A Community and Forum For Aquaponic Gardeners
Tilapia by the Barrel
OK I'm finding out what the protocol is here. I'm reposting my first blog entry because I now understand it should have been posted here.
I set out probably a year ago to see if I could raise tilapia in a series of 50-gallon food grade barrels. I have been tinkering with the setup and now I believe I have reached a point where I can start to consider adding some complexity to my system and incorporating some aquaponics. I am joining this community to pick up some tips and discuss problems as I begin this process.
My aquaculture setup as it is consists of three barrels arranged in steps. Water flows in series through two barrels which are used for habitat (with space for adding another) and then to a biofilter barrel.
The #1 tank contains the adults. A 1 1/2 inch outlet leads to the #2 tank, where juveniles are swept due to water currents. The #2 outlet is protected by a fine screen and leads to the top of the biofilter: first a 24" diam x 4 inches thick polypropylene matt filter, then two rolls of polypropylene/ calcium carbonate ribbon, with a 24" aerator disk through the water flows.
In the bottom of the barrel are the pumps:
One water circulation pump cycles water from the bottom to the top for an extra pass through an aerator shower and back to the top of the biofilter.
Three redundant waterfall pumps lift the filtered water about three feet to a 1-1/2" fresh water supply pipe, which returns water by gravity to tank #1 through a manual valve. This water line also has taps to access water for watering plants, and for another 45 gallon glass fish tank intended as a breeding tank.
One pump lifts the water 12 feet to a solar collector for heating; this is controlled by a switch which enables the solar heater when the collector has reached a high enough temperature, and a thermostat to shut off the pump when the habitat reaches the desired high temp of 95 degrees. In addition there is an electric heater which ensures a water temperature minimum of 70 degrees.
Another collector pipe collects the solar heated water and returns it to the aerator shower and top of the filter. There are provisions to accept other return water inputs, such as water from a remote breeding tank, not fully integrated.
In addition to the barrels previously mentioned, there is a make-up water barrel, which collects rainwater and/or dechlorinated tap water, and supplies water to top off the system when water is removed. Another separate barrel is used for conditioning tap water and collecting excess rainwater runoff.
I routinely draw off water from the system to water my container garden. This is a series of soil-based planters, and there is no collection and return of water that passes through them. I also have a worm compost bin. The entire setup is contained in my patio, which is roofed and enclosed with transparent polycarbonate to extend the growing season, so all lighting is natural and subject to seasonal variations, such as there are in Southern California. This is OK with me, I think I can live with these limitations.
My first experiment with aquaponics was with thin-film and spinach, which didn't work out because of an aphid epidemic. I was unwilling to spray soap or anything stronger because of the fish. This morphed into a system test using a local herb epilobium glomerimum which volunteered and did quite well in the system designed for spinach, until the roots choked off the 2" tube I was using.
I have gone back to aquaculture, not aquaponics, and containers with dirt, for the time being. I learned something from my thin film trial, and I think I'll try something else next.
This is my system as it stands. I am now considering appropriate plantings in hydroponic beds for veggies both summer and winter. I want tomatoes, squash, snow peas, green beans, root vegetables, sweet potatoes, herbs, and greens, and I can choose the ones that lend themselves to the medium best, using conventional methods for the rest. Now to see what I can learn.
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