Start of my aquaponic a system

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The system is balanced. I completed the cycle and now planting the vegetables I had incubated. I will add fish next week.

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Various lettuces: butter, red leaf, and romaine
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More lettuce and Kale.
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These strawberries will be attached to the last raft bed. It's important to put any "flowing" plant at the end because the various foliar feed you may need to add. Doesn't shock the system. I am training new shoots from the mother plant. In about 4 weeks; I should have all the raft filled.

I'm also trying to clone a few tomato plants; using the raft bed. Probably won't work; but it's worth a shot.
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Bush bean, cauliflower, and broccoli
 
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Oops this is the bush beans, broccoli and cauliflower

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This is another variety of bush beans and soy beans. I'm hoping to add carrots, green onions and a tomato plant here
 
Mags,

Re: your mussels question, here's a place I found in Vancouver. They deal with aquaculture on the West Coast and can get you live stuff, but I don't know anything about importing stuff across the border. I'm sure they do. Their Penn Cove variety come from Seattle, so that may help. http://www.smokeybay.com/clams-list

Taylor Shellfish is Washington-based, and seems to be pretty legit, though I've only read stuff about them being seawater-based. I'm sure they could let you know.
http://www.taylorshellfishfarms.com/seed-growing-faqs.aspx
 
Couple of questions:
1) How big is the main tank? 275 gallons or so? It looks like you have 6 beds set up...what's your tank-to-media ratio and how do you cycle the flow? 15/45 timer? Autosiphon? Index valve?

2) Did you say that you were using your sump tank for fingerlings, and keeping the main tank for juveniles and bigger?

3) Adding your foliar feeds, even to the last tank--doesn't that still cycle through the rest of the system? If things are added that don't get used (I'm thinking sodium and other salinity producers), doesn't that eventually become toxic for the fish?
 
BrianFromWA said:
Couple of questions:
1) How big is the main tank? 275 gallons or so? It looks like you have 6 beds set up...what's your tank-to-media ratio and how do you cycle the flow? 15/45 timer? Autosiphon? Index valve?

2) Did you say that you were using your sump tank for fingerlings, and keeping the main tank for juveniles and bigger?

3) Adding your foliar feeds, even to the last tank--doesn't that still cycle through the rest of the system? If things are added that don't get used (I'm thinking sodium and other salinity producers), doesn't that eventually become toxic for the fish?
Click to expand...

Answers:

1.). The main tank is 275 gallons. I actually have 8 beds set up. 2 media beds with a bell siphon; draining to the first set of 3 raft beds. The row of three raft beds have a 1" pipe that connects each together at the bottom. The last raft bed has the index valve to return back into the sump.

Total gallons of the system are: 1- 275 gallon fish tank, 2-75 gallon sumps, 2-80 gallon media beds (80% hydroton added), 6-80 gallon raft beds (usually 85% filled).

2.) I haven't gotten that far; since the fish will be arriving this Thursday. I'm just planning on the fish will eventually mate and the babies that survive will most likely make their way to the sumps. Just a theory...

3.). Sodium is toxic to fish; but my foliar we produce is an organic product that has already been tested safe for fish. We manufacture an organic "fish based" organic fertilizer. All minerals are bound in amino acids. Also, the application ratio is at 800ppm; and applied very thin on the foliar. Our product works very efficiently. So even if we apply the equivalent of 4 oz of diluted foliar feed; it's small in comparison to the 1,000 gallon system.
 
BrianFromWA said:
Mags,

Re: your mussels question, here's a place I found in Vancouver. They deal with aquaculture on the West Coast and can get you live stuff, but I don't know anything about importing stuff across the border. I'm sure they do. Their Penn Cove variety come from Seattle, so that may help. http://www.smokeybay.com/clams-list

Taylor Shellfish is Washington-based, and seems to be pretty legit, though I've only read stuff about them being seawater-based. I'm sure they could let you know.
http://www.taylorshellfishfarms.com/seed-growing-faqs.aspx
Click to expand...

Thanks man! I'll look into it!
 
After one week; the plants look like they love the system!

