Aquaponic Gardening

A Community and Forum For Aquaponic Gardeners

Hello my name is zach I live near the Knoxville area and I am looking for people that are also into aquaponics. Where are you located at in TN?

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I live in Cookeville approx. 150 miles west of Knoxville. I have my system cycling in a 40' x 30' greenhouse. I have 24 tilapia and 1 goldfish in a aquarium that need to be moved into system asap. Need to hook up wood burning stove in greenhouse before the move. should be ready in two or three weeks end of November 2013.

Hi.

I'm in Knoxville.  Just got my system cycled a few weeks ago.    16 Tilapia 

Sam

Hey Guys. Just joined. I am in Sparta. Just set
Up my IBC containers. Any advice on a grow medium. All the gravel here is limestone and I understand that is not a good medium.

Welcome Linda, we are in Shady Valley in the Cherokee National Forest in the very NE corner of TN at about 3000 feet. We have a 2 yr. old 2000+ gal IBC system in a 24 x 24 GH and raise Trout. You can see my layout and pics by clicking on my avatar and checking out our system pics.Planning to have it all finished this Summer but we have been eating well off the system for some time now.

We settled on granite gravel from the Mt. City quarry just 40 min from here. By picking it up in our trailer we only pay 18.00 per ton and 1/2 ton fills an IBC GB to 12". It is far cleaner than river stone and much cheaper (40.00 per ton here) AND slowly breaks down into valuable minerals. Our Trout fingerlings come from Hampton hatchery also about 45 min away.

We heat with wood in a wood gasifier stove of my own design that heats air and water and have gotten thru 20 below nights lately. Yikes, we retired here from Northern Maine and the temps this Winter aren't all that different. BUT Spring comes about 2 mos. earlier. Can't wait



Jim Fisk said:

Welcome Linda, we are in Shady Valley in the Cherokee National Forest in the very NE corner of TN at about 3000 feet. We have a 2 yr. old 2000+ gal IBC system in a 24 x 24 GH and raise Trout. You can see my layout and pics by clicking on my avatar and checking out our system pics.Planning to have it all finished this Summer but we have been eating well off the system for some time now.

We settled on granite gravel from the Mt. City quarry just 40 min from here. By picking it up in our trailer we only pay 18.00 per ton and 1/2 ton fills an IBC GB to 12". It is far cleaner than river stone and much cheaper (40.00 per ton here) AND slowly breaks down into valuable minerals. Our Trout fingerlings come from Hampton hatchery also about 45 min away.

We heat with wood in a wood gasifier stove of my own design that heats air and water and have gotten thru 20 below nights lately. Yikes, we retired here from Northern Maine and the temps this Winter aren't all that different. BUT Spring comes about 2 mos. earlier. Can't wait


Thanks Jim,

I will check out your system. I had been playing around with the idea of heating the water and letting the water heat the air. We once had an indoor pool and found that heating the water kept the room warm. Thanks for the quarry info. Granite is what we wanted, but did not know where to find any. Our Daughter lives in Knoxville, and her husband has an engineering firm in Morrison tn. So we might find a way to combine a visit and a granite purchase.

I am sooooo looking forward to eating out of the greenhouse. Have been gardening for only four years, so at 70, I am learning new tricks. Do you do trout only? I was thinking about catfish??

The mountain range extends down toward Chattanooga so I would inquire around that area for granite. Much closer than we are. Keep in mind that you need to DRY the air in a GH or you will get all sorts of things growing in there that you do not want. Thus the combination of both in our set up. I also cover the GBs with their own cover made from cpvc 1/2" x 10' pipe bows and a heavy LARGE bubble wrap that the furniture stores throw away all the time. This helps keep the water heat in on cold nights that might not need the woodstove. Has been working great. I also just completed a 100' x 3/4" pvc solar collector high up in the GH that comes on if the water is below 60F and the collector is above 80F. Now I just need some clear days to warm things up. Today is looking promising.

You may do better with cats and bluegills as your temps are a bit warmer there. They did not do well here and Trout have thrived so I focus on Trout for now. I will try others as we get more GBs on line this Summer. Only have 5 out of 15 finished as we got curtailed getting into our main house from our cabin last Summer. Also only using 2 out of the 5 ibc FTs we have on line.

I am only 2 yrs behind you age wise and all I have to say is "Ain't retirement great?!?. We still work part time and I sell a lot of bell siphons on Ebay and elsewhere as well as limited electrical and commercial laundry machine trouble shooting and repairs but basically our time is OURS at last. Just staying active farming is keeping us young. We even harvest all our own wood for 4 woodstoves which saves a bundle and we have no need of a gym.

