Aquaponic Gardening2024-03-28T21:56:47ZKobus Joostehttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/KobusJoostehttps://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2796906202?profile=RESIZE_48X48&width=48&height=48&crop=1%3A1https://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/group/Combination/forum/topic/listForContributor?groupUrl=Combination&user=04bvijp4zn4ve&feed=yes&xn_auth=noHow to start salad crops?tag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2012-12-21:4778851:Topic:4240932012-12-21T05:32:13.303ZKobus Joostehttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/KobusJooste
Hi all...I'm new to aquaponics. I just got my first system's pump plugged in on November 26. My water is still cycling...ammonia is down to .25 ppm, nitrites are up to 5 ppm and nitrates are up to 10-20 ppm. I have a few flowers that i bought from Lowes and a few sprouted seeds that are yet to make their appearances above the grow bed medium with the exception of one--a cucumber plant that is only 6 days old in the bed and already 2.25" tall!<br />
<br />
I have read in almost everything i read about…
Hi all...I'm new to aquaponics. I just got my first system's pump plugged in on November 26. My water is still cycling...ammonia is down to .25 ppm, nitrites are up to 5 ppm and nitrates are up to 10-20 ppm. I have a few flowers that i bought from Lowes and a few sprouted seeds that are yet to make their appearances above the grow bed medium with the exception of one--a cucumber plant that is only 6 days old in the bed and already 2.25" tall!<br />
<br />
I have read in almost everything i read about aquaponics that salad crops do really well in these systems, but my experience has been poor so far. I have lost several herb seeds and one flower seed, all planted around 10 days ago. They were all sprouted before i planted them in the grow bed. I planted them 2" deep to ensure they could get watered every cycle, so I'm guessing they just got washed away because they were so small? If i don't plant them deep enough to get water from zone 2, how will they grow? My mixed design - Comments Pleasetag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2012-09-03:4778851:Topic:3892672012-09-03T19:58:32.736ZKobus Joostehttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/KobusJooste
<p>Greetings to all,</p>
<p>I'm about to complete my greenhouse. Here's a drawing of my aquaponics design. </p>
<p>Here's how I imagine it'll run.</p>
<p>1. Grafity flow from Fish Tanks to Clarifier to take out the big stuff (I'm imagining a little more dense population than usual),</p>
<p>2. Gravity flow from Clarifier to media beds -> 2000 L sump -> Rafts</p>
<p>3. Pump in last raft to pump up to the NFT,</p>
<p>4. Gravity flow of collected output of NFT into the Fish Tanks</p>
<p>Any…</p>
<p>Greetings to all,</p>
<p>I'm about to complete my greenhouse. Here's a drawing of my aquaponics design. </p>
<p>Here's how I imagine it'll run.</p>
<p>1. Grafity flow from Fish Tanks to Clarifier to take out the big stuff (I'm imagining a little more dense population than usual),</p>
<p>2. Gravity flow from Clarifier to media beds -> 2000 L sump -> Rafts</p>
<p>3. Pump in last raft to pump up to the NFT,</p>
<p>4. Gravity flow of collected output of NFT into the Fish Tanks</p>
<p>Any comments and advice would be much appreciated. (i.e I have some doubt about the location of the sump tank, or whether or not I need it at all :)) ). </p>
<p>Thanks in advance,</p>
<p>Cengiz<a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656372125?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656372125?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-full"/></a></p> How deep is too deep?tag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2012-07-21:4778851:Topic:3718142012-07-21T20:22:18.146ZKobus Joostehttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/KobusJooste
<p>Hey,</p>
<p>I'm in the process of up-scaling my mixed media system. I've recently found some large 500g tanks that were constructed by someone who used to own a hatchery business. The price is great and there are several tanks available. The dimensions are 8' long x 4' wide and 2' deep. Ideally I would be using some of the tanks as media beds and others as dwc's.</p>
<p>i'm about ready to pull the trigger but I'm concerned about the depth. I know that conventional aquaponics design…</p>
<p>Hey,</p>
<p>I'm in the process of up-scaling my mixed media system. I've recently found some large 500g tanks that were constructed by someone who used to own a hatchery business. The price is great and there are several tanks available. The dimensions are 8' long x 4' wide and 2' deep. Ideally I would be using some of the tanks as media beds and others as dwc's.</p>
<p>i'm about ready to pull the trigger but I'm concerned about the depth. I know that conventional aquaponics design calls for beds (both DWC and media beds) to be around 12" deep or so. Is the 24" mark too deep? </p>
<p>If so, why? Aside from the added expense of the extra media,I cant really think of any negatives, so long as Im able to adequately circulate all that water. Any other reasons that this might be a bad idea that Im missing?</p>
<p></p>
<p>Thanks in advance.</p> will this work for filtrationtag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2012-05-07:4778851:Topic:3316312012-05-07T13:57:40.204ZKobus Joostehttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/KobusJooste
