Incorporating aquaponics into a grow!?

[p0opstlnksal0t]

I have been seriously considering the addition of a 55g tank and some freshwater fish to introduce some micro nutrients and keep healthy bacteria flourishing in my grow media to combat root born illnesses... i dont plan on using only the fish poo as nutrients, i will be using standard hydro nutes... ive been running tests in buckets and it looks like some standard 2-3inch goldfish will withstand 1600-1800 ppm water. ive had some setup in a 5 gallon bucket and only 1 has died out of 10 or so... Dont even have a filter, just an airpump stirring up the surface. have any of you cats incorporated aquaponics into your grow? did it add any benefits? I have this bug up my ass about keeping my grow setup like a small environment, with lots of healthy bacteria keeping shit healthy and supplying my plants with a broader spectrum of nutes, besided the standard hydro nutes....

I plan to just have a small dedicated pump to fill a 55 gallon, and on overflow back to the sump... for filtration i will just have a hang on back biowheel filter. i might even used crushed shell/coral to keep the water buffered. Any input and thoughts on this would be awesome... even if its just to tell me how stupid and ridiculous my idea is?

 

[Phedrosbenny]

If you stick with this please post a grow diary with pictures on here.I think this is one of the most interesting ways to grow anything.Plus it sounds like it would provide the hobbyist alot of material for very interesting experiments.

Some people play video games.Some people like to experiment with things.

 

[p0opstlnksal0t]

i intend to do a log my friend. I'm the kind of person that has to do up everything to its full potential... if i think ill see a gain from using this setup ima at least attempt it... I guess my biggest concern would be uneaten food poisoning the water so i will have to feed my fishies on an anorexic diet. I will not be lighting the tank whatsoever. or will possibly find a small light with a spectrum that is not gonna allow algae to utilize. i heard a base to start from is 1" of fish per 1-2 gallons of water used... so i will start with 9-14 2"-3" goldfish and add or subtract from there depending on how easily ammonia-nitrite is consumed by the beneficial bacteria, and how steady my ec stays while utilizing the fish.

 

[foaf]

so with aquaponics, do your fish live in the hydro nute solution or do you add the fish water to the nute mix in a different container? I know too much nitrogen, nitrates, nitrites is one of the big fish killers and is supposed to be at zero for an established aquarium. Just wondering. I'm a very amateur fresh water aquarium tender, and it seems hard enough to keep fish alive under even the most common aquarium conditions.

 

[p0opstlnksal0t]

The Nitrogen Cycle- This very important cycle is the establishment of beneficial bacteria in the aquarium and in the filter media that will help in the conversion of ammonia to nitrite and then the conversion of nitrite to nitrates.

they are all harmful to fish to varying degrees... the nitrates that build up in a established aquarium are normally disposed of through plants or a refugium as plants use the nitrates... beneficial bacteria consume ammonia and nitrites and give off nitrates. Ive seen goldfish live weeks in a muddy puddle on the side of my house, so they can withstand some ammonia, nitrate and nitrite spikes. getting it dialed in will take some time but i plan to cycle the system for about 3 weeks before i throw i the plants. ive been keeping up with fish for aobut 15 years now on and off. Im fairly certain i can keep the fish dialed in... but im a new grower and this is where my experience is lacking.

so with aquaponics, do your fish live in the hydro nute solution or do you add the fish water to the nute mix in a different container? I know too much nitrogen, nitrates, nitrites is one of the big fish killers and is supposed to be at zero for an established aquarium. Just wondering. I'm a very amateur fresh water aquarium tender, and it seems hard enough to keep fish alive under even the most common aquarium conditions.

 

[jakesebastin]

That is a very good thing to incorporate the aquaponics into the grow. Generally the people prefer the hydroponics but the information here has proved that the aquaponics system gives better results.