Aquaponics - let the fish be your nutrient!

I've been building and piecing together and troubleshooting an aquaponics setup for the last couple of years. I'm subbing so I have someone to talk shop with, lol.

I live by a greenhouse that produces 1000's of pine trees for regreening efforts totally 100% aquaponics. Pretty sweet operation

^ Get us a video tour ;D

galgemeck said:

I am also growing in AP and only on day 10 of vegetation, I am not messing with my ph level, and do a 16/8 light cycle and so far they are growing slowly but healthily although its to early to tell if the ph level will be a problem. Have no idea what's going to happen when they flower. Someone told me on another thread to put seaweed in the fish tank to increase p and k. Anyone know anything about this?

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Was not overly familiar with seaweed, although I new it was used as a nutrient component as sort.
This is a nice read about seaweed as a whole, looks pretty neat!
http://journeytoforever.org/farm_library/seaweed.html

Scotch089 said:

I actually busted out my maximum yield mag that had an article called "Not so Similar" comparing Hydro vs. Aqua and found that sea weed, "chelated iron," and a few minerals to adjust ph.

verbatim, I don't know what "minerals" they suggest to adjust though. I do know Sea weed/kelp has everything we need as a supp.

Peeps- I really enjoy what you're doing with LED and Aquaponics, thats just wicked. Keep us posted!

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Indeed, the article above stated just that about the chelated iron and PH self adjusting system. Have to go for the ready extract or else you end up with a decompressing period and this lessens the nitrogen available to the plant.

Gonna swing by some garden stores and growshop later today, see what kind of kelp&seaweed solutions are available in Spain.

I am soooo stocked, almost cannot wait for the Apache Tech LED lights, coming out in a month prox:

NietzscheKeen said:

I've been building and piecing together and troubleshooting an aquaponics setup for the last couple of years. I'm subbing so I have someone to talk shop with, lol.

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So just to clarify, you have one up and running ?
I'm pretty much a certified rookie at this, but have learned A LOT over the last year.

Deltron 3030 said:

I live by a greenhouse that produces 1000's of pine trees for regreening efforts totally 100% aquaponics. Pretty sweet operation

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That is awsome! Should take a ninja-mission with GoPro camera helmet, that would be wack!

I can definitely get some pictures of the greenhouse next time I see one of the employees doing maintenance. They are going trout in 2 massive vessels which is fed by overhead sprayers to everything. The company that does this is a multi million dollar mining company that is regreening the city and surrounding areas as a result of 100yrs+ of heavy nickel mining. They also have an aquaponics system (not as easily accesses) that is 4 km under the surface inside of a mine. They use troughs running length wise to keep the fish (2ft wide). They use such narrow troughs because inside of the tunnel every sq foot counts and a round vessel is highly impractical. Seeing an AP setup underground is probably the coolest things ive seen. In the same mine they have a laboratory (SNOLAB 2km under surface) that studies dark matter as well as neutrinos, where some of our fundamental questions about space and physics still remain hidden. They had stephen hawking visiting their lab last year. http://www.snolab.ca/

Deltron 3030 said:

I can definitely get some pictures of the greenhouse next time I see one of the employees doing maintenance. They are going trout in 2 massive vessels which is fed by overhead sprayers to everything. The company that does this is a multi million dollar mining company that is regreening the city and surrounding areas as a result of 100yrs+ of heavy nickel mining. They also have an aquaponics system (not as easily accesses) that is 4 km under the surface inside of a mine. They use troughs running length wise to keep the fish (2ft wide). They use such narrow troughs because inside of the tunnel every sq foot counts and a round vessel is highly impractical. Seeing an AP setup underground is probably the coolest things ive seen. In the same mine they have a laboratory (SNOLAB 2km under surface) that studies dark matter as well as neutrinos, where some of our fundamental questions about space and physics still remain hidden. They had stephen hawking visiting their lab last year. http://www.snolab.ca/

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That looks like some badass setup!
Looking forward hearing more about it for sure!


Back to my AP setup!
Not all is good and dandy, but will be shortly!
Added fresh distilled water today, as the PPM was slowly but steady rising to 700, got it back to 450 now.


Also took a ammonia, nitrite and nitrate test.
Ammonia low
Nitrite low
Nitrate low


NEED FISH!


