Aquaponics For Beginners

I live in Arizona. I have a 1500 gallon system of which the largest volume is my 700 Gallon Fish Tank. Currently with an outside air temperature of 112 Deg my water is 78-81 Degrees. I simply keep the sun off my tank and have a variable speed Fan blowing over the water surface. In addition "No Sun, No Algae".

Robert-

  I see your thoughts and I agree absolutely.  What does one do to a hot bowl of soup to cool it down?  They blow on it.  With the fan blowing across the surface of the water, just this action will cool it down.  With the added advantage, if you blow hard enough to ripple the water surface you will also add oxygen to the water.  People are under the misconception that it is the air bubbles passing through the water that adds the most oxygen but that's just not true.  It is added when the surface water is moved and it doesn't have to be white wave action.  Although this will add more O2, obviously, but just the action of water movement will cool and add O2.

Leo, I'm definitely no expert but I give my fish (Tilapia) 2 minutes to clean up the food but I do that to control ammonia levels since I have large stocking density for my limited media beds. I could see feeding them more if there was enough of a filter to get them to grow but goldfish in a starter system with 15 minutes of food seems like overkill until you find the ammonia/nitrate balance.

Jeff-

  With people that are new to aquaponics, I try to err on the high side when it comes to feeding fish.  As stated I suggested to keep records.  This is the best way to insure that all the fish feed and any food that is left can be removed from the system.  By no means did I state that it should stay in the water, this will definitely through-off the ammonia/nitrite/nitrate levels.

Justalilcrazy-

  With the info you just stated, I am forced to state that there may be a source of limestone getting into your system.  With your filters, are you using new filter media or used?  Check the water source, with your pH test kit/strips.  This may be more problematic and further discussion may have to be in order.  I have heard of one source of hydroton called hydro-corn was more prone to high pH because it had lime mixed in with the clay as a binder before it was fired.  Now I'm not saying that your hydroton has lime as a binder but get some distilled water and soak some hydroton overnight and check the ph.  it should be the same as before you added the hydroton.  Let us know what happens, we will try to figure this out together.

Need any tilapia fry?

www.tilapiastore.com

Let me know if you need Tilapia fry, www.tilapiastore.com

Well Ive been gone for a long time traveling now Setting roots down and setting up the system I almost had going when life took a turn. I have my ICB cycling to a 4'x8'x7" deep raft on a fishless cycle with ammonia, test kit on the way. Right now the system is 450 us gallons. I'm asking is coconut fiber ok to use for my net pots? I plan on putting a fill and drain on at some point soon, will this clog the media?

coconut coir will work for your system.  Take precautions to clean the fiber of loose, short fibers so it will work with your fill and drain system also.  Use the longest ones you can get out of the bunch.  Soak the fiber first so you don't break the long fibers and be sure to wash the dust and small stuff out.

Welcome back Anthony. Been about 3 years there bud. My wife and I have built and shipped over 5000 bell siphons to places all over the globe and in all sorts of sizes since I heard from you last. We are still going strong here on our homestead in the mountains and still raising trout in our AP GH. We still love our granite media here.

Anthony,  I'd put weed cloth in the bottom of the cups. I've been using peat with weed cloth and haven't had any problems but I moved up to 16 oz.  solo cups. to give the roots room.

Thanks I'm sizing up the media bed now I'm wondering what size the pipe for the bell. I have 3/4 with a 1" to 3/4 reducer for the stand pipe was thinking of 1 1/2" for the bell, I do have so 2" but thinking it may be on the large size. I'm in North Idaho in the mountains Trying to find a good source of 5/8 crushed rock I do want granite.  

Not a bad idea to have a media guard large enough to get your hand in for service purposes so a 2" bell with a 1" standpipe wouldn't be out of the question. But Jim Fisk is the resident bell siphon guru so maybe he'll give you some pointers.

Anthony, just give me the media depth and the length and width and I can size it for you. Volume counts along with media depth.

These are our 4 IBC sizes for varying depths of media just for an example. Get me your dimensions and I will be happy to give you my sizes. I love it when I can help you make it yourself.

