My Aquaponics green house update.

   Here is my new Aquaponics Green house. I recently moved from Arkansas to Alabama to assist family. So I ma having to start all over.

   The green house is a 10x20 hoop house with 6mil plastic. Seems to work well and holds up to fairly strong winds.

   As of this video, there is only one fish tank. will be putting in one more for the other side. That will make two separated systems to make it easier to control.

    The trays that I am using on this table is mixing trays that you can get from hardware stores, usually coast around 15.00 each.   Also there is a swirl filter but no bio filter at this time. 

There is a lot of plants inside that I am wintering over like the lemon and lime trees and some bananna trees too. They will be moved out soon and the rest of the aquaponics can be added.

I am planning on putting in 3 more 3x4 raft systems on the one side and a filtration system on the back side of the green house.

The only lights that are in here is 12 volts.  I bought some LED lights and built my own bulbs with water and coke bottles. They are run off a batter system that I have from solar panel.. Check my videos, you will see the  Solar generator.

2 fans are installed to move the fans, they are computer fans that run off 12 volts also.

The heater is  one that I made out of a barrel and built an oven on top! never know when you want to have baked fish right?

I will update soon with the next side of the green house. \

Thanks
and please subscribe.

The truth about the Aquaponics Gardening Course

Here is a review of the course that I had taken this winter. Its a nice and easy course, yet very informative.  I would like to take further in depth training at one of these facilities to have hands on training.  This lecture gives all the basics that one should know before getting into the aquaponics. I think aquaponics is very rewarding at the end of the day when you sit back and see what you have done and how a well tuned your system is and can be.

Please like and share this video

here is the link

Aquaponics Ratio Simplified

Once you have your system up and running the key question on everything is how much?
how much feed  for my fish, how much fish for my system, how much ph, how much nitrates and so on.

Well lets just make it simple for you shall we?

    Lets start with feeding your fish since the feed is the start of it all.
Normally with adult fish they will eat about 1 - 2 percent of their body weight.
While young fish as in fry and fingerlings will eat about 6 to 8 percent of their body weight.
Now since most everyone is using the popular Tilapia, that is what we will base or numbers on, other fish may eat a lil more or a lil less, you will just have to test it for yourself. Easy way to do this is to start off with a 1/4 cup of food depending on how many fish you have. sprinkle that on the top of your fish tank and see if they eat that up within 15 minutes. Wasted food will hurt your system, so this should important to figure out. 

   Next we will learn the stocking density of your system. Based on  media or hybrid base system,
we will stock 1 pound of fish per 5 to 10 pounds of water in your tank, so if you have a 300 gallon stock tank, then up to 30 pounds of fish can be added, or if they are fingerlings or fry in a new system, just add 1 fish per every 5 to 10 gallons of water since usually they get upwards of a pound a piece.
Now! That being said studies are being made and stocking density can actually be made with less, basically unless you are aiming for high fish yields you can probably get by with half the fish, and still produce the same amount of nutrients needed for the plants and have a cleaner system.

   Your Oxygen level should be above 3ppm but would be better if it was 6 ppm, basically you can not really have to much oxygen.
Certain fish can withstand less oxygen like the tilapia as in raising trout, you need lots more, and dont forget the cooler the water the better the oxygen count will be.

   We want to target the PH level between 6.8 and 7 in your aquaponic system, this seems to work best for both fish and plants and should be checked weekly or more.. 


   Nitrite and Ammonia levels should not exceed .75.

If you see Ammonia levels rise suddenly, you may have a dead fish in

your tank. If you see Nitrite levels rise you may have damaged the bacteria

environment.

If either of the above circumstances occur, stop feeding

until the levels stabilize, and at the worse, do a 1/3 water

exchange to dilute the solution

   Nitrates can rise as high as 150 ppm without causing a problem, but much

more and  you should consider harvesting some fish and/or adding

additional plants  to your system

   Nothing is solid information and this should be used as a guide line,  everything can change the out put to your system like the type of fish, the water temperature (75 to 80) the type of plant you use, but it is imortant to start yourself a journal so that when you do find what works keep that info for the next system or the next grow bed, of if your father in law wants to build one you can come off knowing how it all works ( yes that is important too)

Please leave comments and questions down below and if you need test strips, look at amazon, or ebay or shop from the aquaponic source ( link above)

Aquaponics In a recycled Ice cooler

Here is just something I decided I had to do when the compressor shut down and was told that it was going to cost $300 to fix it!