Simsalbimmsalabimmsimm!


http://imgur.com/a/MpdKQ#0

AP systems have been around for a while and they are a very effective way to grow foods ects. NASA is looking at them to help feed people on a mission to Mars or long term stays in space or on the Moon. I have wanted to do a set up like this. I have been into aquariums for over 15 years so keeping fish is nothing to me, very easy. Since getting into MJ growing AP just seems like fun. The only thing I am concerned with is the end taste of the buds, will they lack flavor, taste like fish tank water, can you add sweets to the water and not effect the fish? The other thing is you will need a good amount of fish to keep up with the nutes demand of the plants especially once your are going into mid flower.

intenseneal said:

AP systems have been around for a while and they are a very effective way to grow foods ects. NASA is looking at them to help feed people on a mission to Mars or long term stays in space or on the Moon. I have wanted to do a set up like this. I have been into aquariums for over 15 years so keeping fish is nothing to me, very easy. Since getting into MJ growing AP just seems like fun. The only thing I am concerned with is the end taste of the buds, will they lack flavor, taste like fish tank water, can you add sweets to the water and not effect the fish? The other thing is you will need a good amount of fish to keep up with the nutes demand of the plants especially once your are going into mid flower.

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Nasa is doing good stuff. Really grind my gears how US are cutting their budget. tho..

Have spoken to a couple of people that have had 1-2 runs with MJ and AP, they say that the taste and smell is better than their previous work. Yield is another matter, but I think with more tinkering and troubleshooting it would not take long to solve this issue.
All it really takes is knowing what one can add that would benefit the plants ( or ideally both plant and fish ) without causing a ruckus.

After seeing roots coming from the buckets and now have developed to a thick hairball right on top of the pump ( maybe I should have seen this coming and placed the pump further away from the drain ), I tested the system, 0-10 PPM nitrates. Bought 2 huge goldfish and 2 Black Moor.

We're getting closer to surviving without the sun, lol. NASA has been looking into LEDs for growing, too. Wonder how many of their employees have a little hobby at home?

The Apache Tech lights that I posted a add to is actually the company that helped NASA with their last LED technology. So these light are pretty hard core.
Take a look at this journal:
https://www.rollitup.org/led-other-lighting/676858-tags-high-efficiency-lighting-garden.html
https://www.rollitup.org/led-other-lighting/630619-apache-tech-led-grow-8x12.html
And also, take a look at this video:
[video=youtube;fSlVMC1Jvec]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSlVMC1Jvec[/video]

LED is making a good rep for growing just about anything. When I got out of reef aquariums LED was becoming the big thing, replacing HID MH lighting. IMO it is still too expensive to buy a good LED fixture. The cost on them needs to come down and they are not very expensive to manufacture at all so I dont get why good LEDs run $300-1000.

The plants are starting to get to the stage where I can begin making the screen, when do you guys think I should start lowering the lights ?
I am keeping them high now because I want the stretch for the screen.
400w LED and HPS:

intenseneal said:

LED is making a good rep for growing just about anything. When I got out of reef aquariums LED was becoming the big thing, replacing HID MH lighting. IMO it is still too expensive to buy a good LED fixture. The cost on them needs to come down and they are not very expensive to manufacture at all so I dont get why good LEDs run $300-1000.

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I hear you brotha!
I am not that familiar with costs of making top grade LED lights, but I know that people have bought them directly from china at a fraction of the price than the products that are being sold that are mainly being shipped to the US and Europe.
"Made in China - Assembled in USA" -spings to mind.

Small update:

PPM : 460
pH crept down to 6.5

SCRoG photos:
http://imgur.com/a/cDw5N#0

Seeing some issues with the plants lately.
Not sure what is up, here are the stats, tho.

pH is down to 6.3 - hopefully the fish won't mind, .. searching for some supplement to rise the pH a little.
PPM is down to 380 after adding some distilled water - have found a steady way as I am adding around 20 liter a week to the system.
Water temp is around 23-25
Air temp is 23.5-25.6 Celsius


Ammonia is low
Nitrite is low
Nitrate is low - nitrate is very low, measuring around 3 PPM - thinking of adding more fish, .. as of now we are just feeding them buckets!