BTW with the addition of that knob you can save a bunch of growbed space since you don't need to get your hand in there. We have purchased over 5000 of those blue knobs at our local Lowes. They must be scratching their corporate heads, lol. BTW don't use the screw that comes with it. Get some 3/8" x 8/32 SS screws. Off to cut firewood as Winter is coming. I'll check in later.

Well the depth is going to be 12" thinking of two 4'x4' made from 3/4 ply with liners the frame will be 2x4. I have 4" pipe left over from my wood shop vac system for a media stand off 3/4 stand pipe I'll put a 1" to 3/4" reducer on the stand pipe so it will flare on the top to 1", the bell made from 2". The over all hight of the stand pipe 9" bell 10 1/2" stand off 13". Does this sound like it would work Jim?

Does that sound right Jim

Those look pretty nice Jim whats the rice tag on them?

Ok test kit came in. I have been running a fishless cycle, I have 455 us gal put in 3oz of liquid ammonia on the 1st, test today got a ph of 8.4, ammonia 4.0, with a 0 ppm on nitrite as to be expected. Testing my well water I have 8.2 to start with what would be my best way to keep this under control? 

I use muratic acid to lower pH. some folks use lemon or lime juice. Vinegar will work too but the acid is more potent. I'm running about 500 gallons and always have to lower pH for some reason. Took about 8 oz. and I wasn't at 8.2. Your bacteria will do better between 6.5 and 7.0.

thanks I guess this will be a battle every time I top off I will try it and get thing under control before the fish hit the tank. thanks again.

Hey Anthony, you should try to find local IBCs. That would save you a lot of work. I am not comfortable talking prices here on the forum since they too sell bell siphons but you can view them on eBay. Just do a search and they will pop right up, even on Google. Then message me here or at our FB page if you want to buy direct. I will of course give you a break. Under 30.00 for the ones shown at retail. Also the pipe sizes are detailed in the description should you want to build your own.

thanks I will check them out 

OK I have been cycling since 7-1. I added 3 oz ammonia system went to 3.5 ppm and now it's 0.00 ppm, no nitrites, no nitrates. My ph coming from the well is 8.2 used a gallon of vinegar did nothing. thinking of getting muratic acid now. Questions As my system develops will the Ph go down? Does the high Ph make the bacteria grow slower or not at all?

Anthony I got a bottle of PH Down from this sight back when we were starting up and it worked great in our @ 2400g system. Been using ashes from the GH wood stove since it was established and tends down on it's own as all seem to do. It should be here somewhere: https://www.theaquaponicsource.com/product-category/run-your-system/

Thanks guys, Jim just ordered the Ph down will give it a go and see what happens.

Hay can anybody tell why maxicrop seaweed with iron is not good for food crops please. Is there another product I can use to give my plants a boost as I'm waiting on nitates to show up

I'm not familiar with Maxicrop but even after your system cycles you'll need to add Epsom Salt (magnesium sulphate), potassium sulphate, calcium, and iron chelate to your system on a regular basis so you could start there. You could use lime for calcium and potassium hydroxide but those will raise your pH and it looks like you don't need to do that. Check out these videos for more info: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAPahqrfGZZmLPh4vXzRDqWrXP7L...

I probably should have recommended these to you a while back. There's lots of great info here.

The best I can come up with on hydroxides vs bicarbonates is the bicarbonates buffer the system and slows pH changes. My system is the same size as Anthony's and once they're established will maintain a more constant level of pH. In Anthony's case he doesn't need to raise pH so he'll need to use something to add potassium but not buffer the system. Check this out:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zP1rUMyklyc

No one should be scolding anyone for they're choices here but rather advising.

thanks guys

well I'm S.O.L on the media I chose. I had checked some and it did not bubble on my test now I go through my grow beds and get really selective on rock and boom found the ones I was told were not in the gravel. The cost is not much the time and energy to dig it up. Time to keep looking for a source that knows what they truly have on the lot. I have low spots in the drive anyway.  

I get my granite directly from the quarry so there is very little chance of contamination form say limestone. Just a thought.

Isn't the media suppose to bubble if it's not good for pH?