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Bush beans, cauliflower, broccoli

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Sweet peppers, soy bean, bush bean, zucchini, and Brussels sprouts

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Spinach

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Strawberries

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Kale, mixed salad, romaine lettuce

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Red leaf lettuce and butter lettuce
 
Quite impressive Mags! How many strawberry mother plants did you start with again?
 
Eastoff said:
Quite impressive Mags! How many strawberry mother plants did you start with again?
Click to expand...

I had one mother and made a few extra mothers from last season. I'm going to fill this bed and stop the reproduction. So in the picture; there are currently 4 mothers.
 
Are you going to top the plants or have one big bud?
 
So, essentially you feed the fish to fertilize the plants with their poop? Do you eat the fish, too?
 
Some people don't, wook. The rule of thumb is that you can really only get 1 fish per 5 gallons or so. So in a medium-sized, non-commercial system (275 gallons is about as big as a backyard system can probably go) then you're only getting about 50-60 fish stocked, and they take about 9 months (6-12, depending on a lot of factors) to get "plate-sized". Some people say that that isn't worth the effort to kill (or just don't like tilapia) and put in ornamental fish like koi or goldfish or something, and never eat them.
 
BrianFromWA said:
Some people don't, wook. The rule of thumb is that you can really only get 1 fish per 5 gallons or so. So in a medium-sized, non-commercial system (275 gallons is about as big as a backyard system can probably go) then you're only getting about 50-60 fish stocked, and they take about 9 months (6-12, depending on a lot of factors) to get "plate-sized". Some people say that that isn't worth the effort to kill (or just don't like tilapia) and put in ornamental fish like koi or goldfish or something, and never eat them.
Click to expand...

I was really debating on growing koi fish. They actually can sell for big bucks; more than you can sell a tilapia for.

As for density; I've worked in aquaculture for a while now. The 1 lbs per 5 gallon of water is a safe bet. As long as you have the plants, air and media beds to support higher density; you can grow at a rate of 1 lbs per 2 gallons of water. If you research tilapia; they actually like higher density areas.
 
Eastoff said:
Are they more susceptible to diseases? Close quarters spreads disease generally.
Click to expand...

Tilapia is the hardiest fish in aquaponics. That's why they are used so much.

In my system, I'm using a lot of air stones and over building. I have a total of 1,000 gallons of water (from the fish tank, sumps, vertical grow towers, raft beds and media beds). Normally a 500 gallon per hour system is fine for this application. I am using a 1,200 GPH pump, so the cycling will be 3 times as fast. This will help keep the system clean; plus having many plants to absorb all the waste. I over built the air system as well. Normally, this system would only need 1,500 gph of compressed air. I added a total of 3,500 gph of air; plus our company manufactures an aquaculture amendment that increases the DO in water (decreasing the possibility of anaerobic locations in the system). Then adding "earth worms" to the media beds will help to avoid ammonia spikes because they consume most the solids that make it to the media beds.
 
Very interesting. I'd love to take a look at this thing if I ever make it down there.
 
tlongII said:
Very interesting. I'd love to take a look at this thing if I ever make it down there.
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Anytime brother! You have a place to stay and cool things to look at too! And I don't mean my wife you pervert!
 
Is there a graphic representation of the whole system (not necessarily yours, mags) somewhere? I find this stuff fascinating...
 
BlazerWookee said:
Is there a graphic representation of the whole system (not necessarily yours, mags) somewhere? I find this stuff fascinating...
Click to expand...

There are blue-prints, youtube animations of the way it cycles. Just use google! I have a few links for you to read up on, but the true understanding is when "you" investigate and find the knowledge yourself!

http://aquaponics-system.com/176-500-gallon-aquaponics-system/

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http://aquaponicseasy.com

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http://aquaponicseasy.com/ebb and flow aquaponics system.html

This is the company I get my aquaponic supplies from. I am currently working with them in designing a siphon system to house fruit trees.

http://theaquaponicsource.com
 
Pretty danged cool. Thanks, Mags, and good luck with it! If you ever figure out how to get beef out of one of those things, I'll move in next door...
 
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