<p>I am going to use an IBC tank with the top barely cut off for a fish tank, "no pump". That will drain into a 55 gallon barrel (we hope the solids will go to the bottom, which can be drained off from the bottom of the barrel. From that 55 gallon barrel from the top will drain into another 55 gallon barrel, this one will have a pump, I am going to put in 4 strawberry towers, 2 small raft systems and a NFT system. The pump will supply water to all the systems. It will pump up to the…</p>
<p>I am going to use an IBC tank with the top barely cut off for a fish tank, "no pump". That will drain into a 55 gallon barrel (we hope the solids will go to the bottom, which can be drained off from the bottom of the barrel. From that 55 gallon barrel from the top will drain into another 55 gallon barrel, this one will have a pump, I am going to put in 4 strawberry towers, 2 small raft systems and a NFT system. The pump will supply water to all the systems. It will pump up to the strawberry towers and flow into a small tank with a sump, that will pump it back into the fish tank. The rest of the water from the pump will flow into the small raft and NFT systems and will then drain "without" a pump into the fish tank. My question is....will the 2 barrels work for the filtration or.....do I have to add a bio filter. Appreciate any and all help in this as I am not sure will work?????Have a wonderful day and thank you very much! Randy</p> Pump in DWT - raft/sumptag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2012-03-04:4778851:Topic:3016752012-03-04T17:42:16.756ZKobus Joostehttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/KobusJooste
I've been designing a hybrid system for some time now combining media beds with DWT and nft and i am starting to see some surprising benefits. My plan is to let the f&d media beds flood into the DWT so that the rafts rise and fall with the fluctuating water levels. With the DWT having so much more volume than the media beds, the water level would not change too drastically.<br />
<br />
I've read a lot of posts about the challenges of getting enough oxygen to plants in rafts and I'm now fairly…
I've been designing a hybrid system for some time now combining media beds with DWT and nft and i am starting to see some surprising benefits. My plan is to let the f&d media beds flood into the DWT so that the rafts rise and fall with the fluctuating water levels. With the DWT having so much more volume than the media beds, the water level would not change too drastically.<br />
<br />
I've read a lot of posts about the challenges of getting enough oxygen to plants in rafts and I'm now fairly convinced that the way to go is to install a lip along the inside length of the trough such that the rafts cannot sink down below a minimum height. This way, when the water drops because it is filling media beds the rafts will be suspended and the upper portion of the roots exposed temporarily to air. This regular action would bring oxygen directly to all of the DWT plants without the use of any air pump at all!<br />
<br />
Additionally, this makes it possible to mount the DWT plants into something other than a styrofoam raft. Although one big bonus to the foam is that it is great at insulating the water in the trough.<br />
<br />
I'm going to give this approach a try on my new system. It should reduce the energy needs to run the system and make it even more suitable for off-the-grid installations! Need some large scale advicetag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2011-12-03:4778851:Topic:2601812011-12-03T21:31:57.389ZKobus Joostehttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/KobusJooste
<p>I've recently taken over an unused but serviceable commercial greenhouse, 100 x 30 ft. I want to grow mixed HP and AP. I've no AP experience, but I'm a pretty good HP grower. </p>
<p>I can't dig down in this location (leased and it's got a weedblock flooring down). I need to lay out a larger AP system than I see most places, which are more for garages and spare bedrooms. </p>
<p>I've toyed with the idea of an above ground pool I've found on Craigs List. I don't want to get HUGE, but if…</p>
<p>I've recently taken over an unused but serviceable commercial greenhouse, 100 x 30 ft. I want to grow mixed HP and AP. I've no AP experience, but I'm a pretty good HP grower. </p>
<p>I can't dig down in this location (leased and it's got a weedblock flooring down). I need to lay out a larger AP system than I see most places, which are more for garages and spare bedrooms. </p>
<p>I've toyed with the idea of an above ground pool I've found on Craigs List. I don't want to get HUGE, but if I don't stake out territory for AP right at the design stage, HP will fill it all. </p>
<p>Are there design plans for larger operations? Would stacked featherlight blocks lined with a pond liner be a better choice? Somebody suggested a wooden frame with a pool liner, but that seems pretty weak to me. </p>
<p>Any suggestions would be appreciated. </p>
<p></p>
<p>Rick</p>
<p>Virginia Beach. </p>
<p></p>
<p>(and sorry, again, for the mass email. I wasn't familiar with the board.)</p> sri about the email, my first post here.tag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2011-12-03:4778851:Topic:2602362011-12-03T20:56:38.837ZKobus Joostehttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/KobusJooste
