Changing Earth Podcast Episode 6 Questions

Is Aquaponics a Viable system?

Aquaponics is an extremely valid system.

What is an aquaponics system?

Aquaponics is the marriage of hydroponics and Aquaculture.

Hydroponics is cultivating plant life in a bath of nutrient rich water solution, instead of soil, for large scale production in a smaller area.

Aquaculture is a design to grow fish or aquatic life like shellfish, crawfish, snails, or ……….. to help meet the popular fish demand with little impact on the overall aquatic population.

Introducing Aquaponics

Aquaponics is a marriage of aquaculture and hydroponics.

Uses fish to provide the nutrient content for plant life.

It gets rid of agrochemicals from typical farming:

Problems like the delta of the Mississippi where a wetland is turning into an uninhabitable area

TPP 132: Aquaponics Interview on Changing Earth Podcast from Ken Jensen

What materials are required for building an aquaponics system?

Typical Aquaponic system components:

Rearing tank:

Tanks for raising and feeding fish.

Large barrel or a stock tank, glass fish tank

Settling basin

Catches uneaten food and detached biofilms, settles out particles

Biofilter

Where nitrification bacteria can grow and convert ammonia into nitrates

Bucket of pebbles or other high surface area media

Not absolutely necessary though with a good grow bed

Hydroponics subsystem

Where plants grow

Grow bed

Flood table

Frame it above the fish tank

Half barrels

Bath tubs even!

Sump

Lowest basin where water gravity flows. It is then pumped back up to the rearing tanks

Water Pump

Mag Drive Pump

Submersible fountain pump

Pump from fish tank to grow bed

Air Pump

Get an aquarium air pump to oxygenate the water

Bell Siphon

30 bucks on amazon, or you can make one from pvc components.

Raised pipe in a bigger pipe

Bigger pipe has holes drilled in it

Medium pipe in top with an air lock on top making it float

Drain from grow bed to fish tank

Different applications to grow plant life (this could be considered as the Hydroponics Tank):

Deep-Water Raft Aquaponics

Plants float in Styrofoam rafts in a deep basin

Recirculating Aquaponics or Closed-Loop Aquaponics

Solid media: (Gravel or clay) in a container.  Container is flooded with the aquaculture water.

Best for beginners because:

Easier to learn

Less parts, so it is cheaper

Media bed mechanically filters (solids), performs mineralization (breaks down solids), and biofiltration (attachment of bacteria).

Reciprocating Aquaponics, Flood-and-Drain Aquaponics, Ebb-and-Flow Aquaponics

Flood and Drain is simplest

Easy to build

Small

Best for a 1:1 ratio (grow bed to fish tank)

Easier maintenance

Same media but it is flooded and drained using siphon drains.

Vertical Tower Aquaponics

Uses vertical towers that are trickle fed from the top

Nutrient Film Aquaponics

Sloped bed of 1.1 to 1.4