Outdoor wall aquaponic system (update: 6/29)

So I finished tying together the system, and got all the kinks out. After a day of letting the system settle we planted a bunch plants; strawberry's and tomatoes. We also planted a flower that attracts bees, it's called Cuphea "La Chiquita"  Here are some new pics!

Here are the tomatoes planted nicely in a row!

 Here are some great pics of the

strawberry's we planted

 Soon to be a big tomato plant!

Here are the 13 strawberry plants

Here is the Cuphea flower

 

Outdoor wall aquaponic system

   So here is my outdoor aquaponic system just installed today. It is installed on a side yard and it has 30ft of grow-able bed and is linked to a 55gl. drum for my fish. It takes up about 4 sq. feet on the ground, with the rest of the system on the wall, out of the way. Here are some of the pics...

 

 

Indoor wall aquaponic system

     This is my version of a wall aquaponic setup. It works the same way as my aquaponic system outside, this one is just much smaller. One or two small fish will keep the Nitrogen Cycle going. All the plants I have chosen are low light indoor plants, providing increased oxygen for the household. This was a really fun project and I have a few ideas for improving my design, but we tested the system and it worked flawlessly! Here are some pics, enjoy!

 

 

 

Two bed aquaponic system

     So here are some pictures from my aquaponic system. I am still waiting for the Nitrogen Cycle to complete itself, but after testing the water each day, looking at: Temperature, Salinity, pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate levels, I am documenting a noticeable difference in the Nitrite levels. There is also a rise in Nitrate levels, due to the fact that I used a few gallons of water from my Dad's pond (established for over five years) and cycled that through my system. I read a piece an kick starting the bacteria needed for Nitrite growth by adding water from an already established pond or aquaponic system. By doing so you introduce all the parts needed for a full cycle. This does not mean that the next day, walla! You have a completely cycled aquaponic system producing at 110%!!! It does however provide a foundation for the correct bacteria to grow, and that is a great starting point!

 

 

New Egg Layers!

I am proud to say that the first egg has been laid by our batch of four month old chickens!!! I have included an egg laid by our adult chickens for comparison.

The Need for Water Checks and Filters

     Being one who likes to jump head first into a project, how could I treat my Sustainable Living Project any different!? While working on my Aquaponic System I quickly found out I need to add a filter and use a water test kit. I realized this of coarse when the water got really cloudy and my fish started looking stressed. I didn't help the situation by adding fish food to the tank to help  kick start the Nitrogen Cycle, which makes this whole process work. Here are the changes I made to balance my Aquaponic System, but first let me just say that although I need to make adjustments to  the system my vegetables are growing at an extrordinary rate!  An Aquaponic System is a great way to grow vegetables and fish at the same time!
   
     The first change I made was adding a filter to the system. In my Aquaponic System I am using a flood and drain method in two 3'x3'x 5" grow beds filled with expanded clay to grow my vegetables. This in itself acts as a biological filter, but that does not filter out all the smaller, fine particals that will flow back to the stock tank. This adds to the buildup of toxic chemicals, and will stress or kill your fish. I did not buy a filter from the store. I took a one galon water bottle and cut off the top. Then I filled the bottle with gravel on the bottom expanded clay in the middle, and peet moss on top. I took the drain tubes from the grow beds and positioned then so that the draining water flows through my filter. With holes in the bottom, I had a successfull filter, and it went right to work! After only a few hours the water visiblity increased greatly. By morning the water was clear.
  
      The second and equally important change I made was testing the chemical levels in my water. I went to our local fish store, Tats, and bought a test kit that tests for, pH, Ammonia, Nitrites, and Nitrates. (Sound familiar...it should! three out of the four chemicals tested are parts of the Nitrogen Cycle!) I tested my water and found that the Ammonia level was at 4.0 ppm. Anything over 1.0 is bad for your fish, so 4.0 ppm is EXTREMELY bad for the fish! I immeadiately did a 50 percent water change and when I checked the Ammonia level in the morning it was just barely above 1.0 ppm. The water is now clear and the fish look very happy.

