Comment

Comment by Jeff S on February 7, 2014 at 7:04am

John, remember the K.I.S.S.  All these ad ons are probably good at some point but you're just getting started. You'll get plenty enough O2 with just an air stone and the water returning from your GB to the fish tank.

Leo, great explanation on the bacteria.

Comment by John Saunders on February 6, 2014 at 9:22pm

And Jim, are you using the ozone generator because you encountered a problem (maybe with anaerobic bacteria) that you had a hard time solving any other way or are you using the generator to forestall an as-yet unencountered problem?

Comment by Linda Logan on February 6, 2014 at 3:45pm

Jim,

Talk some more about your ozone generator.  Where do you place it and how did you size it?

Comment by Leo White Bear on February 6, 2014 at 12:26pm

Thanks Jim-

Too much info in this old brain, sorry for the mistake, thank for pointing that out.  I did mean to say anerobic.

Comment by Jim Fisk on February 6, 2014 at 8:15am

Just a heads up here Leo. "Do not let you system go aerobic." is all wrong. Aerobic, meaning air loving IS what you want.

Anaerobic bacteria are the putrid smelling bacteria that do not like air but rather thrive in the absence of air (oxygen) and will likely kill your system. Facultative bacteria will swing either way and are usually friendly as well as long as there is enough air present.

Ozone is often used in fish systems to boost the oxygen levels as well by producing O3 which easily gives up the extra oxygen radical as it wants to go back to O2 which is more stable. I use a small ozone generator in my system to do just that. BTW there are ozone gens that will produce up to O8 for extreme oxygenated environment and to boost the aerobic bacteria in places like sewage treatment systems. Remember that AP is a form of just that, a sewage treatment system and thus keeping the right bacteria happy is of utmost importance.

Remember that your nose is a very effective system tester. Putrid odors are not good but are easily corrected if found before they get out of hand.

Comment by Leo White Bear on February 6, 2014 at 5:16am

John-

  I primarily do media based aquaponics in IBC totes (check out my pics, click on the bear upper left of post).  I get mine through a dairy equipment supply firm a few miles away from my location.  They range from $35.00 apiece for 1-3 totes or $25.00 for 4 totes or more.  I usually purchase 6-totes at a time, total cost $150.00.  Check out the dairy equipment supply firms closest to you, you may fall into a great deal such as this.

Comment by Leo White Bear on February 6, 2014 at 5:10am

John-

  Your grow bed / media system has a lot going on under the rock.  First thing you want to be sure of is that there is oxygen in the cycle some where.  Do not let you system go aerobic.  This is where you will got into trouble.  You must have some oxygen getting into the media where the bacteria reside.  They need oxygen to metabolize the toxins given off by the fish. 

  Second - In the media based systems, the media is your filter, by adding red wiggler worms, the solids are consumed or metebolized by the worms in which excrete the "castings" which help fertilize the plants.

Third- This one is, IMHO, the most important mind-set of aquaponics.  You are not a gardener nore are you an aquaculturist.  You ARE a bacterialogist.  The bacteria is the most important facter in aquaponics.  If they are not healthy both your plants and your fish suffer.  Without healthy bacteria the toxins build in the fish tank and fish will die.  Ammonia levels should be maintained at or lower than .05ppm - .25ppm, this tells you your bacteria are being fed.  The NITRITES need to fall into the range of 0 - .25ppm and stay within this range.  This tells you your primary bacteria are feeding off the ammonia.  The NITRATES, which actually feed the plants are more forgiving to the fish and are not as toxic as the first two and this tells you the secondary bacteria are feeding off the NITRITES converting them to nitrogen.  This all occurs at a pH of 6.8 - 7.2, anything under this or over is detrimental to either your fish or plants as nutrient up-take will be hindered.

  If you feel the need to add a vortex filter or any filter for that matter, to your system, by all means, go ahead.  These filters MUST be used in DWC systems as there is no other filtering agent buit inline.  You do NOT need them in a media based system if you keep the fish/media ratio where it should be.  If you overstock your fish in a media based system, the solids will over take the media and anirobic conditions are prominant and problems occur.  This media is your filter and continued cleanout of the media will be detremental to your plants, making them fast until the nutrients build up again and they can feed which will put them into shock and slow their growth.

Remember you must feed your bacteria hence the fish excretment.  To keep from OVER FEEDING the bacteria you need a plant balance hence the plants to take up the bacterial excrement.

  Everything points to healthy bacteria = healthy fish and plants so IMO, you must focus on the bacteria and you become a happy aquaponicist.  So, don't see yourself as a grower of fish or plants but as someone that grows happy bacteria.  Fish and plants are a secondary aspect of this hobby.  Main stay of these two are to feed and maintain healthy bacteria and you will be harvesting great tasting fish and veggies (or beautiful flowers which ever way you want to go) for a long time.

Comment by John Saunders on February 6, 2014 at 5:01am

To DJ; Yup, Bright Agrotech has a great solution to the problem of dissolved solids in the fish tank water. They pump it up to the top of their grow towers where it then percolates through their media (which also has red worms in it to aid in the removal of the solids) in which they are growing edible plants. A complete and very useful cycle.

Comment by John Saunders on February 6, 2014 at 4:54am

To DJ; Thanks for the tip, DJ. I will check out their info on solids removal.

Comment by John Saunders on February 6, 2014 at 4:53am

To Jeff; Yes, the bell siphon (flood and drain) system seems to me to be the best all 'round for simplicity and ease of maintenance. I have seen a few different designs of bell siphons, some slightly more complex than others, but the basic idea seems to be solid. By the way, where did you get your IBC tote?

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