An overview of pros and cons of different AP systems and setups?

[Louise]

Maybe there already is an overview somewhere, that I haven't found - if so, please direct me to it.

If not, could we make one?

The information I'm looking for are things like:

-Rafts or growbeds or a combination - and how to combine them

-Timer vs siphons

-Types of siphons

-Using sumps vs just circling between fish tank and growbed/raft

-Outdoors vs in a greenhouse

-Simple systems via intermediate up to complex systems, and the pros and cons

-Climate issues

-Worms or not

-Thin water film (forgot the real term) vs grow bed with media

Plus, I'm sure, other aspects that I forgot or don't know about.

I realize that with lots of different opinions, this could become a very large and difficult to overview overview! Would it be possible that someone edits it down to something useful for beginners such as myself?

The reason I'm asking is that the more AP-videos I find on youtube, and the more I read about AP here, and elsewhere, the more confused I get. I have a mini system in my hall, with just an ordinary aquarium with a plastic container grow bed on top, so this is very basic, but already I have faced the timer vs siphon issue. Next, I'm constructing a system in my 10 square meter greenhouse - and by now the multitudes of options are bewildering!

[Adam Vicknair]

Please, if you have not already, purchase Sylvia's book "Aquaponic Gardening", this will answer all your questions and more. One piece of advise that I feel is not discussed enough in the book is drainage. If you don't think it through, you can easily end up with a system that wont move any water because there are roots in the way (take it from me, I learned the hard way). You need media guards (they should call them root guards!) for every water outlet/inlet on every grow bed, especially if you are running flood and drain through the pump.

[Louise]

Thank you! I hadn't discovered that book! It's on its way to me now.

Adam Vicknair said:

Please, if you have not already, purchase Sylvia's book "Aquaponic Gardening", this will answer all your questions and more. One piece of advise that I feel is not discussed enough in the book is drainage. If you don't think it through, you can easily end up with a system that wont move any water because there are roots in the way (take it from me, I learned the hard way). You need media guards (they should call them root guards!) for every water outlet/inlet on every grow bed, especially if you are running flood and drain through the pump.

[Alex Veidel]

Yeah, Sylvia's book is a great place to start with aquaponics (actually, that's a good chunk of what you'll need). Like you said, that's a VERY broad overview and each of those topics is a discussion in itself. Take some time and do a little research. If there's still something you need an opinion on, feel free to ask :) There are articles on many of those subjects (and Sylvia goes over a lot of those in her book). Browse around and look 'em up.