By the way check out Friendly Aquaponics as even tho they are out of Hawaii they have a satellite farm right close to you in Elora TN and they give tours and lessons right there. Perhaps one day we could meet up there. I have been meaning to find the time to make that trip myself. Tim and Susanne are extremely knowledgeable on AP.



Jim Fisk said:

The mountain range extends down toward Chattanooga so I would inquire around that area for granite. Much closer than we are. Keep in mind that you need to DRY the air in a GH or you will get all sorts of things growing in there that you do not want. Thus the combination of both in our set up. I also cover the GBs with their own cover made from cpvc 1/2" x 10' pipe bows and a heavy LARGE bubble wrap that the furniture stores throw away all the time. This helps keep the water heat in on cold nights that might not need the woodstove. Has been working great. I also just completed a 100' x 3/4" pvc solar collector high up in the GH that comes on if the water is below 60F and the collector is above 80F. Now I just need some clear days to warm things up. Today is looking promising.

You may do better with cats and bluegills as your temps are a bit warmer there. They did not do well here and Trout have thrived so I focus on Trout for now. I will try others as we get more GBs on line this Summer. Only have 5 out of 15 finished as we got curtailed getting into our main house from our cabin last Summer. Also only using 2 out of the 5 ibc FTs we have on line.

I am only 2 yrs behind you age wise and all I have to say is "Ain't retirement great?!?. We still work part time and I sell a lot of bell siphons on Ebay and elsewhere as well as limited electrical and commercial laundry machine trouble shooting and repairs but basically our time is OURS at last. Just staying active farming is keeping us young. We even harvest all our own wood for 4 woodstoves which saves a bundle and we have no need of a gym.

By the way check out Friendly Aquaponics as even tho they are out of Hawaii they have a satellite farm right close to you in Elora TN and they give tours and lessons right there. Perhaps one day we could meet up there. I have been meaning to find the time to make that trip myself. Tim and Susanne are extremely knowledgeable on AP.



Wow! Great info. I have checked out Friendly Aquaponice, but did not know they had a sattalite close. Yes, I love retirement. Planted six fig bushes, three grape vines, and transplanted 24 thornless blackberries yesterday. My husband also prepared a place for some guinea we are adding to our flock. We planted sixty fruit trees and over sixty berry bushes last year. And we are remodeling a home we bought with the five acres we are doing this on. We just switch back and forth, remodel a little, farm a little. I just wish there were more hours in the day.

I do understand the moisture problem. Had not really thought of that. Have to dry the air......would love more info on the solar collector.

Linda

Hey Linda, you go girl. Exactly what we are all about. An old style Mother Earth Homestead with modern accoutrements like AP. Another item we found irresistible was our 300ft deep artesian well which means we don't need a pump for all our water needs. That wasn't even on our list of 25 wish for(s) when we were looking around here 4 yrs ago. We have 4 sheep, 2 Nubian goats, and about 40 chickens. The AP really fit right in to our plans. Our "main" house (which we called the barn for the first 3 years) was just a timber framed 4500sq ft shell with no anything, not even plumbing or electric yet so we aren't remodeling for a change but what a lot of work. We don't "go to work", we are surrounded by it. We wouldn't have it any other way. Just felled a 90 foot by 30" Yellow Birch and came in for lunch. That will be all split and in the woodshed by tomorrow night. Money in the bank.

I took some cp pics of the collector and will post today. Here's one and also a view of the "bubblewrap cover":

Linda Cook said:



Jim Fisk said:

The mountain range extends down toward Chattanooga so I would inquire around that area for granite. Much closer than we are. Keep in mind that you need to DRY the air in a GH or you will get all sorts of things growing in there that you do not want. Thus the combination of both in our set up. I also cover the GBs with their own cover made from cpvc 1/2" x 10' pipe bows and a heavy LARGE bubble wrap that the furniture stores throw away all the time. This helps keep the water heat in on cold nights that might not need the woodstove. Has been working great. I also just completed a 100' x 3/4" pvc solar collector high up in the GH that comes on if the water is below 60F and the collector is above 80F. Now I just need some clear days to warm things up. Today is looking promising.

You may do better with cats and bluegills as your temps are a bit warmer there. They did not do well here and Trout have thrived so I focus on Trout for now. I will try others as we get more GBs on line this Summer. Only have 5 out of 15 finished as we got curtailed getting into our main house from our cabin last Summer. Also only using 2 out of the 5 ibc FTs we have on line.

