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  • From: EarthNSky <erthnsky AT bellsouth.net>
  • To: homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [Homestead] Aquaponics
  • Date: Fri, 05 Jun 2009 12:20:16 -0400



Lynn Wigglesworth wrote:
Bev; my aquaponics system is still up and running. It's designed
after Paula's system, but, like yours, mine pumps water to the beds,
then drains directly back into the tank (her's drains into tubs and
the water is pumped from the tub back to the fishtank). My growbeds
are 4x8', 1' deep, lined with heavy plastic, filled with stone (I
forget the grade, but it's one grade bigger than pea gravel).

I'm glad you could make sense of what I wrote. Heavy editing made it
unclear. I had it first set up with two barrels like Paula recommends,
but quickly went to one barrel. I had the system running for a few days
to a week, without growing anything, just to check water levels and to
try to work out kinks. I wish I could remember more of what made me
stop trying. If I recall correctly, I wasn't able to time the pumps
correctly and since I was using materials onhand, my pumps were not the
same size and one pumped faster, etc. I THINK that was the reason I
went to one barrel.


My 'nozzles' are just holes drilled in the PVC pipe. In the beginning
I had problems with the holes clogging, so I made them a little
bigger.

Yes, mine were holes, too. Probably somewhere the pipe is stored away,
but at the moment, I have no idea of where, so I will be drilling new
holes in a new pvc. Do you position your holes top or bottom? Seems
like we had less clogging issues with holes up. Over time, that might
present a problem with algea.


My beds,
after about 8 years, are getting clogged with dead roots and dirt. It
would help the system run better if I took all the rock out and
cleaned everything, but that isn't going to happen soon (tons and
tons of rock...)

So you started with just gravel, all one size, like nickel sized?

I give the most mental energy to what the growing medium should be.



My raft system never worked well. I floated styrofoam insulation
boards on top of the fishtank...I cut circles in the board that would
hold the little 'net pots' that they sell for hydroponics. I never
found a good medium to put in the pots (the same rock that is in the
beds is the best I came up with). The biggest problem was that the
fish ate the roots, and often pulled the whole plant though the
bottom of the pot.

Did you ever try rafting the plants in a shallow pan of fish effluent
separate from the fish?



The most important thing I've found with aquaponics is that the
simpler you can make it, the better. The more complications you put
in it, the more things can go wrong. My timer died this spring, so I
switch the pump on by hand once a day or so. Because of all the dirt
and decomposed roots, my beds hold too much water, so 5 minutes once
a day is all they need.

I quickly learned that lesson, too. KISS.

Interesting thought on the 'accidental dirt' holding water.
What kind of timer were you using? I got two of them, just cheapie
things that you plug the pump into. I think they were like $5 each.

If my growth medium mocked nature a bit more...larger gravel in the
bottom, getting smaller towards the top(would be a nightmare to clean
tho) down to sand and aquarium gravel size....what would be the downside
to that? I think before I just had 1/2" gravel, which is what we call
pea gravel. Paula uses 1/8" or 1/4" creek gravel and calls that pea
gravel, if I recall. Her nomenclature makes more sense, I think, but I
used the larger size gravel before. Now that I only have one box to
fill instead of two, I might take the shovel and wheelbarrow down to the
creekbed, but moving all the big rocks would be a pain. I just can't
put a lot of money into this and gravel is expensive.


--
I am having an out-of-money experience.
http://erthnsky.blogspot.com/
EarthNSky Farm, Northwest Georgia, USA




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