MIcrobes and Compost worms

[Nate Irish]

I am looking to integrate worms and microbes into a system that I am developing does anyone know the best way of doing this? What kind of bacteria do I need? Worms? and the way of testing all these nutrients? I am very new to this and would love some feed back on the best ways more experienced grows have accomplished this important part of the system? 

[William Sherman]

Nate, give me a call and I'll explain what I am doing; just do not want to clutter up the Aquaponics  Forum.  My cell # is 512.587.0328.  Have a safe and Merry Christmas.  Bill Sherman

[TCLynx]

In Aquaponics, you build it and fill it with non chlorinated water and pump the water around and provide an ammonia source (like fish and you feed the fish) and the microbes will come.  They will populate on their own naturally though it can take some time.  This is what we often call "cycling" up the bio-filter.  Worms will often show up on their own too but if you have a worm bin or a safe souce of composting worms (where they haven't been fed any manure or such in at least 4 months) you can add worms to a system.

Heck by the time I discovered aquaponics I had already had worm bins for a while so I used worms and a small amount of castings from my worm bins to add to my grow beds when I was starting up my system as a starter source of beneficial microbes but you don't have to "add" microbes to get things started, they will come on their own.

[Nate Irish]

I understand there is a natural process of cycling and it makes sense that this happens on its own my question more is should I try todo a fish less cycle (adding ammonia) for the first couple of months before I add the fish to the tank, and if I add worms will that have any effect on the amount of ammonia produced in the system  ?

[Nate Irish]

Thank you, due to my location I don't have a phone available please contact me via email at [e-mail] and to you as well Merry Christmahanukwanzakah

William Sherman said:

Nate, give me a call and I'll explain what I am doing; just do not want to clutter up the Aquaponics  Forum.  My cell # is 512.587.0328.  Have a safe and Merry Christmas.  Bill Sherman

[TCLynx]

It may be possible that the worms (or worm castings) might bring with them an initial dose of the beneficial bacteria that can help get a system started quickly but even with "innoculation" most systems still take about 6 weeks to fully cycle up or without "innoculation" it might take as long as half a dozen weeks.  More if conditions or temperatures are bad and less if conditions are perfect.

I'm a strong proponent of fishless cycling since it means less stress or worry about killing fish.