Jeff; The bubbles are a chemical reaction between the vinegar (acid) and the Limestone (alkaline). If you get bubbles you will never control the Ph. Simple test. Anthony says he did not test a large enough sample. There were limestone gravel pieces in the mix that he missed. Sounds like it came from a landscape supply or such where mixing of the gravels is bound to happen.

yep and this last test I found the little culprits. I thought it was crushed river rock after I was cleaning it and tested some no bubbles but the ph would not go down. So I picked through the rocks and pulled the ones I thought looked not granite or neutral, and they bubbled. so off the the clean out of the beds. Turn of a valve and off line they go adjust ph. It's coming down nicely. I'm making a bio-filter out of a barrel Found some floor buffing pads on close out this will have a load of surface area.

yes Jim you are correct I did get it from a landscape place. They offer pond supplies and water features too. This made me think when I told them I was making a bio-filter that they would understand what I meant by I need granite with no limestone in it. Not crushed river rock. guess not. Onward I go with a lesson learned.  

Trial and error can be a fun part of aquapnics but not when the error requires so much work to rectify. Wouldn't be any fun if it were plug and play.

well this just is not going well. My well water is at 8.2 ph temps running in high 90's topping off is not helping my Ph problem. Have spikes in heat of day 8.4 to 8.6. I'm reading that RO filters don't really lower PH. Just trying to say out of pouring money into acids. My rain fall in not going to happen for a month or so and it won't be a lot. plants are just not doing well. Does anybody have a a tip to toss my way it would help me thanks 

ok this will just be a waiting game thanks 

I'm a NW boy what does that do? I've just heard of this stuff you call okra. I've been told it's a southern thing along with grits.

And that is why we chose to retire to NE TN in the mountains. Low 70's here today and 50's at night. Hard to beat the heat. Also we have an artesian well with no pump and about 55F water from about 250 feet down. I let that run when the water goes over 70F in the system. Sorry to make it sound so easy but here it is TG.

Our Okra is great in stir fries as well. VERY good for you too btw.

well that was a drive, but I now have found the muratic acid.Just added 1/2 tea spoon into the system dissolved  in 2 gallons of tank water. 1/4 tsp in 1 gallon then again. i'll let this cycle and see what is going on I'm pushing about 575 gallons so not quite sure how much to use just doing it slow. 

My system is the same size as yours Anthony. Go ahead and put 3-4 ounces of muratic acid in  it. Won't hurt a thing. Even if it drops too far you can always add water lol

I could only get powder form. so I just put in two full teaspoons going to check is here in a bit. It seem powerful I took a gallon of the water put in a 1/4 tsp and it dropped of the chart so I'm feeling it out. 

I understand your cautious approach. Unlike ammonia, acid doesn't have quite the impact on 500 gallons of water and like I said if pH drops too much just add some of your 8.3 water. Would be interesting to see if the pH raises back up on it's own. The next time you need muratic acid just go to your local big box or hardware store. I never heard of the powdered form.

I am planning to start a Tilapia farm in a small scale together with vegetables, is there any suggestion and advice on how to begin.

The best thing to do right now is research.  Look through the past posts, ask questions and learn.  This is a venture that can be fun and possibly allow you to experiment with different types of aquaponic set-ups, from media base to NTF to wicking beds.  You could go with a manufactured system to an all out scrounged system.  Learn what you can before you jump in with both feet there are qurkes and differences that need to be learned like testing the water for proper pH, ammonia, nitrates and nitrites and how these affect your system.

  Most of all have fun, take this serious because you have lives of your fish to think about.  The fish are the heart of your system, otherwise you just have hydroponics.

Start small. Don't get too excited by all the neat things you see. Like Leo said, look around and decide on a system that looks like it will work for you. A Tilapia farm with vegetables is sorta reversed aquaponics. I see aquaponics as more a vegetable farm with fish as a byproduct. Fish take a lot longer to grow and require more attention than vegetables as a rule since what your fish produce feeds your plants. 

What size system do you see yourself starting with?

From the bottom of my heart , thank you very much Jeff & Leo  for your advice and comment and dose wishing to advice later. 

The size of the system am planning to start with, am thinking of a system that can accommodate a fish approximately 30,000 - 40,000 Lbs. per year. Do you know where to get the system and what do you advice.