Question about aquaponics

Discussion in 'Growing Marijuana Indoors' started by Smoqueeddaily, May 6, 2013.

  1. I realize most aquaponics setup a require no soil, but I'd like to grow indoor aquaponically, and my plans were to do it very simply. My idea was to grow in a five gallon bucket with potting soil, drilling a hole in the bottom of a bucket for water drainage, and basically just having the bucket sit over the fish tank, and either install a pump or siphon to pump water into the soil, or just simply scoop water out with a cup and dump it in. Would this work? I'm concerned the soil runoff could kill the fish, or the tank just wouldn't get clean enough. Does anybody know if this will work?
     
  2. nope wont work, either no nutes and dead plant, or right nutes dead fish
     
  3. I think it can work. Right now I have a 2'x4'x7" tote that i fill with water from my fish tank. My plants sit on top in smart pots that i cut a hole in the bottom of for a dixie cup with a coupple holes in it to allow water to pass. The plants draw up the water as they need it, Look up sips. My plan is to use the same concept except have the water constantly circulating threw the tote to the fish tank. It should work like a charm only prob i see is the dirt getting washed out of dixie cup. So i was thinking filling the dixie cup with aquarium gravel and just cutting long slits would solve that problem.
     
  4. What your talking about is a watson wick or wicking bed.  
    Wicking beds are an offshoot of hydro.  
    It's classification is passive hydro
    Instead of using fish, which requires large amounts of water to support large amounts of fish, which in turn provide large amount of nutes look instead at bioponics.  
    Bioponics uses organic teas and the like.

    best of luck
    Just remember, to watch your pH and as always, just because it isn't be done, doesn't mean it can't.
    People are growing a lot of different things, a lot of different ways.  Hell I've seen a system that use human urine and one that uses duck waste.  Different strokes and all

    wicking bed:
    http://youtu.be/0zCJFolqLY4
     
  5. #5 snoopdog6502, Jan 30, 2014
    Last edited by a moderator: Jan 30, 2014
    I have an old hot tub that we set up with wicks and floating raft aquaponics. Makes a nice rain water reservoir too. Fish in it.
     
    View attachment 1301278
     
  6. snoop,

    Any filtration such as radial flow, vertical solid separator, swirl, kaldnes media bio reactor, gravel, spaghetti mat, bullet or others?
    Do you use the pump from the tub?

    I love simple, I never go that route, but I love to see shit work with minimal input!
    Do you grow your medicine in soil?
     
  7.  
    Just some small submersible pumps and air pumps and stones..
    I have big goldfish.
     
    I never plug that hot tub in, its old and works for us the way it is.
     
    I grow medicine in soil but am switching some to hydro
     
  8. #8 luckysonfirst, Jan 30, 2014
    Last edited by a moderator: Jan 30, 2014
    Snoop,

    For what you got there I would mimic the work the do at growing power in Milwaukee.
    They grow soil over hydro, with a organic tea booster.
    Their stuff is super low tech, but judging from my visit it works like a mother fucker!
    If you have a pump in it already I would build a little radial flow filter.  Here's a little 
    primer for ya.

    radial flow filter:
    http://www.ecofilms.com.au/diy-radial-flow-filter-for-aquaponics/
     
    Here is a link to growing power.
    I met this guy, and it's kinda like meeting Jesus I would guess.
    I thought it was just me, but I asked the person I was with if she felt it too, and someone overheard me.  They said they felt the same thing. The sensation is a force that borders on magnetic or electric, maybe magic.  
     
    Anyways, it was weird beyond belief!
     
    Will Allen's Growing Power
    http://youtu.be/K5zP4WPgcqY
     
  9.  
    I could do that with stuff I have laying around. I left it full all winter and then a pipe busted and it drained. I moved my fish to my in ground pond.
    Now I have to block off all the hot tub piping and it would be a perfect time to add to the plumbing.
     
    one thing I do like about mine is the simple plastic chain that hangs from my roof gutter that feeds rain right into the hot tub.
     
    We are big on homesteading, and self sufficiency, being green as much as possible and organic.
     
    My vegetable gardens are insane , my woman and I go all out. I want to put trelliss over the pond to shade the water and grow vertical.
     
  10. Hello guys im in the midst in doing my first aquaponics grow... im pretty much staying up at night reading and watching videos.. i would like to grow my own meds eventually with this system
     
  11. #11 luckysonfirst, Feb 3, 2014
    Last edited by a moderator: Feb 3, 2014
    Not sure if you've seen these.  They are not mine, and I don't know where they came from but, I stole them and here they are...
    Good Luck!
    <-----------------------------------------------------------start-------------------------------------------------------------->
     
    \t"poor mans dupla drops"
    Have heard of hydroponics stores carrying ingredients for making aquarium plant fertilizer at home. Supposed to be "dirt cheap" compared to any you get online. So, have decided to "take the plunge" and go by the local store and pick up the stuff and test it.

