what is the the best system

[Mike]

Hi All. I am new in the aquaponics and I have approximately 20 x 40 place to build new Aquaponic

System here in south Texas . Please can you share your experience what material to use and what not to do?

Thanks Mike

 

[TCLynx]

What is the best system?  That is a huge and loaded question.  I'm rather fond of my stock tank systems with the deep grow beds made using 100 gallon stock tanks.  I do media bed flood and drain aquaponics and I tend to use indexing or sequencing valves so that I can flood lots of grow beds in sequence without problems with water level fluctuations.

 

The 300 gallon system in my back yard could be built in a 20 x 20 foot space.

With a 20x40 foot space you might either do two systems or a single bigger system.

 

But to really answer your question, you will need to share your goals for your system since what is the best system needs more info to decide.  Like if you are planning to sell lettuce at the market, you might need a raft system that can grow large numbers of the same thing and be easy to plant/harvest for market purposes.  But if you are just wanting to grow lots of different veggies like in a family garden, then media beds are lower maintenance and easier to run like a mixed backyard garden.  Or maybe you just want to grow as many fish as possible, in which case you will probably need solids separator tanks and other aquaculture stuff to remove excess to allow you to grow more fish in less space without the nitrates going through the roof.

 

So you might want to read the rules of thumb to help you get started in your planning.

 

The biggest thing I will recommend is you test your media before you buy a truck load of gravel.  Make sure you are not getting a truck load of limestone.  And if you have a Tractor Supply or similar place near by, they have lots of handy stuff.

[Mike]

TCLynx said:

What is the best system?  That is a huge and loaded question.  I'm rather fond of my stock tank systems with the deep grow beds made using 100 gallon stock tanks.  I do media bed flood and drain aquaponics and I tend to use indexing or sequencing valves so that I can flood lots of grow beds in sequence without problems with water level fluctuations.

 

The 300 gallon system in my back yard could be built in a 20 x 20 foot space.

With a 20x40 foot space you might either do two systems or a single bigger system.

 

But to really answer your question, you will need to share your goals for your system since what is the best system needs more info to decide.  Like if you are planning to sell lettuce at the market, you might need a raft system that can grow large numbers of the same thing and be easy to plant/harvest for market purposes.  But if you are just wanting to grow lots of different veggies like in a family garden, then media beds are lower maintenance and easier to run like a mixed backyard garden.  Or maybe you just want to grow as many fish as possible, in which case you will probably need solids separator tanks and other aquaculture stuff to remove excess to allow you to grow more fish in less space without the nitrates going through the roof.

 

So you might want to read the rules of thumb to help you get started in your planning.

 

The biggest thing I will recommend is you test your media before you buy a truck load of gravel.  Make sure you are not getting a truck load of limestone.  And if you have a Tractor Supply or similar place near by, they have lots of handy stuff.

 

Thanks for the reply.

 My goal is system with low maintenance, family vegetable garden.  Possible in future some commercial activity. I was thinking – two tanks one with tilapia and one with Malaysian prawn. The grow area 50/50 floating and gravel beds, everything one pump and gravity