Need help

[Mike F]

I am new to aqua phonics and I am going to use the arduino board to automate my system. Where can I find a step by step process. I did search on the forum without any luck.

Thanks

Mike

[Glenn]

To join the discussion group here around automating the aquaponics processes, follow this link and find "join this group" at the top of the screen.  http://community.theaquaponicsource.com/group/automation/forum 

Start your own discussion there or join in several others. Or read through several that touch directly on the use of Arduino like this one. http://community.theaquaponicsource.com/forum/topics/arduino-aquapo... 

For more of the very basics of Aquaponics there's this group   http://community.theaquaponicsource.com/group/aquaponicsforbeginner...

"how stuff works dot com has a lot of helpful guides on building just about anything that can be utilized in your system/process. Here's a start on the basics of Aquaponics.  http://home.howstuffworks.com/lawn-garden/professional-landscaping/...  including the following text.

"

Let's take a look at the step-by-step process:

• Fish living in aquaponic tanks excrete waste and respirate ammonia into water. Ammonia is toxic to fish in high concentrations, so it has to be removed from the fish tanks for fish to remain healthy.
• Ammonia-laden water is processed to harvest helpful types of bacteria such as Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacter. Nitrosomonas turns ammonia into nitrite, while nitrobacter converts into nitrate. Both of these nitrates can be used as plant fertilizer.
• Nitrate-rich water is introduced to the hydroponically grown plants (plants grown without soil). These plants are placed in beds that sit on tubs filled with water, and the water is enhanced by the nitrate harvested from the fish waste. The plants' bare roots hang through holes in the beds and dangle in the nutrient-laden water.
• The roots of the plants absorb nitrates, which act as nutrient-rich plant food. These nitrates, which come from fish manure, algae and decomposing fish feed, would otherwise build up to toxic levels in the fish tanks and kill the fish. But instead, they serve as fertilizer for the plants.
• The hydroponic plants' roots function as a biofilter -- they strip ammonia, nitrates, nitrites and phosphorus from the water. Then, that clean water is circulated back into the fish tanks.

Because fish waste is used as fertilizer, there's no need for chemical fertilizers. The money and energy it would take to put those chemicals to work is saved. In fact, the only conventional farming method that's used to operate an aquaponics system is feeding the fish.

Now you know how aquaponics works on a biochemical level. But which kinds of fish are best for these systems? And which plants thrive in them? Let's find out."

Welcome aboard, I hope this helps.