    In case anyone is interested, here's the recipe:

    2 Teaspoons potassium sulfate
    1 Teaspoon potassium nitrate
    2.5 Tablespoons hydrated magnesium sulfate
    1 Tablespoon chelated trace elements mix

    Mix ingredients in 1.5 cups of distilled water and store in the refrigerator after use.

    My research says the dosage varies depending on how heavily the tank is planted and the size of the tank. Start with a few drops per 10 gallons of tank water. My plan is to mix a few drops in a pitcher of my water change water I keep in a bucket when I need to top off my tanks. Am interested to see how this works.

    Apparently, the mixture works best in moderately to heavily planted tanks. ALWAYS RESEARCH BEFORE USE. 
    <-----------------------------------------------------------end 1 -------------------------------------------------------------->

     
    [SIZE=27pt]DIY Aquaponics: 5 Natural Plant Fertilizers[/SIZE]
    [SIZE=11.5pt]16 chemical elements are known to be important to plant growth and survival. Three non-mineral nutrients - hydrogen (H), oxygen (O), and carbon (C) - are absorbed from the air and water in a process known as photosynthesis (meaning “making things with light”). Plants absorb the other 13 nutrients through their roots. These nutrients and trace minerals consist of:[/SIZE]
    [SIZE=11.5pt]1.      [/SIZE][SIZE=11.5pt]Nitrogen (N)[/SIZE]
    [SIZE=11.5pt]2.      [/SIZE][SIZE=11.5pt]Phosphorus (P)[/SIZE]
    [SIZE=11.5pt]3.      [/SIZE][SIZE=11.5pt]Potassium (K)[/SIZE]
    [SIZE=11.5pt]4.      [/SIZE][SIZE=11.5pt]Calcium (Ca)[/SIZE]
    [SIZE=11.5pt]5.      [/SIZE][SIZE=11.5pt]Magnesium (Mg)[/SIZE]
    [SIZE=11.5pt]6.      [/SIZE][SIZE=11.5pt]Sulfur (S)[/SIZE]
    [SIZE=11.5pt]7.      [/SIZE][SIZE=11.5pt]Boron ( B)[/SIZE]
    [SIZE=11.5pt]8.      [/SIZE][SIZE=11.5pt]Copper (Cu)[/SIZE]
    [SIZE=11.5pt]9.      [/SIZE][SIZE=11.5pt]iron (Fe)[/SIZE]
    [SIZE=11.5pt]10.  [/SIZE][SIZE=11.5pt]Chloride (Cl)[/SIZE]
    [SIZE=11.5pt]11.  [/SIZE][SIZE=11.5pt]Manganese (Mn)[/SIZE]
    [SIZE=11.5pt]12.  [/SIZE][SIZE=11.5pt]Molybdenum (Mo)[/SIZE]
    [SIZE=11.5pt]13.  [/SIZE][SIZE=11.5pt]Zinc (Zn)[/SIZE]
    [SIZE=11.5pt]There are not always enough of these minerals in a plant's environment (e.g. soil, rocks, water, air, etc. ) to ensure maximum growth and crop yields, hence the widespread use of chemical fertilizers by many farmers and gardeners.  If you notice the plants in your aquaponic system are struggling to flower or fruit properly – maybe with shriveled, yellowing, and/or stunted growth, it is likely a sign of mineral deficiency as detailed in the infograph above. Nutrient deficient, weak plants are more susceptible to disease and pest infestations.[/SIZE]
    [SIZE=11.5pt]In hydroponics or soil growing, providing these essential mineral elements is relatively straightforward. Just add the proper amount of hydroponic fertilizer based on your system's water volume. With aquaponics[/SIZE], however, the addition of most synthetic plant fertilizers would result in dead fish. Fortunately, there are safe alternative sources of these vital minerals. When addressing nutrient deficiencies in aquaponics - like when [SIZE=11.5pt]combating pests[/SIZE][SIZE=11.5pt] in AP gardens - the bottom-line question is whether the substance is toxic to fish.[/SIZE]
    [SIZE=11.5pt]Here's a low down on our favorite uber-organic supplements that will green things up and get things blooming in no time.[/SIZE]
    [SIZE=27pt]Our 5 Fav Non-Toxic Plant Fertilizers[/SIZE]
    [SIZE=10pt]·      [/SIZE][SIZE=18pt]1) Fish Poop[/SIZE]
    [SIZE=11.5pt]Obviously, fish waste is the primary source of nitrogen in any aquaponic system. It's still worth mentioning here to put its significance in perspective. Nitrogen is the first element listed in the makeup of modern-day synthetic fertilizers. Nitrogen is a part of all living cells and is a necessary part of all proteins, enzymes and metabolic processes involved in the synthesis and transfer of energy. It is a part of chlorophyll, the green pigment of the plant that is responsible for photosynthesis. [/SIZE]
    [SIZE=11.5pt]The nitrogen cycle is the same in soil as it is in water, it is simply a different medium that the bacteria process in. Soil farmers have been using manure to fertilize crops for millennia. Adding more fish to your system will generally help your plants grow more rapidly and produce more seeds, foliage, blooms, and fruits. Sorry folks, no “cleaner” method than this in aquaponics folks. Ain't it beautiful?![/SIZE]
     
