Comment

Comment by Layne allen on January 3, 2014 at 8:27pm

@ bob Campbell thank you. I was worried it would be a negative for organic. I didn't think about stressing the fish.

Comment by Bob Campbell on January 3, 2014 at 7:29pm

@Layne allen  - Fishless cycling avoids killing and torturing fish.  You can use urine if you are all about natural, but the use of chemical substance such as NH3 or HCL does not ruin your organic certification.  Water is a chemical substance H2O.

Comment by Layne allen on January 3, 2014 at 5:15pm

Jeff. You are very right.. This is interesting!

Comment by Layne allen on January 3, 2014 at 5:14pm

Now the next brilliant newbie question: fishless cycling is better why? Is it right to say I have not used chemicals in my system if I dump "industrial" ammonia into the system to do fishless cycling?

Comment by Jeff S on January 2, 2014 at 4:34pm

Layne you have the right idea. It's all interesting no matter what size you go with. I've always said start small and expand as you want to.

Comment by Leo White Bear on January 2, 2014 at 2:42pm

Tom-

In this 30-gallon barrel-ponic system which had approx. 20-gallons of water, I kept 6 bullheads that averaged 1/2-pound each and 4 bluegills at about 1/4-pound each. so there was around 4-pounds of fish in this system.  This is what I started with as an experiment to see what the buzz was with aquaponics.  This got me hooked and I am still doing this and loving it.

Comment by Layne allen on January 2, 2014 at 1:11pm

Wow i was thinking a fish tank with guppies and a media tank and maybe a sump tank. This is along the lines of proof of concept for me. I grow a decent 18x18 raised bed garden in the summer but want to keep growing all year long. Am i thinking too small?

Comment by NARDC.in on January 2, 2014 at 10:59am

Hi Layne,

This is how I look at it.  I'm curious to know what others think on this as well.

Grow <50 or up to 200 kg fish and equivalent quantity of plants per annum, then you are are a hobbyist in Aquaponics.

200-500 kg fish and plants, call it a backyard grower

>500 up to 1000 kg, a commercial grower for profit (small)

>1000 kg per annum, then it is a large commercial Aquaponics grower

I hope this makes sense. :)

Regards, Vijay

Aquaponics Futurist at NARDC

Comment by Tom OBrien on January 2, 2014 at 7:36am

Leo - What kind of fish did you raise in your barrelponics system?

Comment by Leo White Bear on January 2, 2014 at 3:47am

My first system was modeled after Travis Hugelys barrel ponic design which is a system made from three 55-gallon barrels (google "Barrelponics" for the free download of his design).  I couldn't get a hold of 55-gallon barrels but I had a lot of 30-gallon ones on hand so I used them.  After four seasons, they system still works great.  Here in Wisconsin, I have to breakdown the system every winter ( I don't have a greenhouse yet), but in the spring it cycles very quickly and I have grown 12 tomato plants in it that flourished and some herbs that did very well.  Small is good for your first but there are some difficulties.  Things can go south in a hurry as you don't have the water volume to buffer itself so daily or bi-weekly (at the least) testing is recommended.  I had such good success that I was hooked that first season.  Click on the bear on the left and you will see my latest endevor of 14 IBC totes in a barn.  The guy in the pics is my friend June Washington who helped me with moral support. 

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