 

After the snow and -2 degrees

How to adjust pH in aquaponics systems

Here is a great video on how to adjust your aquaponic system naturally. I have been scared of the ph, this makes it easy to understand and can be done naturally without chemicals.

Please watch this video and go over to Grow Dinner Aquaponics channel and subscribe to his channel.

 

Profitable herbs for aquaponics

   Well now your growing some plants and raising fish, but wish that you had enough money to  build and grow more. Obviously we know we can sell off some of our fish and even our lettuce, but everyone grows lettuce and most that have aquaponics have tilapia, check craigs list to see if anyone is selling tilapia, if not jump on it, it can be a gold mine.

  But I want to go over a few herbs that you can grow that you may already be growing or can easily grow that can make a small profit if you can find a buyer.

Cilantro is an excellent source of potassium, is low in calories, and is good for the digestive system. Expect to sell a good portion of this at the Saturday market. a lot of the latin restaurants will buy fresh Cilantro also. These are easy to grow in flood and drain systems and self watering buckets (dutch buckets) systems.

Make up your own salsa and sell that as well.

Basil is my favorite to grow! It is so easy and gives off a great aroma. I use it in everything I cook, and fresh basil makes the best pesto. Besides making every dish just fabulous, it also has great medicinal properties. It helps treat common colds, headaches, stomach disorders, inflammation, heart disease, various forms of poisoning, and malaria.
 Growing Basil is easy in flood and drain and I have good luck with it in rafts also. It supposed to help keep the flys down too, but havent had that kind of luck with it.  Keep fresh plants to harvest.

Oregano has a distinguish flavor that one just has to have if they are cooking Italian food. Fresh Oregano or dred can be sold to health food shops, since it is good for so much healthy properties, including colds and viral infections, digestive upsets, pain relief, and respiratory problems. Warming oregano can also be used to bring on menses and ease painful menstruation, even cancer.
I personally use the oil to keep from getting colds, just add a few drops to an ounce of water and drink, nasty as all get out but works.
It also works in flood and drain systems. I haven't tried it in float systems but would assume that it would do great.

Chives are a steady seller. These will start to germinate after a week or so. And unlike basil, these can actually do quite well in cooler weather.

I like to use chives in place of onion on a regular basis.

Every restaurant will use these if you can give a fair price on them. simple to grow in most mediums, and will multiply without assistance from you. Also puts on a pretty lavender flower.

Chamomile can all be traced to its effects on the nervous system and digestive system, as well as its anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. Works great for a sleep aid and even has a lot of uses for skin and hair care. The market for this is easy to get into. Cant find it at the super market and everyone has an illness that this can help. I like it to help sleep, it seems this has been a small problem of mine. Grows in a flood and drain system, but should be given a lot of space.

Parsley is  a great cash crop because it grows so well. It is used in many dishes. Parsley leaves and root are high in iron content and rich in vitamins A, B, C and trace minerals. Parsley adds color and aids digestion of the foods we eat and acts to prevent gas and bloating. Its just an all around good herb. And can be grown in both flood and drain, or raft, or if you choose, it can be grown in a bucket system.

Catnip is great to sell at farmers markets. Most everyone has a cat. You can sell the whole plant, or dried in individual bags. But also have to let your customers know how good it is for them. It is a soothing sedative for humans. It has been known to provide pain and stress relief and to also help with flu and cold symptoms. Catnip leaves contain considerable quantities of vitamins C and E, both excellent antioxidants.  Grow these in a rock or shell medium.  Makes great Christmas gifts and can be sold at craft fairs as well as the weekend market.

Lavender Is usually done on a more commercial basis, but if you have a local florist or someone that makes home remedies using honey and such, this is a popular product. It can be added to tea and has a lot of medicinal gifts. Soaking in a lavender scented bath relaxes away mild depression and anxiety and may even lower high blood pressure and improve circulation. Helps with sleep aid also. Great to grow in an extra bed that has a lot of room, or you can lace these randomly in your other beds.

   When picking out herbs or plants to sell, try to use what people are familiar with. Exotic plants do good if you can find the right market. But some folks like to have what they are used to or what their grandmother used in her kitchen. Start small and investigate what you are growing. Its like Vanilla beans is a great cash crop, but they take so much care and time, that its only worth it if you have a dedicated green house just for that. So keep it simple and get ready to make a lil profit. and live a healthier life for a bonus. 

   If there is a plant that you think is a great profit plant, let me know, and would love to post it.

Please leave a comment and subscribe!

