Planning my system

[Lonny Harper]

I would like any input on setting up my new system.  I have a 10 X 20 greenhouse that I want to get the maximum yield out of.  At first I plan on feeding my family with this system with hopes of it becoming a business.  My fish tank will be outside the greenhouse, so it won't take up any room. I own a 50 bucket multi-flow system (Greentrees).  I'm pretty sure I can still use this if it is downstream from a grow bed that will catch most of the larger solid material.  I want to figure out how to maximize the rest of my space.  Can I build double tall grow beds (think bunk beds), or will the bottom plants get too much shade.  How can I go vertical (any plans for vertical strawberry planters)?  With several large plants like tomato, squash and cucumber, are there other edible plants that will still do okay with a little less sun/ more shade?

 

Any other input would be valued.  I'm pretty handy, so I'm pretty sure I can make any configuration work.

 

thanks,

Lonny

[TCLynx]

The bunk beds would require you add lights for the bottom bunk and probably won't be as useful as you hope unless you really love watercress big time.  You can use vertical space simply by growing tall and vining plants to use the upper reaches of the greenhouse and have the smaller stuff growing below but this can cause some shading issues too so planning the tall plants for the north and west sides will probably help.

 

You can also do towers but they are generally appropriate for small and fast plants and tend to cost extra so if you are trying to save money they might not be the best way to manage that unless you want to start taking Zipgrow towers to market to sell produce.

 

How to max out the plant space.  Well that might be easier to figure out if we know something about how you plan to move the water from the fish tank, through the system and so on.  Will it be a CHIFT PIST or CHOP type system or will the fish tank be in the ground or lower than the greenhouse?  How big will the fish tank be?

[Lonny Harper]

Well, I'm still trying to figure out how to move the water.  Just to make sure I under stand the terms...a CHIFT PIST systerm is where the water travels via gravity from the fish tanks, to the grow beds, to the sump tank, then pumped back into the fish tank.  A CHOP system is where the water is pumped into the grow bed and drains via gravity to the fish tank.

 

If I am right, I don't know which one to use.  I will probably have a hybrid system.  I already own a multi-flow bucket system with 48 buckets.  I've listed it on craigslist with the hopes of using the money to build grow beds and tanks, but if it doesn't sell, I will have to use it for now.  I would like at least half of my 10X20 greenhouse to be grow bed spacewith a 600 to 700 gallon fish tank.  I live in Southern California.  Does it make a difference if I put my fish tank inside or out or in the ground or above ground?  I see you have veered away from Tilapia.  I don't want to put a bunch of money into heating, but I want maximum grow space. 

 

Also I would like to integrate more vertical growing for herbs, greens, and strawberries. I saw your video.  Are those commercial towers or home-made?  I would like to do towers or NFT pipes.I wish I lived in Florida to see your set-up...I know I'm all over the place.  Bottom line is this: I live in a Southern California track home on a quarter acre.  Right now I only have the 10X20 greenhouse, and I own the bucket system I mentioned.  Other than that, I'm starting with a clean slate.  I have not built the tanks or beds yet.  If you were in my shoes, how would you design it?

 

Also, expanded shale.  Is this a product found anywhere than aquaponic supply stores?  I don't think I'll be able to affor to fill my system with hydroton.  Thanks for your time.

 

Lonny

[TCLynx]

Start off doing lots of reading.  But, also, you can learn lots by starting a small "learner or starter" system.

 

CHIFT PIST (stands for Constant Height In Fish Tank Pump In Sump Tank) which is really the same as CHOP (Constant Height One Pump) just more words.  In most of these constant height systems you pump from a sump tank to the fish tank which overflows to the grow beds which drain back to the sump tank but there are modifications where you might have the fish tank over flow into the sump tank and the pump moves water from the sump tank not only to the fish tank but also to the grow beds which also drain to the sump tank.  This is often called the CHOP Mark 2 or CHOP II.

 

Does it make a difference where the fish tank is.  Well that depends.  In a cold climate it definitely would.  In a Zone 9 or 10 (I'm guessing about your climate here) aquaponics system, it might not matter as much.  Especially if you grow a fish that can handle your climate.  If your ground temperature is in an appropriate range for your fish, sinking the fish tank into the ground can have some beneficial stabilizing effect but the air temperature around your flood and drain grow beds is going to have a huge effect on the water temperature.  If the air in the greenhouse is too hot over summer, sinking the fish tank in the ground outside the greenhouse will only do a tiny bit to help keep the water cool, and in cold weather, if the green house isn't enough to keep the air temp up to the right temp for your fish, around the plants, then no amount of fish tank insulation is gonna help.

 

You don't have to use clay balls or even expanded shale in aquaponics beds.  You can get local gravel (just run some tests on some samples to make sure pH will be suitable.)  Gravel is heavier, but it does work.

 

Some diagrams of your space or some pictures might give people something to kick start ideas to help you out.