I am only 2 yrs behind you age wise and all I have to say is "Ain't retirement great?!?. We still work part time and I sell a lot of bell siphons on Ebay and elsewhere as well as limited electrical and commercial laundry machine trouble shooting and repairs but basically our time is OURS at last. Just staying active farming is keeping us young. We even harvest all our own wood for 4 woodstoves which saves a bundle and we have no need of a gym.

By the way check out Friendly Aquaponics as even tho they are out of Hawaii they have a satellite farm right close to you in Elora TN and they give tours and lessons right there. Perhaps one day we could meet up there. I have been meaning to find the time to make that trip myself. Tim and Susanne are extremely knowledgeable on AP.



Wow! Great info. I have checked out Friendly Aquaponice, but did not know they had a sattalite close. Yes, I love retirement. Planted six fig bushes, three grape vines, and transplanted 24 thornless blackberries yesterday. My husband also prepared a place for some guinea we are adding to our flock. We planted sixty fruit trees and over sixty berry bushes last year. And we are remodeling a home we bought with the five acres we are doing this on. We just switch back and forth, remodel a little, farm a little. I just wish there were more hours in the day.

I do understand the moisture problem. Had not really thought of that. Have to dry the air......would love more info on the solar collector.

Linda


Jim Fisk said:

Hey Linda, you go girl. Exactly what we are all about. An old style Mother Earth Homestead with modern accoutrements like AP. Another item we found irresistible was our 300ft deep artesian well which means we don't need a pump for all our water needs. That wasn't even on our list of 25 wish for(s) when we were looking around here 4 yrs ago. We have 4 sheep, 2 Nubian goats, and about 40 chickens. The AP really fit right in to our plans. Our "main" house (which we called the barn for the first 3 years) was just a timber framed 4500sq ft shell with no anything, not even plumbing or electric yet so we aren't remodeling for a change but what a lot of work. We don't "go to work", we are surrounded by it. We wouldn't have it any other way. Just felled a 90 foot by 30" Yellow Birch and came in for lunch. That will be all split and in the woodshed by tomorrow night. Money in the bank.

I took some cp pics of the collector and will post today. Here's one and also a view of the "bubblewrap cover":

Linda Cook said:



Jim Fisk said:

The mountain range extends down toward Chattanooga so I would inquire around that area for granite. Much closer than we are. Keep in mind that you need to DRY the air in a GH or you will get all sorts of things growing in there that you do not want. Thus the combination of both in our set up. I also cover the GBs with their own cover made from cpvc 1/2" x 10' pipe bows and a heavy LARGE bubble wrap that the furniture stores throw away all the time. This helps keep the water heat in on cold nights that might not need the woodstove. Has been working great. I also just completed a 100' x 3/4" pvc solar collector high up in the GH that comes on if the water is below 60F and the collector is above 80F. Now I just need some clear days to warm things up. Today is looking promising.

You may do better with cats and bluegills as your temps are a bit warmer there. They did not do well here and Trout have thrived so I focus on Trout for now. I will try others as we get more GBs on line this Summer. Only have 5 out of 15 finished as we got curtailed getting into our main house from our cabin last Summer. Also only using 2 out of the 5 ibc FTs we have on line.

I am only 2 yrs behind you age wise and all I have to say is "Ain't retirement great?!?. We still work part time and I sell a lot of bell siphons on Ebay and elsewhere as well as limited electrical and commercial laundry machine trouble shooting and repairs but basically our time is OURS at last. Just staying active farming is keeping us young. We even harvest all our own wood for 4 woodstoves which saves a bundle and we have no need of a gym.

By the way check out Friendly Aquaponics as even tho they are out of Hawaii they have a satellite farm right close to you in Elora TN and they give tours and lessons right there. Perhaps one day we could meet up there. I have been meaning to find the time to make that trip myself. Tim and Susanne are extremely knowledgeable on AP.



Wow! Great info. I have checked out Friendly Aquaponice, but did not know they had a sattalite close. Yes, I love retirement. Planted six fig bushes, three grape vines, and transplanted 24 thornless blackberries yesterday. My husband also prepared a place for some guinea we are adding to our flock. We planted sixty fruit trees and over sixty berry bushes last year. And we are remodeling a home we bought with the five acres we are doing this on. We just switch back and forth, remodel a little, farm a little. I just wish there were more hours in the day.

I do understand the moisture problem. Had not really thought of that. Have to dry the air......would love more info on the solar collector.

Linda



I get the solar collector, now. Interesting! You sound just like us. This house was nice at one time - an 1800 sq ft brick ranch with an 1800 sq ft addition.....but.....it was trashed. We had to tear out most of the flooring, redo most walls and the addition was a shell.