        Overall here is what you should take away from this posting:

1. There should ALWAYS be a filter somewhere in your system.
2. Get a water test kit and learn it, use it, make it your best friend. Also take diligent notes. When you ask for help, handing someone a detailed notebook on the chemical water levels in your Aquaponic System is a great start!
3. The Nitrogen Cycle does not take much to get started! Do not underestimate the power of Mother Nature. You can create a large amount of ammonia with just a few feeder fish and some fish food! Large amounts of ammonia will kill your fish!
4. Be proactive with your Aquaponic System. Take a few minuets each day to check and make sure your system is running optimally. Don't let what would be tiny adjustments turn into full blown problems that require immediate responses. 

       Remember using your Aquaponic System is supposed to be fun, as well as a fantastic way to grow your food! I am quickly moving from a hobby in Aquaponics to a full obsession. My entire life I have been working in fish tanks and ponds helping my Dad, creating different habitats for amphibious life, and marine life. Many times using the Nitrogen Cycle as our biological filter. I remember saying "Dad i don't want change out any more water!..." among many other complaints, but now I find myself recalling these memories in the pursuit of perfecting my Aquaponic System. I am greatful for my lessons, but believe me when I say there is always something new to learn! There are countless ways to create and use Aquaponic Systems, so go out and start your own!

My aquaponic system is working with just $20 of feeder fish!

      I plan on showing you how little fish effluent it takes to make your veggies grow.  First lets recap on how the aquaponic system works. The water that the fish are contained in, either tanks or ponds, is pumped to your vegetables. The nutrients in the water, provided by the fish (and fish food) is absorbed by the plants; the filtered water then drains or is pumped back to the fish. This system works because of the Nitrogen Cycle; it is never ending as long as there are fish and foliage.
     While waiting for a batch of new trout I had a tray of seedlings that were ready to be transplanted. I decided to move the plants to the aquaponic system and use feeder fish to run the cycle. I went out and bought twenty dollars worth of feeder fish and put them in my 320 gallon stock tank. Within three days I had serious results!
     The seedlings have been in 2 3x3 grow beds for 3 days and there is about an 1 1/2 in. growth. I am growing different pepper plants, squash, beans, chives and tomatoes.

     Here you can see the bean and pea plants.  Once we transplanted them to the aquaponic system they just took off!

 

    Check out these peppers. Three days ago the leaves were just barely out of the rockwool cubes. Now they are sprouting new leave!

 

   
     These squash plants are doing really well!. One of them was damaged in the move, but after a little extra attention I'm happy to say it has plenty of new growth!

 

  
     Here are the feeder fish enjoying a little lunch.

 

    
     Once I have my aquaponic system stocked with trout or talapia, there will be even more growth. But as you can see, even a few fish can produce enough nutrients for your vegetables. This is a fantastic method to feed yourself and those around you. There is no need for crop rotation or rest period for soil. Once your crop is ready to eat you can pull your plants and plant a new crop in the same day. The best part about using an aquaponic system is that everything you grow is healthy food!There are no chemical additives, there is no processed this, and partially hydrogenated that; this is all natural. Remember you are what you eat!

O the lady at the Pet Store!

     So i went to go get a bunch of feeder fish at the pet store. I had wait around for ten minuets  while the attendant was off doing something, somewhere. When the lady eventually arrived and asked my how many fish I wanted I said, " A Lot!" She then began to pull the fish out two at a time, many times letting one slip out of the net. Fifteen minuets later she stepped away for a minuet and I took my chance! I grabbed the net and got elbow deep in that tank! By the time the employee came back I had filled here little side tank. With a big smile on my face I said sincerely, "Thank you, I appreciate your help very much!" She stood there for a minuet watching me, probably making sure her boss did not see me arm deep in the fish tank. I think she realized she better do something instead of watch a customer netting his own fish, because she starting bagging and counting all the fish I caught!
   During our dynamite duo, fish bagging operation, the employee asked, "So what are all these fish for!?" This is what I was waiting for! I began to talk about my aquaponics system and how fish waste is turns into plant food for my veggies, and by using my aquaponics system I could supplement my groceries and lower my grocery bills. I explained I was waiting to get more stocked trout from a dealer and needed to use other fish for the time being. I must not have explained my methods clearly enough cause she looked at me and said "Well you know these fish produce a lot of acid." I looked blankly back at her and said, "You mean ammonia." There was an odd silence as we stared at each other wondering what the other was talking about.
    After a little more explaining to this employee about aquaponics, I had a new best friend. She walked me up to the register firing questions left and right. When I arrived at the counter to pay, the employee ringing me up jumped into the conversation too. She started with the same blank look the first employee gave me when I told her what I was doing. Regardless, I ended up talking with these nice women for another 10 minuets.
   As I walked to my car I could hear them saying to each other "So he uses fish poop water to grow his veggies!..." I left with a big smile on my face. Those two ladies may not of understood entirely what I was talking about, but they got the jist of it and that's alright with me. These women probably are not going to get off work and start building sustainable habitats in their backyard. I did however plant ideas of sustainable living that can be carried and spread to others, and that is how it starts. What is most important is getting the ideas out to the people. There is power in numbers, and even if it is one person at a time we can change the world...and hey, you never know when you will get the opportunity to spread some knowledge, it could be a your local pet store.

