gravel which accumulated solids, clogged and became a source of ammonia. In addition, gravel requires construction of heavy support structures to hold the extra weight. The raft system, comprised of floating sheets of polystyrene set with net pots, solved the gravel problems and combined the biofiltration and hydroponic requirements.

During this research and development period, Rakocy devoted his time to field work construction, "digging holes and trenches." Building an aquaponics system requires construction skills and the work may be off-putting to some. As Rakocy admits, the building the system is "much more advanced than installing a home aquarium or backyard garden."

Following several scale-ups and a half dozen more iterations to work out the remaining structural and organizational kinks, the team developed the current commercial-size system that Rakocy says leaves little room for improvement.

The system they've hit on consists of four aquaculture tanks in which tilapia are raised. Tilapia are fast growing, can tolerate a wide variety of environmental conditions and have firm white meat. The water from the aquaculture tank then feeds through sump, clarifier and degassing tanks that remove most of the solids from the fish waste. The water is then pumped into six hydroponic tanks that are fed by effluent lines. The crops growing hydroponically take nutrients from the water, cleaning it for the fish. The water then passes back through the system to the fish. Fish production is staggered with a harvest every six weeks.

The UVI system employs additional tilapia fingerlings to keep the clarifier sides and drain lines clean – a job that would otherwise have to be done manually.

The ratio of fish to plant production has been calculated to balance nutrient generation from fish with nutrient removal by plants. The ratio is expressed as the weight of feed given to fish on a daily basis relative to the plant growing area. The optimum ratio is 60-100 grams per square meter of plant growing area per day. By applying this ratio and attending to minor general maintenance the system can operate uninterrupted for years, another key to success. A new aquaponics system requires an establishment time of 6 weeks for essential bacteria and 18 weeks until all four fish rearing tanks are stocked.

Due to the required establishment time, Rakocy warns, "Once you start it, you never want to stop the system."

Rakocy refers to the UVI aquaponic system not as high tech but as "appropriate technology." He considers the system reliable, robust and simple to operate, especially in comparison to hydroponics and aquaculture systems.




System Advantages




Aquaponic systems retain water for long periods of time, require less monitoring, and provide free nutrients.

Rakocy believes UVI's aquaponic system encounters fewer pest and disease problems than traditional hydroponic systems due to the amount of organic material in the water. In contrast to the sought after sterile environment of hydroponics, the UVI aquaponics system thrives on a diversity of bacteria – bacteria that can be antagonistic to pathogens and bacteria that boost plants' immune systems. In fact, the UVI aquaponics system has operated for several years without changing the water.

"We like to go dirty," chuckles Rakocy.

Other than pH tests, the UVI aquaponic system's water is tested only once per year when experiments are not being conducted. Water pH must be monitored daily and base added to maintain a neutral 7.0. The base added to maintain pH serves a dual purpose as a nutrient supplement.

Unlike traditional hydroponic solutions that require a complete nutrient mix, the UVI system's tilapia provide adequate amounts of 10 of the 13 nutrients essential to plants. Only potassium, calcium and iron must be supplemented. And to maintain the proper pH level the operators add either calcium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide, which provide the missing potassium and calcium nutrients. Iron is added separately.
Normal recirculating aquaculture systems discharge an estimated five to ten percent of system water daily due to excess nitrate accumulation. UVI's system uses nitrates and other nutrients for plant growth, so it discharges less than one percent of system water daily,alleviating the potential for pollution related to water discharge.

The UVI system not only recovers nutrients lost as waste in traditional aquaculture systems but also produces the valuable by-product of plants, which typically generate more income than the fish. In contrast to aquaculture, the plants serve as the biofilter, eliminating that maintenance expense.

"Aquaponics is the only system in the world that has a biofilter that makes money," Rakocy said.

On one-eighth of an acre of land the UVI aquaponic system produces an estimated 25,000 pounds of food per year. One acre would have the potential yield of 200,000 pounds of food per year.

In contrast to dirt-grown field crops, plants grown in aquaponic systems tend to grow more rapidly, have ample water and nutrients, and enjoy a weed-free environment, Rakocy said. In experiments comparing the two, the UVI aquaponics system yielded three times more basil and seventeen times more okra than field crops.

However, vegetable production is never foolproof: insect damage and disease occur. Aquaponic growers can't use the pesticides and insecticides that traditional agriculture employs. In aquaponic systems of interdependent fish and plants, treatment of one might harm the other. Aquaponics depends on biologic control methods and is therefore guaranteed to be pesticide free.

UVI's aquaponics team members Charlie Schultz, a research analyst, and Jason Danaher say aquaponics might be the answer to growers seeking to market organic produce. Research specialist Danaher cites growing aquaculture industry interest in developing methods to certify products organic and sell them as such. Schultz believes aquaponics offers a solution to the need for an organic-based fertilizer for hydroponics production and an antidote to the rising expense of utilizing petroleum-based products.

"Our system has the potential to be a very big leader, if interest in certifying it to be organic could be worked out," Schultz said,"and the produce tastes so delicious and that's a fact."

Of course not all plants grow well in the UVI aquaponics system. The raft system does not accommodate root crops, and certain crops, such as spinach, prefer a cooler, less tropical climate than that of St Croix. Even among the current crop of cantaloupe, the vine variety thrived while the bush variety did not. Research specialist Donald Bailey sees this disappointing bush crop as a valuable lesson.

"We teach with examples and with this varietal difference, we can inform farmers and save them production dollars," explains Bailey.

In fact, a goal for the research team is to increase profits for farmers. These findings will be shared as part of the UVI aquaponics short course, developed and administered by Rakocy and his staff. The short course has more than doubled in attendance and gained global attention in just a few years.




Aquaponics' Future




New technologies take time to be accepted and implemented. However, global water shortages have created a more urgent interest in aquaponics, one of the most water-efficient systems in the world, Rakocy said.

UVI's success and lengthy track record of research has generated interest and led to the implementation of similar systems in several locations in the U.S. and abroad – including the New Jersey EcoComplex at Rutgers University and the Crop Diversification Center South in Alberta, Canada. The Canadian system has produced more than 60 types of vegetables.

Raocy cites planned multimillion-dollar commercial projects in Australia and the U.S. as evidence of recent investment growth in the aquaponics industry.

When thinking back to beginning of his career in the late 1970s, Rakocy said that he and other aquaponic proponents were considered "on the lunatic fringe."

With the completion of the UVI commercial-scale aquaponic system and the implementation of the short course, Rakocy has connected with a growing mainstream commercial and academic interest in aquaponics. An interest he finds as an amazing and personally gratifying acceptance of a life's work.



For the complete version of this article, see The Growing Edge, Volume 19, Number 4, March/April 2008, page 24.

 

[Guest]

some good info for sure.

 

[scegy]

bajasauce, you can use rubbermaids no problem, glass tank is just for the eyes, not for the efficiencie