We have two Pygmy females and a male kid. One is expecting. We lost a lot of our thirty chickens to some dogs. Down to six. Chase all dogs off, now, and keep the chicken up when we are not able to watch them. We are getting the guinea for bug control. They eat tons of ticks.

Hi Linda, and welcome!

 

I use the expanded clay (Hydroton).   While it is more expensive, I’ve found it easy to use, and it was readily available here in Knoxville at http://www.innovativehydroponicsupply.com/ways-to-grow/aquaponics/  near the airport.  I found the staff helpful as they have 2 Systems setup and running, so in the customer service department, they know what they are talking about.  They also carry http://www.theaquaponicstore.com/ products which I’ve also purchased both here locally and online.   (not affiliated with these companies, but I like their products and great customer service)   



Linda Cook said:

Hey Guys. Just joined. I am in Sparta. Just set
Up my IBC containers. Any advice on a grow medium. All the gravel here is limestone and I understand that is not a good medium.

Linda Cook said:

.....I had been playing around with the idea of heating the water and letting the water heat the air. We once had an indoor pool and found that heating the water kept the room warm. ...

 

I had the same idea for my greenhouse.  This is my first year with both the aquaponics and the greenhouse.  Letting the water heat the air will work…sort of, but for me it had limitations.   It depends on many factors, how much water, the area of your greenhouse, materials your greenhouse is made of etc...  High end vs Low end.   

My greenhouse is a Spring Gardener 10’ x 20' greenhouse.   I really like it, but it is what it is.  A very well built, low cost ($600 delivered) entry level greenhouse.  That said, the walls are thin.  This record low temperature winter was not the best year to start this project.  :)   But it’s been fun and I’ve learned a lot.   Just heating the water alone for my greenhouse…at about 25 degrees F outside, the inside temps gets right at freezing, and below if the wind blows.   Goodbye peppers, tomatoes and eggplant.  Everything else survived.  So I bought a Mr. Heater from Lowes and supplement whenever the outside temp was forecast to get below 28 degrees.  I read somewhere in a greenhouse book that most plants are OK to 35 degrees, so I shoot for 40 degrees min inside the greenhouse.  Of course I’m talking about night, or very cold cloudy days.   If the sun is out, giddy up.  Last week, it was 90 inside there and I had to open the windows until the sun started going down.   But if you have lots of heated water, (I only have 600 gallons) and a small space, heating with water could easily work without supplemental heat in this area   

Sounds like you found a great place over in Sparta.  You'll have lots of fun with your AP system.

 

Sam

 

 

 



samsjoy89 said:

Linda Cook said:

.....I had been playing around with the idea of heating the water and letting the water heat the air. We once had an indoor pool and found that heating the water kept the room warm. ...

 

I had the same idea for my greenhouse.  This is my first year with both the aquaponics and the greenhouse.  Letting the water heat the air will work…sort of, but for me it had limitations.   It depends on many factors, how much water, the area of your greenhouse, materials your greenhouse is made of etc...  High end vs Low end.   

My greenhouse is a Spring Gardener 10’ x 20' greenhouse.   I really like it, but it is what it is.  A very well built, low cost ($600 delivered) entry level greenhouse.  That said, the walls are thin.  This record low temperature winter was not the best year to start this project.  :)   But it’s been fun and I’ve learned a lot.   Just heating the water alone for my greenhouse…at about 25 degrees F outside, the inside temps gets right at freezing, and below if the wind blows.   Goodbye peppers, tomatoes and eggplant.  Everything else survived.  So I bought a Mr. Heater from Lowes and supplement whenever the outside temp was forecast to get below 28 degrees.  I read somewhere in a greenhouse book that most plants are OK to 35 degrees, so I shoot for 40 degrees min inside the greenhouse.  Of course I’m talking about night, or very cold cloudy days.   If the sun is out, giddy up.  Last week, it was 90 inside there and I had to open the windows until the sun started going down.   But if you have lots of heated water, (I only have 600 gallons) and a small space, heating with water could easily work without supplemental heat in this area   

Sounds like you found a great place over in Sparta.  You'll have lots of fun with your AP system.

 

Sam

 

 

 



Our greenhouse is 12 x 35. We bought it used, took it down, brought it home, then reassembled it. We paid $200 for the greenhouse with regular plastic, plus a shade cover and a barrel stove and growing tables. We put Geo-textile on the floor. We could heat with the stove, but it sure takes up a lot of space.

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