Multi-purpose components for mixed design systems

[Kobus Jooste]

Here is a repeat of a discussion I started in the mixed design group to interest some people that may not have joined this open group.

 

The last couple of weeks have been really interesting in terms of reading up on some of the ideas and ideals of aquaponic systems, their designers, and in some cases, their rabid followers (shall I dare say worshippers?).  The Australian forums again supplied a bevy of examples of spats and howls around the mention of anything that does not resemble the purist form of media bed backyard AP – a fish tank and media filled beds.  Indeed, a heap of component suppliers sell these as their staple thus I assume that there is a great deal of passion (and money) invested in the premise that this is all you should ever need.  

 

By being a member of this group, you already behave ion a deviant manner.  Congratulations.  I have taken a particular interest in media beds, mineralisation and bacterial action of late.  There has been many triggers – seeing some 1 meter deep gravel beds in the IBC pdf, reading hateful exchanges related to suggestions that media beds cannot be plant anchors and mineralisation/ nitrification sites all at the same time, and finally, one of those “special” questions: Where, o where, did the new cast in stone, air tight, more important that the laws of Thermodynamics concept of “thou shalt make a media bed 12 inches deep or else” come from.  In both my and my wife’s post graduate studies we have seen similar things happen.  Someone, somewhere, makes a statement down the line of “12 inches seem to be a good depth” without trying to say it cannot be 10 or 50, and within a few short citations, the broken telephone of science, it becomes 12 inches or bust.

 

I’m not interested in going that way.  My beds are already too shallow. Sue me.  I’m taking an interest in multi-function structures.  Swirl filters that become mineralisation sites.  Floating media-filled sumps.  Deep drums filled with gravel (never to be cleaned again) becoming the first stage of a water source for a gravity fed NFT line.  I already have a gravel bed that is also a seed germination bed.

 

I think that there is way more room for these kind of thoughts than what is typically taking place.  Looking at Dr Lennard’s calculator, which I like very much for the components of AP taken into account, not necessarily the ratios recommended, there is always space being made for bio-filter size as a separate entity.  I’m going to push this concept a bit this season.  I’m planting my gravel beds, but I’m making a whole lot of media-filled structures that will never see a plant and adding them to the system.  With raised beds, I have the space for this, and I truly believe that the system can only benefit.

[Jake Schneider]

Rock on dude!  My wife already thinks I'm crazy for starting a worm farm, to feed fish, in an AP system I haven't built yet.  So I'm all about hearing any "crazy" experiments with AP.  Think about it, AP uses agriculture, aquaculture, hydroponics, tradecraft from construction and plumbing, environmental  concepts, physics, science,...lets throw in refining, energy production, fuel production, and anything else we can, to make this a better world. 

[Kobus Jooste]

Thanks for the kind words Vlad - If you look at some other member's systems here, you will see that the hybrid or mixed design fan base is quite extensive, I just seem to like writing about it more than others!

[Vlad Jovanovic]

Count me in! 

Kobus your blogs and 'hybrid' discussions have really been an inspiration these past seven months of planning my AP greenhouse. Not to mention a welcome relief from the "either or" (UVI or BYAP) mentality that seems all too prevalent on the internet. Not necessarily within this community, but on the aquaponics entrance ramp to the information super highway for sure...