Thanks

Raising crayfish in Aquaponics

     My experience with using crawfish (or cray fish depending where your from) has mixed feelings.
Now I dont for some reason have any pictures of my set up but let me explain my pros and cons about raising Crawfish.

I was doing an experimental set up with a flood and drain system with a small deep well attached.

 not wanting to use any fish because of the cooler temps in NW Arkansas that time of year I decided on local creek cawfish. First lets just note that when catching these quick lil buggers it would help if you had a net. But caught about 20 small to medium crawfish and also a few tadpoles (different story) and one of those bottom sucker fish, and also 3 snails.
  
    I placed all in a small styrofoam cooler without a lid and placed them in the back seat of the truck. That was mistake number one, when I got home, half of the crawfish had escaped and were all over the truck. Took about an hour to find them.

   My patio is inclosed with a pool dug into the ground. I built everything the same level an currently pouring concrete around the pool.  Everything is closed in.

    Now to the point. Once placing the crawfish in the aquaponics. I built a wire box from old chicken wire so that they can climb on and also cut some pvc to place on the bottom for privacy.

   The next day, I discovered 2 crawfish in my pool, now remeber it is cool out, so off I go with snorkle gear and catch the 2 and place them back in the 75 gallon tank.
I thought well that was odd couldnt really see how they could climb out.
Next day same thing, but 4 this time. back with the snorkel gear to chase the crawfish down.

    So I watched them for a while noticed that when the water drains from the grow bed and the water table rises that its only 3 inches from the top, so I took out a few gallons until it was 6 inches thinking maybe that would do.

   Next morning nothing was in the pool, I was happy, until the next morning, 3 more were in the pool and was on its way. starting to almost enjoy the cold water swim now, but not quite.

    I realized then that they were climbing up the folded part of the liner. after a month of all this and modifications I gave up and brought them back to the creek, it was time to use my pool and didnt need them in it.

    But to the good part of it all. The natural habitat worked very well. I even dipped up duck weed from a local pond. The water stayed clear and I fed the crawfish fish pellets and they really loved the sweet feed that I still had from when I had a pig. I enjoyed having them and watching the lil habitat work. The plants seem to well too, the basil grew tall and had some cabbage taking off.
I think I would like to do this again but with a tank that has slick sides.
   The nutriets from the habitat looked to be balanced even though I never took any test.

So if you see a few crawfish in the creek and have a container that will hold them, do grab some, very beneficial, But if you have a pool close by and they can escape, well its best to just leave them where they are, lol

Oh! and about the tad poles, well they do grow! and it is so awesome to watch them get their legs and

see them change their heads and then next you see them sitting on the side of the tank and jumping, and then..... well then you see them under your lawn furniture are taking a dip in your pool. So maybe not the best idea, but it was fun.

If you have had any experience of raising craw-fish in aquaponics, please leave a comment, I would like to know how to do it without sharing my swimming pool.

Worms in Aquaponics

When I first heard of putting worms in Aquaponics, I just couln't understand how.

I just assumed that the worms would drown, after all when it rains hard you see worms coming to the surface all the time, so I thought they were drowning, but in fact the water was just pushing the oxygen out of the soil, so the worms had to surface to breath.

As long as you are producing plenty of oxygen whether it be from aeration stones or flooding and draining your beds, then the worms do well. I have even seen worms in the tank, up against an aerator doing well, even very lively.

So now that we can say that worms can survive, why would we even think about putting them in our aquaponic system?

Well there are many reasons, more than I will even list but the basic purposes are as follow:

• They break down solid waste from not only your fish but the decaying plant matter.
  
• Suppress parasites, diseases, and pest including mites, aphids, mealy bugs, and even tomato worms. Basically, keeps your plants healthy.
• Cuts down on how often you have to clean your grow beds.

• Loosens up your grow beds so that the water and nutrients can flow freely to get to all the roots of the plants.

Again, That is just the basics with out getting into the technical mumble jumble.

When deciding to put worms in your system, it is recommended that you  try to buy from a reputably company that sells worms for gardens. Using places like craigs list is ok, but you nver know  what the worms have been growing in, which means you dont know what kind of diseases that may be with them.
If you are using them from your own property say from under stones or where ever you will be harvesting them from, make sure you wash the worms first to get any excess dirt off of them, just in case their is a contaminate on them, not a big deal in my opinion, but it only takes a second to rinse them.

But by adding a few worms here and there to your system, it will give your plants and fish a healthier life.