Filtering my water

I am tired of not being able to see my fish. Half the point of aquaponics is enjoying the fish with your eyes not just your tastebuds. I know, I know the algae feeds the fish so that I don't have to, but the truth is I like feeding the fish.

So I loaded my wife and kids in the car and rushed off to the hardware store before closing time(they are open till 7pm). Needless to say they had not filters for a fishpond. 'We are not a pet shop'. Was all response I got.

So I bought a big sponge and a few other things and hacked together a makshift filter. Hopefully this works and I get to see my fish again.

- Grant

System schematic

Here is a quick schematic I did of the 3000 liter system I plan to build while I am on holiday. Basically it is 3 tanks for fish of different sizes, a large deep water 'grow bed' and a sump.

I chose this method because I only need one pump so hopefully I will save on electricity inputs to the system.

The plants will be planted in floating rafts and the system will have almost no gravel in it.

I am planning to grow lettuce, basil and chard on the rafts, but we will see since I am not sure how I will be doing the grow bed yet.

- Grant

Watering my corn from the rain barrel

Here is a short video update of my rain barrel and how I water my corn with the rain water I have collected.
Currently I am trying to source all the equipment I need for my 3000 liter system. I will post a schematic of what I plan to do soon.

- Grant

The 5 aquaponics water tests

I got a 5 in one test kit today (it was more cost effective than buying each test separately). Basically the five tests are :

1. PH normal
2. PH high
3. Ammonia
4. Nitrites
5. Nitrates

You need to do tests 1 and 3 daily in the beginning and then weekly as your system stabilises. Tests 4 and 5 will tell you 2 things: 

1. Do you have a bacteria colony. In the beginning you can do test 4 until you get some kind of reading and then test 5.
2. Do you have enough plans in your system to filter the water. This is mostly test 5 since your plants suck up the nitrates which can become poisonous to your fish. 

The nitrates are the reason you need to change out 10% of the water in your fish tank/pond about once a week. Since the plants suck up the nitrates with great enthusiasm in an aquaponics system you don't need to lose 10% of your water weekly. In an aquaculture system (fish without plants) you replace the equivalent of your entire systems water every 2 and a 1/2 months. In a coutry like South Africa where water is a precious resource we can't afford to waste water like that. So aquaponics is the ideal solution.

  

Anyway back to the tests. The ammonia is in my opinion the most important test since this will kill your fish first. Anything below Ammonia level of 1.0 is cool, anything from 2.0 and up is serious danger for your fish.

PH is also important especially in the beginning. Any sharp fluctuations could end up killing all or most of your fish. These are the important one and you should not neglect to do them at least once a week.

 

Besides between testing the water and feeding the fish, spending time with your system will tell you more than any test can. Just the smell of the system will tells you more than any test can. The more time you spend with your system the more you recognise the symptoms of a sick or unbalanced system. Anyway remember to have fun and get your kids involved.

 

- Grant

 

PS: Check out my video clips on YouTube about these tests.

Step 6 - Plant your seedlings

Once you have assembled your system and you have added your water and growmedium, you are ready to start cycling your system. Basically this comes down to running your system without fish for about a week until your bacterial collony is established. I like to start by planting a few plants at this time as well.

Although you are able to start you plants from seed in an aquaponics system, I prefer to use seedings. This is where this start to get a bit wierd and seem to go against common sense. Nobody ever said this was going to be logical, just easy.

Get a bucket full of rain water or if you have good enough water(see step 5) then use tap water. Start by carefully removing your seedling from the tray. Wash the roots gently in the bucket of water to remove as much of the soil as possible without damaging the roots system too much(a little damage is inevitable).

Then dig a hole in your gravel(or grow medium of your choice). Place the seedling in the hole a gently cover the roots with your grow medium. This part just freaked me out the first time, I just could not get past the idea of planting plants in stones instead of soil.

Now that everything is set up you need to keep your plants alive until you have added the fish. I do this by adding liquid plant food called seagro. Be sure to use organi stuff only from now on or you could end up poisoning your fish or yourself. Check out this video clip to see how I do it. I also throw about a handful of fishfood into the system at this time. It will breakdown and begin to rot which will create amonia and this is just what your bacterial need to feed on so that they can establish themselves in your system.

You will want to keep testing the water over the next few days, when you start to see an increase in the level of nitrates in your system you know you are getting close to the time where you can add your fish.

- Grant