    [SIZE=10pt]·      [/SIZE][SIZE=18pt]2) [/SIZE][SIZE=18pt]Bone meal[/SIZE][SIZE=18pt] (or Calcium & Phosphorus)[/SIZE]
    [SIZE=11.5pt]Bones from shellfish and animal bones will supply Calcium and Phosphorus to your plants. Like Nitrogen, Phosphorus is an essential part of the process of photosynthesis. It helps with the transformation of solar energy into chemical energy and is essential for plant maturation, root growth, blooming, and withstanding stress. Calcium, an essential part of plant cell wall structure, provides for normal transport and retention of other elements as well as strength in the plant.[/SIZE]
    [SIZE=11.5pt]Animal bones can sit in your system for days - they also help buffer the water in your system. Neither plants nor fish react favorably to violent pH swings! (see #5 below) Note that you can also use powder versions of these elements, which is likely cleaner, but this is more natural and we like it dirty.[/SIZE]
     
    [SIZE=10pt]·      [/SIZE][SIZE=18pt]3) Banana Peels (or Potassium)[/SIZE]
    [SIZE=11.5pt]Bury the peels of organic bananas in the grow beds to add potassium to your system. Potassium is absorbed by plants in larger amounts than any other mineral element except nitrogen and, in some cases, calcium. It aids in the building of protein and photosynthesis. Make sure to throw out the peels after a week or so (and replace with fresh peels as needed). Or (like above) you can use a powder version of potassium, which is likely cleaner, but this is more natural and we like it dirty.[/SIZE]
    [SIZE=10pt]·      [/SIZE][SIZE=18pt]4) Maxicrop Plus Iron[/SIZE] (and/or chelated iron)
    [SIZE=11.5pt]Maxicrop is Norwegian Ascophyllum Nodosum (kelp). It is a natural, non-pollutant product made from fresh growing seaweed but in a fully soluble form. It contains very small amounts of the major elements found in chemical fertilizers (nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium) and significant amounts of important trace elements including iron, manganese, zinc, boron, and magnesium. Some say you also need to add chelated iron in addition to Maxicrop due to plant availability reasons, which then depends on your pH, water temperature, and environmental conditions, etc… maybe do a bit of both just in case![/SIZE]
     ​
    [SIZE=11.5pt]Add the recommended amount of this liquid gold (on the label, depending on version you buy) every week or so. Think of it as a multivitamin for your aqua-garden! You can find this organic supplement, along with other seaweed or seakelp products and chelated iron, at most garden and hydroponic stores and on [/SIZE][SIZE=11.5pt]Amazon[/SIZE][SIZE=11.5pt]. Buying the concentrated [/SIZE][SIZE=11.5pt]powder version, which effectively gives you 65 gallons[/SIZE][SIZE=11.5pt] of this liquid magic, is better value than the bottled product (pictured above) because you do not pay for the water.[/SIZE]
     
    [SIZE=10pt]·      [/SIZE][SIZE=18pt]5) Balanced pH[/SIZE]
    [SIZE=11.5pt]Okay, this is not really a fertilizer. But maintaining optimal pH (a measure of the acidity or alkalinity of the water) is one of the most important metrics that effect the availability of nutrients for plants. The ideal range of pH for the nitrogen process is slightly alkaline (7.0 to 9.0), whereas the ideal pH for micronutrient availability is slightly acidic (5.5 to 6.5). The lower pH can impact the efficiency of detoxifying ammonia to nitrite to nitrate. Therefore, stabilization of pH between 6.8 to 7.0 is paramount in managing the health of plants and fish simultaneously.[/SIZE]
     
  12. That's pretty helpful.
     
    One thing about fertilizer though, is that do not overdo it. Else, you're going to get an algae bloom that will destroy the hard work you put into the aquaponics system.
     

Share This Page