Most of the plants look like they have some light green coloring on the new leafs, and some have some rust spots and a little leaf burn.
If anyone have some ideas, much obliged!

http://imgur.com/a/FYuQq#0

hey dude im not sure if your raising the lights for the picture or not. but having the lights that high will cause you to lose a ton of umoles due to the walls of the tents not being to reflective

I think Im doing it wrong?








JK bro, Iv been waiting to see someone do this! I did allot of reading on it a few years ago, but life gets in the way and I havent gotten around to it YET.


Subbed!

oxanaca said:

hey dude im not sure if your raising the lights for the picture or not. but having the lights that high will cause you to lose a ton of umoles due to the walls of the tents not being to reflective

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I was trying to get a stretch for the screen, so will lower the lights when I flip it in a couple of days.
Not really sure about the tent not being reflecting the light, tho, ..it being diamond mylar and all.
All and all, it looks like there are better solutions now-a-days:

[video=youtube;z3k-KowCR7Y]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3k-KowCR7Y&list=PL5km8j-nQKlHMQvUDw3hUwOmR0isGHwr8&index=3[/video]

whodatnation said:

I think Im doing it wrong?


View attachment 2765272

JK bro, Iv been waiting to see someone do this! I did allot of reading on it a few years ago, but life gets in the way and I havent gotten around to it YET.
Subbed!

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Looks like you have some minor startup issues there laddie

Update time!

Been along time since last update, long story short; Vodafone is a bunch of asswipes!

With that out of the way, time for some aquaponia Cali Hash Plant fever!

Scrog is growing fine, plan to flip in a day or two, we are moving out of the apartment so time is not on our side.
http://imgur.com/a/cDw5N#0


Some of the small Barcelona Bastards that we had transplanted in the AP system was removed and "quarantined" on the balcony, they may have been sick and easy target for some bugs, also they were never going to get any light through the scrog canopy that have been steady building up.
Found this little bugger on one of the Hash Plant leafs, underneath, but it tried to run away. It was between 2-3mm long, had wings and was squishy:
Have been looking at most of the leafs for eggs of sort without any "luck", so hopefully it is not a harmfull bug, but if anyone recognize it, please share!

http://imgur.com/a/Csf4C


Think I will go ahead tomorrow and make this recipe:
- Half of a Lemon
- 2 table spoons Tobasco Sauce
- 3 Cloves of Garlic
- 3 small Cayenne Peppers
- Baking Soda
Mix up all ingredients except salt in a blender with enough water to make a liquid. Strain the mixture through cheesecloth. Add water to the mixture for dilution. Then add enough baking soda to make the mixture quite salty. The baking soda will dry out the pests.

Will also look around and see where I can get a hold of some lady bugs and neem oil.


PPM 570.
Fish look happy as ever, even tho the pH is way below their "comfort-range".
As long as the fish look lively and eats well, the low pH should not really be a problem.
Since the fish is quite inexpensive so to speak.
Have been dropping the last two weeks, more rapidly the last, my growpartner added some seaweed to the fish res.
Read somewhere that only liquid seaweed extract should be added to hydro / AP, because of some decompose time that would reck the nuts somehow. Will try to find that info again.
pH is now at 5.7, and by the looks of it, it has been sinking with 0.05-0.1 every other day.
This is the stuff that was added, not much, t-spoon maybe:

Natural flake porphyra
wild Atlantic alga


Ministry of Environment, Rural and Marine
http://imgur.com/a/dVZhv#0


That was all for this time, now sweet internet, you will provide me my weekly dose of Suits!

Since you've proven to be knowledgeable, obviously, what would be your input on the idea of using bluegill? There's no extremely important reason for considering bluegill. I just like the idea of tossing a line in my own pond in my own yard to catch my own fish for my own crop. You see? :3 so yeah, they'll eat just about anything given to them, which would probably be regular fish food with the occasional insect/grub. For a medium sized (10-plant/bucket) aeroponics, but not true aeroponics, just one reservoir with a drainage and spray line to each of the 10 buckets using just those cheap 180 degree sprayers, I'd probably want to have a ppm residing on the higher end of the recommended levels (within reason and preparation for it to rise) since the roots won't be constantly exposed as per DWC. And if I'm not mistaken, bluegill can take SHIIIITS. My biggest concern: what should I use to control the algae? Bluegill are known to sometimes eat smaller fish and I'm afraid they'd at least kill, if not just eat, any small type of algae decomposer.