Aquaponics, Hydroponics, or Vermiponics?

[Brian]

I knew it wouldn't take too long to start missing the extended growing season in Florida.  I had my aquaponics system set up for a month when my employer decided that they needed me to work in another state.

It's only my third month in Michigan and with temperatures in the 40s during my morning comute, I spend the 30 minute drive trying to figure how to grow vegetables in my basement.I don't think there are many fish that can survive zero degrees for three or four straight weeks.

I took a trip to the hydroponics store this afternoon. I have no interest in growing "medicinal" plants, but the guy was helpful in explaining how to build a hydroponic bubbler system using 5 gallon buckets, an air pump, and a manifold to evenly distribute the air to all buckets. He told me they recently sold the parts to construct an 8 bucket system.  But instead of typical hydroponic nutrients I am trying to figure out how to incoporate worms and make it a vermiponic bubbler system. 

I built a mini-bubbler last spring and it worked well, but I'm ready to kick it up a notch and reduce the costs of the inputs. The biggest expense in hydroponics is the cost of nutrients. I've got plenty of worms and they replenish themselves automatically so I would have the ultimate sustainable system.  And if I use solar power, I wouldn't even need to use electricity except for back up purposes. But in my basement I would need to use a grow light and those things draw a lot of current.

I'm not quite sure how to incoporate the worms and how to feed them without getting the food supply gunked up in my air bubblers.I've read about some people burying the food in PVC pipe and drilling holes in the pipe so worms can get in but food can't get out. 

I'm open to other ideas about incoporating fish into the system, but I can't fit the 210 gallon tank down the stairs to the basement (lol). I could get the 150 gallon stock tank down there, but my wife already vetoed that idea (lol)

[Two Jay]

There are many people experimenting with Vermiponics, some are even professionally testing their VP nutrients.  We are setting up 2 types of systems in our GH.  Hopefully it pays off.

 

[TCLynx]

Hum, so the wife vetoed taking a stock tank down stairs.  What would she think of you lining a room in the basement and filling it with water?????  Just kidding, or maybe not

[Carey Ma]

I'm not sure what your point or question is but here is my blabber anyway.

Well if we have to put a label on things and determine what is best, most sustainable method; I would suggest microponics or sometimes called multiponics vs aquaponics alone which is not sustainable.  

The cat in me urges you to do the daring deed in the name of experimentation, but the cautious side argues against it. However, the fact is I don't have enough information to recommend much. So do you have indoor space or not? How much space? Is it heated? Wired for the load? Is it insulated? Where is ventilation coming from? etc. Pictures are always helpful.

 

On the surface, I would have to say that a solids filter would solve the problem

Cheers & good luck!

[Brian]

It's actually a nice basement that is completely finished and carpeted. There is a drop ceiling which cuts down on the available light. There is a a kitchen sink, refrigerator, cabinets, and refrigerator...so I don't think I blame my wife for not wanting to risk messing it up.

[TCLynx]

Nice display aquarium type system then I guess  I have faith that you will manage something, once you get the bug for it you can't give it up.

Just harder to eat the fish if you get to know them I guess.

[Carey Ma]

Maybe try something like this?

[Don McCammon]

Time for a new wife.

[Chamsiddine Afraitane]

Try to combine a micro ethanol distillery with your aquaponics. you can use the by product (corn mix with worms) to feed the fish and the waist heat to heat up your water and green house.

Let me know if you need more details

 

 

[Chamsiddine Afraitane]

You will have more details by purchasing the book alcohol can be a gas. the book will give you a clear picture how you can distill corn, collect the co2 to an hens growth for your plants, collect the excess heat to heat up your green house and water in winter, use the ethanol to run your generator and use the by product DDG (dry distillery grain) maybe mix with worms to feed your fish.

[Christine Zsoldos Whitley]

Sounds complicated but the science teacher in me is fascinated!

Chamsiddine Afraitane said:

You will have more details by purchasing the book alcohol can be a gas. the book will give you a clear picture how you can distill corn, collect the co2 to an hens growth for your plants, collect the excess heat to heat up your green house and water in winter, use the ethanol to run your generator and use the by product DDG (dry distillery grain) maybe mix with worms to feed your fish.

[Vlad Jovanovic]

This spring/summer I had success growing many things using just 15 liter container filled with water, a womans nylon stocking filled with a handfull of worm castings placed inside that water, a small air pump and 2 stone diffusers. Polystyrene sheet, 2" net pots and hydroton. This inside a dark windowless garage with just a pair of 36Watt T-8's (so not much current draw there). No other nutrients at all. I was really, really surprised. Originally I just thought it'd be good just for sprouting stuff, boy was I wrong...And since the worms were in a separate bin, it was all pretty easy. 

 

[Brian]

Thanks for sharing this. I think I'll give this a try on an experimental basis.