Aquaponics As a Food Source

[ChunkyMonkey]

What do you do with a large outdoor aquaponic system in the winter? Just keep feeding the fish and wait for spring to grow plants?

Most Farm Fish don't eat in the winter. They almost hibernate

[Irving]

Here is the Vertical Earth garden that I was referring to earlier today. I saw in the comments of one of their videos where they said something along the lines of "we're not knocking aquaponics, just that MOST of our customers do not go for the fish pond when given the option." I really like this set-up and think that it'd be made even easier with a fish pond at the bottom.


Check out the update video after two months:

[ChunkyMonkey]

Here is the Vertical Earth garden that I was referring to earlier today. I saw in the comments of one of their videos where they said something along the lines of "we're not knocking aquaponics, just that MOST of our customers do not go for the fish pond when given the option." I really like this set-up and think that it'd be made even easier with a fish pond at the bottom.


Check out the update video after two months:

Checkout denver aquaponic. They have a vertical version using fence materials looks like below..

[Irving]

9' feet is DEEP. How many fish can you fit in there? Seems like the deeper the pond, the easier it would be for the fish to survive the winter as well.

I have a spot under a bush that I think would work great for a pond (can't really use it for anything else anyway). That bush gets full of 20 birds at a time (pretty cool actually), and I'm thinking that birds crapping in the pond would add more nutrients to the system. I'm under that impression after seeing the system on Doomday Preppers where they had chickens over the top of the fish pond.

[ChunkyMonkey]

9' feet is DEEP. How many fish can you fit in there? Seems like the deeper the pond, the easier it would be for the fish to survive the winter as well.

I have a spot under a bush that I think would work great for a pond (can't really use it for anything else anyway). That bush gets full of 20 birds at a time (pretty cool actually), and I'm thinking that birds crapping in the pond would add more nutrients to the system. I'm under that impression after seeing the system on Doomday Preppers where they had chickens over the top of the fish pond.

Out door aquaponic in CO must be deep enough. Placement is also important for just enough sun light. I am growing bambu trees along the sunny side to screen it. Too much, you'll have common algae growing out of control. Too little, different type of algae will grow. If you want a pond, then using chickens dropping as food source is common in tropical fish farm - but your ammonia level will spike, algae will bloom, and you will have green water (just like tropical pond).

To keep your water clear and unsmelly, feed your fish chicken booster and duck weed. It costs very little as duck weed grows rampantly.

I recommend take some classes. It took me 3 years of researching before committing into this. There is no industry standard per say either. Each class I took was a lil different from the rest.

http://www.coloradoaquaponics.com/

[Irving]

Thanks for the tips.

[dwalker460]

I am going to do an indoor setup in my basement I think. Been looking at a bulk container setup but just not at the point of pulling the trigger yet. Outside in Colorado requires more backyard than I have.

[Great-Kazoo]

I am going to do an indoor setup in my basement I think. Been looking at a bulk container setup but just not at the point of pulling the trigger yet. Outside in Colorado requires more backyard than I have.

Make sure you have dehumidifiers in the house, or proper ventilation to handle the excess moisture. . You would be surprised how easy moisture issues can happen.

[Irving]

I'd like to start inside as well. We used an Aerogarden with great results in the past (I even made a thread). I want to start with something Aerogarden sized if I can. My fish must be the toughest fish ever, because over 3-4 years, I've only ever killed one, and they often live in terrible conditions when I get lazy. All these videos talk about testing your water weekly. I've NEVER tested my water, and the tank has gone months without cleaning or a water change.

[Irving]

Here is a great step by step for building an Auto Siphon/Bell Siphon. http://affnan-aquaponics.blogspot.co...s-of_9459.html

Home Depot doesn't have plastic bulk heads (or expanded clay tablets) by the way. They sent me to the grow store, which had both in abundance.

EDIT: I changed the link to a better siphon design, no breather tube required.