<p>I'll try again. </p>
<p>I'll try again. </p> My hybrid horizontal NFT system design, a work in progresstag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2011-11-30:4778851:Topic:2582932011-11-30T18:38:39.469ZKobus Joostehttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/KobusJooste
<p><a href="http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/details?mid=af9fe4b40ff5f128bb9408c78a7c3c4">http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/details?mid=af9fe4b40ff5f128bb9408c78a7c3c4</a></p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656358594?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656358594?profile=original" width="400"></img></a></p>
<p>I don't yet have the plumbing linked up, but seeing as how I've spent so much time already putting this together I thought I should go ahead and share it.</p>
<p>It is a modified…</p>
<p><a href="http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/details?mid=af9fe4b40ff5f128bb9408c78a7c3c4">http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/details?mid=af9fe4b40ff5f128bb9408c78a7c3c4</a></p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656358594?profile=original"><img class="align-full" width="400" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656358594?profile=original"/></a></p>
<p>I don't yet have the plumbing linked up, but seeing as how I've spent so much time already putting this together I thought I should go ahead and share it.</p>
<p>It is a modified CHOP2 system with a yin-yang flood&drain IBC media bed and media-filled sump for solids break down passing to 2 aerated swirl filters before going into the NFT pipes and the IBC fish tank.</p> Constant Flood & NFTtag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2011-09-16:4778851:Topic:2200392011-09-16T03:15:08.073ZKobus Joostehttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/KobusJooste
The systems I, and 14 others, are building is a combination pea gravel media bed--only a few inches--and NFT. The solids are, for the most part, trapped in the fish tank and smaller particles could be broken down by worms. There is gravel in the fish tank. In the past the school has had success with these systems and I want to put this idea out-there. Has anyone tried this type of mixed system? What should I expect?
The systems I, and 14 others, are building is a combination pea gravel media bed--only a few inches--and NFT. The solids are, for the most part, trapped in the fish tank and smaller particles could be broken down by worms. There is gravel in the fish tank. In the past the school has had success with these systems and I want to put this idea out-there. Has anyone tried this type of mixed system? What should I expect? Compact media towers for leaf cropstag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2011-08-22:4778851:Topic:1911022011-08-22T10:16:57.026ZKobus Joostehttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/KobusJooste
<p>With the last post on the pvc and vermiculite media I said that the idea with the media is to go into some new towers I want to test. Here is a set of pics of the first bank of them going up on the back wall of my greenhouse. I have not filled them all with plants as the nutrient levels are quite low now - forcing me to supplement. I am expecting things to be a bit slow while I wait for the koi to grow, but in the mean time, it gives me a chance to build components.</p>
<p> …</p>
<p></p>
<p>With the last post on the pvc and vermiculite media I said that the idea with the media is to go into some new towers I want to test. Here is a set of pics of the first bank of them going up on the back wall of my greenhouse. I have not filled them all with plants as the nutrient levels are quite low now - forcing me to supplement. I am expecting things to be a bit slow while I wait for the koi to grow, but in the mean time, it gives me a chance to build components.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656363179?profile=original"><img height="277" width="418" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656363179?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" class="align-center"/></a></p>
<p> </p>
<p>The tower set is light enough to suspend from a crop support wire in the roof of the greenhouse. A single water supply line without any individual control valve to each tower was tried first and it works due to sufficient pressure on the line. Better control may be needed as I add towers. In the end, I am hoping to be able to fit 8 - 10 of these and 5 longer towers of a different design onto the 2 back panels of the greenhouse. I purposefully did not "step" the rows of plants to see if this will allow me to squeeze 8 short rotation plants into 450 mm of 110 mm pipe.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656364216?profile=original"><img height="586" width="362" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656364216?profile=original" class="align-center"/></a></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Everything is "push fit" at the moment to allow tinkering and adjusting. Inside the top "cap" of the tower I made a spray nozzle to ensure that the water is dispersed evenly throughout the start of the trickle path. Will have to see if all the plants remain happy over time.</p>