Trough Size? - Aquaponic Gardening2024-03-28T22:59:55Zhttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/forum/topics/trough-size?groupUrl=raftdeepwaterculturegrowers&commentId=4778851%3AComment%3A322848&groupId=4778851%3AGroup%3A28261&feed=yes&xn_auth=noChris, I've been busy with wo…tag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2012-04-19:4778851:Comment:3228482012-04-19T23:47:19.328Zgeorgia washingtonhttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/JamesDeBonis
<p>Chris, I've been busy with work so I haven't had time to respond to your last reply. Again, thanks for the clarification. With the ratio you have given, I plan to design tank size, fish density, & trough size according to the future capacity of the tank...and therefore, final grow space area. The limiting factor happens to be the size of my basement. I don't think I could grow much beyond 96 square feet ( 3 4'x8' sheets of foam). Using your ratios, that comes out to about 30 lbs of…</p>
<p>Chris, I've been busy with work so I haven't had time to respond to your last reply. Again, thanks for the clarification. With the ratio you have given, I plan to design tank size, fish density, & trough size according to the future capacity of the tank...and therefore, final grow space area. The limiting factor happens to be the size of my basement. I don't think I could grow much beyond 96 square feet ( 3 4'x8' sheets of foam). Using your ratios, that comes out to about 30 lbs of fish requiring about 150 gallons and 30 1lb fish. Since the fish will be small when I get them, I may wait to add the first raft until after the fish have grown a bit. Thanks for the help.<br/> <br/> <cite>Chris Smith said:</cite></p>
<blockquote cite="http://aquaponicscommunity.com/forum/topics/trough-size?groupUrl=raftdeepwaterculturegrowers&#4778851Comment321649"><div><div class="xg_user_generated"><p>The ratio is pounds of fish to a square foot of grow space. When dealing with small fish it can take more than a hundred to make a pound. In contrast a few of my breeders are 3.5 to 4 pounders each. If you start with enough fingerlings to fertilize one trough you can construct more and bring them on line as the fish grow and can keep up with the grow space. It is best to start with a fish tank large enough for the final grow space using the ratios.</p>
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</blockquote> The ratio is pounds of fish t…tag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2012-04-17:4778851:Comment:3216492012-04-17T06:57:33.607ZChris Smithhttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/ChrisSmith
<p>The ratio is pounds of fish to a square foot of grow space. When dealing with small fish it can take more than a hundred to make a pound. In contrast a few of my breeders are 3.5 to 4 pounders each. If you start with enough fingerlings to fertilize one trough you can construct more and bring them on line as the fish grow and can keep up with the grow space. It is best to start with a fish tank large enough for the final grow space using the ratios.</p>
<p>The ratio is pounds of fish to a square foot of grow space. When dealing with small fish it can take more than a hundred to make a pound. In contrast a few of my breeders are 3.5 to 4 pounders each. If you start with enough fingerlings to fertilize one trough you can construct more and bring them on line as the fish grow and can keep up with the grow space. It is best to start with a fish tank large enough for the final grow space using the ratios.</p> Chris, thank you for your res…tag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2012-04-17:4778851:Comment:3217312012-04-17T03:31:26.720Zgeorgia washingtonhttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/JamesDeBonis
<p>Chris, thank you for your response. I really appreciate it because it gives me a starting point from which I can design my system I have to design my system around small fish (fingerling tilapia) because that is how I will order them. As long as I abide by your numbers, it shouldn't matter if the fish are small, right? As they grow, I can increase water volume and raft space accordingly? I plan to start out with a solids filtration from the beginning since I feel like it can't hurt…</p>
<p>Chris, thank you for your response. I really appreciate it because it gives me a starting point from which I can design my system I have to design my system around small fish (fingerling tilapia) because that is how I will order them. As long as I abide by your numbers, it shouldn't matter if the fish are small, right? As they grow, I can increase water volume and raft space accordingly? I plan to start out with a solids filtration from the beginning since I feel like it can't hurt anything. I'm now researching bio-filters since that seems to be the last key element in the system. Again, thank you for your answer. <br/> <br/> <cite>Chris Smith said:</cite></p>
<blockquote cite="http://aquaponicscommunity.com/forum/topics/trough-size?groupUrl=raftdeepwaterculturegrowers&#4778851Comment321090"><div><div class="xg_user_generated"><p>James, the rule of thumb for raft systems that I use is minimum of .3 pounds of fish for every square foot of raft space and at least 4 gallons of water for each pound of fish. That works out to 10 pounds of fish for every 4'x8' sheet of foam. If your fish load gets above .4lbs/sqft then you need to add solids filtration to keep poo off roots of the plants.</p>
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</blockquote> Let me know when you are read…tag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2012-04-17:4778851:Comment:3215272012-04-17T02:01:38.596ZMax In Missourihttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/MaxInMissouri
<p>Let me know when you are ready to build, I am also a new bee and would like to meet others who are into AP. I live here in Waynesville, retired Marine from FLWood. can contact me at 'maxwell.mamona@gmail.com' ... Best of luck to you on your adventures in AP. Max </p>
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<p>Let me know when you are ready to build, I am also a new bee and would like to meet others who are into AP. I live here in Waynesville, retired Marine from FLWood. can contact me at 'maxwell.mamona@gmail.com' ... Best of luck to you on your adventures in AP. Max </p>
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<p>>///'></p> James, the rule of thumb for…tag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2012-04-16:4778851:Comment:3210902012-04-16T06:24:36.367ZChris Smithhttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/ChrisSmith
<p>James, the rule of thumb for raft systems that I use is minimum of .3 pounds of fish for every square foot of raft space and at least 4 gallons of water for each pound of fish. That works out to 10 pounds of fish for every 4'x8' sheet of foam. If your fish load gets above .4lbs/sqft then you need to add solids filtration to keep poo off roots of the plants.</p>
<p>James, the rule of thumb for raft systems that I use is minimum of .3 pounds of fish for every square foot of raft space and at least 4 gallons of water for each pound of fish. That works out to 10 pounds of fish for every 4'x8' sheet of foam. If your fish load gets above .4lbs/sqft then you need to add solids filtration to keep poo off roots of the plants.</p>