THE Aquaponics System Thread (merged)

[burtonridr]

So I managed to score a 300 gallon rubbermaid tank for FREE! So now I'm setting up the aquaponics system fairly quick.

Here are some pics from last weekend, since then I have dropped the tank into the hole and begun to fill in around the tank. All the blue barrels have been leached 3 times to remove harmful chemicals. I just need to build support for the grow beds, then install the plumbing.

Fiberglass patches on the tank, the hole in the side I will use as an overflow drain. It will be piped to the bottom of the garden to drain. I would like to use rain water collected off my roof to fill the pond in the spring. The rain water will go through a series of holding tanks that will act like a solids removal system. The overflow off the holding tanks will route into the pond. That probably will not be added until next year though. Any see a problem with do it that way? I read something about the ph level of the rain water?

The Tank being patched


The Hole


The hole up close


Side of my house.(Left:compost pile, Center: perlite bag, Right:rabbit hutch... and a big pile of river rocks that came out of the hole I just dug)


The blue half barrels leaching in the garden.


This is what it will look like when it is done.

[burtonridr]

Is there anyone in this forum that is interested in aquaponics?

[steam_cannon]

Wow, cool project!

Is there anyone in this forum that is interested in aquaponics?

Yeah there are quite a few, myself included. Here's a link about an
earlier discussion on aquaponics and some different systems that are
out there, calculations... In general I'd say interest in aquaponics is
growing (pun intended).

Check out my indoor Aquoponic Garden - GardenGirl
http://www.peakoil.com/fortopic37110.html

[BlinkBlink]

Yes.

I'm going to put in a system into my greenhouse. That way I can grow food year around. The water tanks are a good thermal mass.

[Ludi]

Very cool. I'm very interested to see the progress of your system!

[steam_cannon]

Nice graphics and pictures, but you know what I think when I see this picture?

Look out! You're about to fall in the water!

Of course you'll probably be alright, since you've got that great big
orange life preserver on!

Just trying to help...

[alokin]

I am interested in raising fish. The veggies I prefer in real soil in the garden, but if there is an advantage for the fish tanks I could imagine having the one or other crop in barrels.

The main thing is that it seems to me quite difficult getting the stuff together, especially if you don't want to spend heaps of money.

Do you have a pump?

[burtonridr]

I am interested in raising fish. The veggies I prefer in real soil in the garden, but if there is an advantage for the fish tanks I could imagine having the one or other crop in barrels.

The main thing is that it seems to me quite difficult getting the stuff together, especially if you don't want to spend heaps of money.

Do you have a pump?

There is a huge advantage to having an aquaponics system, just to name a few;

-Your body needs protein and fats, you can get some from fish.
-The large 300 gallon tank doubles as a rain water storage tank.
-The large 300 gallon tank if not in operation during the winter can also be used as a storage place for food grown in the summer.
-If you use an air pump you can easily and quite afford ably run the system on solar power. All you have to power is the air lift pump.
-Veggies grow twice as fast and can produce twice as much as food grown in the ground, so you can harvest more in the summer than an equal amount of space in the ground.
-It is fairly cheap... I have spent about $100... but will spend another few hundred next year to run the system on solar and make it entirely sustainable.
-It is sustainable.
-If you have a garden in the ground, the water that needs to be exchanged once or twice a month can be used in the garden to fertilize the plants.

I just ordered a pump, it is the most expensive thing I have invested into the system, the barrels and tank I got for free. The blue barrels are easy to find for free, I found a 180 gallon tank at a farm and ranch store for $70.

Get this, the pump uses 7.5 watts at 115v, 1 phase. You can easily run a pump like that on a small solar system. If you live somewhere where it is constantly cloudy it may be a bit of a problem, but it will be perfect where I live.

[alokin]

were do you get the blue barrels for free? We#re in Australia, but it might give me an idea. All what I heard was that they were around $20 each.

[RedStateGreen]

Food processing plants often get their inventory in barrels like those. They're all over craigslist for free or cheap.

I'm interested in putting in an aquaponics system, just collecting the pieces still. And then there's the issue of digging the hole ... That was one of my goals this year but it's been too hot to even start it.

[gnm]

I'm interested as well but when I see that I think --mosquitoes---

-G

[Specop_007]

Talk to someone whos grows marijuana. Stoners are the most ingenuis and clever people around IF you can get them motivated. A motivated stoner is a force to be reckoned with.

If anyone can grow something in an unusual and highly productive manner its a pothead! They have probably already been down every failed attempt you can think of.

Thats my advice. Find some stoners man. They'll get you on the right track in no time.

[burtonridr]

I have completed the first small aquaponics system for inside our home to be used year round. It uses only 102 watts per day! Small enough to run on a very small solar system.




And here are a few pics of the one I'm building in my backyard to be used in the spring through fall.

The 300 gallon rain water collector/fish pond


The hole in the ground where the pond will be


On the left a compost pile, on the right a rabbit hutch and pen, we have 3 rabbits.


The blue half barrels to be used for the grow beds sitting in our garden for now... and the attack dog protecting the garden

[pedalling_faster]

looks great !

it also points out the aspect of Peak Oil preps - you got to do it while you can still buy the materials "in real time".

[burtonridr]

looks great !

it also points out the aspect of Peak Oil preps - you got to do it while you can still buy the materials "in real time".

Yea and it is easier to recover and learn from mistakes when your life doesnt depend on it

[coyote]

burton, what is the fish pond liner made of? Is there any chance of it losing integrity at some point?

[burtonridr]

burton, what is the fish pond liner made of? Is there any chance of it losing integrity at some point?

I'm not sure... I think it has some years left in it

[WisJim]

I have completed the first small aquaponics system for inside our home to be used year round. It uses only 102 watts per day! Small enough to run on a very small solar system.

Do you mean 102 watt-hours per day, or a continual 102 watts load? I'm assuming you meant 102 watt-hours, or about a 4 1/4 watt continual load.

[mos6507]

burton, what is the fish pond liner made of? Is there any chance of it losing integrity at some point?

My mom keeps buying plastic garden pots, planters, and bins for garden waste and they deteriorate almost overnight from the temperature variations and UV exposure.

[burtonridr]

I have completed the first small aquaponics system for inside our home to be used year round. It uses only 102 watts per day! Small enough to run on a very small solar system.

Do you mean 102 watt-hours per day, or a continual 102 watts load? I'm assuming you meant 102 watt-hours, or about a 4 1/4 watt continual load.

I'm not sure the difference ...

The pump runs 24/7 and consumes 3.5 watts, the grow bulb is on 8 hours a day and consumes 7.5 watts.