I'm going to add this as a blog and discussion in the group, but thought that I might get some more ideas if it is "out there" in the whole group.

It struck me the other day that we have pieced together a lot around mixed aquaponic design without dedicating any discussion to the thinking behind mixed aquaponic systems at all.  A picture of my system, ever evolving, adorns the group page but what is it all about really?

Well, to start off with, here what it is…

It has been a week since I found a home for my goldfish.  It was a month before I asked for that home that I knew they had to go.  It was about two months ago the water started to warm a little and they started the wiggle dance at feed time. It was about three months ago I was out in the cold, trying to keep the water flowing in minus nineteen f.  It has been five and a half months since all their friends were netted out and eaten. Great care was taken not to cause undue stress  as the…

I transplanted an eggplant today into my gravel bed. It immediately collapsed, folded in half and wilted so that it looked absolutely pitiful.  I chalked that up to an "experiment" and went on about my day.

Within 45 minutes, I went back out into the backyard and to my surprise the eggplant the was completely upright with no signs of wilting. I'm still skeptical, but for now at least the eggplant has come back from the brink.

I found 1 catfish floating yesterday. I was hoping that would be the only one and my levels would start coming down. Today I found 2 more dead so I tested the water and levels were no better. I started a water change and found several more dead at the water intake and under rocks for a total of about 9 catfish and 1 goldfish. Hopefully the aggressive water change will help things bounce back. Very disappointing but hope the others will survive.

Steve

Not impressed by the taste or texture. Rather bland I thought and the texture was not what I am accustomed to. The dish was prepared in a steakhouse and was supposed to be blackened. The flaw may have been with the cook so I will try it again, maybe cooked at home this time.

If it is not a drastic improvement I will change my mind about which fish to grow. 

Today I noticed that one of my Cilantro seeds has decided to come and meet the sun head on... or should I say heads on. I had no idea that Cilantro seeds are actually two seeds in a husk pod. It makes me appreciate nature even more. That is one tough Mother!!!

Below you can see the two heads with the husk still attached.…

Chatting to some friends recently about aquaponics, I re-visited some thoughts that were shared on the forum some months ago.  They are also from an academic background, and we were lamenting how difficult it was to get any type of support out of these places without the institutions immediately wanting to corner IP, and not push the technology forward.  I told them how wonderful it was that AP is developing through forums like this one.  Over here, you can watch new member’s systems develop…

Time just seems to fly by. I can't believe it has been 10 days since I last posted. My tomatoes are doing great. The two in the system are about 8 inches tall now. They have started to become pungent. Its a nice smell to have indoors I must say. It is new to me because this is my first indoor tomato ever. The other young'ns are shorter and are still just in a rockwool cube. I am going to wait to plant them outside I think. The weather is getting nice and I think since they have had a good…

Hello Brother John, My name is Mike Kivi and my wife and I have been interested in aquaponics.

From the first time I began reading about it, it has captured my interest as a vehicle to serve God as well as man. I am a retired engineer and former training director for a power company. I understand teaching and system development.

I have been praying for guidance of the indwelling Holy Spirit and believe that this is a ministry that could serve :

1. My church,…

Environmental science has been on the fringes for a very long time, with big business and conspicuous consumption filling the world’s views and attitudes for a very long time. The knowledge and theories of environmental sciences have not changed much, but I see with some interest now that it is getting re-labelled to some extent. I do not necessarily see this a bad thing, but it has me thinking about things that got me exited about aquaponics in the beginning.

The catalyst…

So far our experience with the heat has not been a particularly pleasant one.  It seemed to have jump completely over spring here in Florida and gone right to summer.  Our friends in Colorado just had snow and we just had 90's. 

Through March, the heat wasn't too bad and although the lettuces looked a little wilty in the afternoon, it didn't seem to be too bad.  Then the first week after our commercial training we had 4 days of clouds and rain.  By the fifth day when the sun…

Tank has been cycling for a couple weeks now and still no nitrate reading. I had 4ppm of Ammonia last week which lowered to 2ppm two days later. No ammonia has been added since then but the reading started to climb first yesterday it rose to 4ppm again and today it is off the chart. Found nothing dead in the tank and the only thing added was a product recommended by the local pet store owner.

He suggested adding StressZyme. The water had been clear until this was added. A few days…

Well it's been a couple weeks since I posted an update and a lot has been going on with my system! A LOT!!! With those many many changes, has come a lot of lessons! A LOT!!!

Let's start with the asparagus. I had no idea that asparagus goes through so many phases. The roots that I bought were only a couple years old and I didn't know that it takes them 2 to 3 years before you get asparagus that's edible. Needless to say, I won't be eating asparagus this year from my garden. But it is…

Unfortunately I started construction on my first AP system before I found the Newbie mistakes thread. But everything seems ok so far.

I have a 1200 gallon fish tank (in the ground)

Three growbeds, One of which is only 5" deep. (The bell siphon is a little iffy)

Grow towers and NFT system are next to research. I just wanted to get my feet wet before committing to a larger system.

I had planned to run the system on one pump and…

I made fishfood and am testing it on trout.  This was gross but they love it--I took a large pack of whole anchovies (6-8") and 3 whole crab.  4 cups whole wheat flour.  2 cups bulgar wheat.  4 eggs.  4 cups compressed duckweed.  2 cups corn meal.  Water.

I blended the fish and crabs  --Dan Ackroyd --ronco Bass Amatic on SNL  smelled great.

took a few goes to get that smooth texture.

then mixed it up like a cake with a hand mixer.

spread…

I made fishfood and am testing it on trout.  This was gross but they love it--I took a large pack of whole anchovies (6-8") and 3 whole crab.  4 cups whole wheat flour.  2 cups bulgar wheat.  4 eggs.  4 cups compressed duckweed.  2 cups corn meal.  Water.

I blended the fish and crabs  --Dan Ackroyd --ronco Bass Amatic on SNL  smelled great.

took a few goes to get that smooth texture.

then mixed it up like a cake with a hand mixer.

spread…

So i hooked this thing up sitting above a 300gallon rubbermaid.  1 3/4" outlet pointed staight into the water about 1" above the surface.  When I turned it on the entire 300 gallons looked like the ocean frothy overflowing on all sides lost about 50 gallons of water on the floor of my garage.  I think it will run the 4000gallon pond out back--I was LOL. then had to shopvac and towel up the mess.  It filled 5 gallons in 21 seconds so i figure if my math is correct it is about 2000gph and 30…

All is going well in my system. I have noticed that the carrots that were once yellowing are now slightly greener. I am wondering if the worms are helping? Time will tell. I also put up a reflective surface along the walls behind my shop light. I am hoping the mylar will increase the captured light and therefore help increase photosynthesis. This is my system currently... Just to the left are seedlings of tomatoes and a spinach.

 …