              

Introduction

      It is time to make some changes! We as a community need to evaluate the way we live and consume goods on an industrial scale. We need to start living more efficiently.  I have always been interested in being environmentally conscience. Growing up I was involved in Boy Scouts and actively participated in environmental projects aimed at bettering our local community. Like any normal person I recycle at home and go on the occasional "trash run" around town, telling myself that I am helping Mother Earth. It wasn't until I chose to do a school project on sustainable living and got some facts on Industrial Agriculture that I realized I had only seen the tip of the ice-burg when it comes to the environmental problems our world faces. I bought books on sustainable living. I found ways to continue my new found interest in being environmentally conscience through my college classes. Whenever there is a class project I find a way to incorporate my environmental interests and present them to my class. (Subsequently this has been quite beneficial to my overall grades. When you feel strongly about an idea you give your best work!) After presenting numerous projects and getting an occasional student who seemed sincerely interested I decided I need to be more hands on if I'm to make a noticeable difference in improving our environment. I started doing projects around my parents house. This turned into me setting up sustainable living designs for others. I encourage friends to do projects at their house's; I started this blog.

   

      So what are these projects, you might ask. Well, let me tell you about what I have been working on! Although my imagination swirls with ideas I have focused my efforts on three different methods of sustainable living: Aquaponics, grey-water irrigation, and animal husbandry. (More specifically chickens.) Lets talk about each method more specifically.

      Aquaponics- combining fish and hydroponics to form a symbiotic system that provides an almost endless supply of vegetable and fish produce. This process works because of the Nitrogen Cycle. fish food and fish waste breaks down into Ammonia, the Ammonia is converted into Nitrites. Nitrites are broken down into Nitrates, which the plants can then use for food. Here is a great example of the Nitrogen Cycle from www.backyardaquaponics.com

                                    The Nitrogen Cycle

      You may once again ask yourself, OK well i get you mix fish waste and plants to get food, but what does it look like, and how does the process start? There are a few different types of aquaponics systems that are favored today but they all start with a fish stock pond. The fish water is pumped to the vegetables through different means. Deep Water Culture Method- when the plant roots sit and grow submerged in water. Constant flow Method- the water is constantly pumped over the plant roots. Flood and Drain or Ebb and Flow Method- filling the bed with water and letting it drain. I am using the Flood and Drain Method.

   

      Animal Husbandry-  breeding, and feeding of domestic animals and farm animals. My focus is on chickens. For many years now my family and I have been raising chickens. It is easy to do, cost effective, and quite entertaining! The chickens themselves are a great source of protein, not to mention each chicken, once started, can lay over 300 eggs a year! If that's not enough chickens are fantastic at keeping bugs and insects under control in your garden and backyard.

 

     Grey-Water Irrigation-   Using the water draining from your washer machine, sinks, showers to irrigate your non edible greenery.

(Photos soon coming!)

     Really there are countless ways to be environmentally conscience its just up to your imagination. I have chosen to research these methods first because I have experience in building each design I discussed. I will be exploring other methods of sustainable living and self sufficiency. I encourage others to ask questions and participate. Through our actions we can inspire others to get involved. We can make a difference in our community; in our world and it starts now!

             

         -Josh Ball