Aquaponics

[CertifiedChaser]

Didn't know cold water holds more oxygen. That's a great bit of info to know. Thanks for the help! As I started the season late I had to go out and catch my own fish so I don't have all that many (two to be exact, lol). Hoping to get some tilapia or bluegill next year but those are hard to find and expensive to deliver.

 

[politicalcenter]

I like Koi and I am very particular when I buy them. They gain in value quickly and they are so pretty. I also catch bluegill and catfish and throw my leftover minnows in. When it gets cool I quit feeding and if they get hungry they can feed on the minnows. If you try to feed and the fish won't consume the feed it will foul the water quickly.

 

[CertifiedChaser]

I like Koi and I am very particular when I buy them. They gain in value quickly and they are so pretty. I also catch bluegill and catfish and throw my leftover minnows in. When it gets cool I quit feeding and if they get hungry they can feed on the minnows. If you try to feed and the fish won't consume the feed it will foul the water quickly.

I also admire koi. A bit too expensive for me since I don't plan on raising them for sale but definitely a cool fish. I wanted a similar system to yours with bluegill and cats with minnows I've raised myself but I've read that minnows require very specific conditions to thrive. As for the bluegill and cats I'm a newbie to fishing as well, only ever went with my dad as a kid and didn't pay much attention. Never picked up a rod again till this year. Like learning how to walk all over again. Catfish have been easy to find but bluegill I have no luck with. That's why I've been looking to buy some or tilapia.

 

[politicalcenter]

I also admire koi. A bit too expensive for me since I don't plan on raising them for sale but definitely a cool fish. I wanted a similar system to yours with bluegill and cats with minnows I've raised myself but I've read that minnows require very specific conditions to thrive. As for the bluegill and cats I'm a newbie to fishing as well, only ever went with my dad as a kid and didn't pay much attention. Never picked up a rod again till this year. Like learning how to walk all over again. Catfish have been easy to find but bluegill I have no luck with. That's why I've been looking to buy some or tilapia.

I don't sell the Koi. I just look at them. If you buy small ones with potential they don't cost that much. The problem with Tilapia is the fact they need warm water. I don't risk it here in Bama. I don't do aquaponics either. I am trying a variation of the Mittleider garden method. I get horse manure and sawdust for free and so far it is working pretty well.

 

[CertifiedChaser]

I figured if I bought a tank heater and maybe put a greenhouse around the tank the cold may not be a problem. But since I went with native fish I'm not even worried. I've heard of the mittleider method but I don't know anything about it. Will definitely have to read up on it when I'm not so exhausted. but from the sound of it it involves horse manure and I don't have any of that laying around.

 

[politicalcenter]

...

I figured if I bought a tank heater and maybe put a greenhouse around the tank the cold may not be a problem. But since I went with native fish I'm not even worried. I've heard of the mittleider method but I don't know anything about it. Will definitely have to read up on it when I'm not so exhausted. but from the sound of it it involves horse manure and I don't have any of that laying around.[/quote. The mittleider method in its pure form is composed of 75% sand 25% sawdust and fertilizer. The horse manure is a variation of the method. My soil is rock and hard clay. I just built beds over my garden 5 1\2 inches high and fill them with composted manure and sawdust. I added some ammonium nitrate to feed the plants while the sawdust continues to decompose. The sawdust holds water real well and when it finishes it will be good garden soil. It grows cucumber and broccoli real well now. My hollyhocks and squash also look good. Mittleider gardening is like aquaponics without the pond. But all my container plants and my planters are watered from my pond. This gives the plants nutrient rich pond water and gives the fish water changes.

 

[politicalcenter]

Messed up post....sorry.

 

[DesertChic]

So I just started aquaponics this year and I've been doing it for a couple months now. Haven't read through this entire thread yet so forgive me if this question has been discussed but do you leave your pumps running through winter? I live in central Oklahoma and it can get below freezing pretty quickly here and I'm wondering if the pump will be fine.

I started aquaponics this past January. My setup is indoors because our intense AZ summers are so hard on plants, and because my chickens would devour everything I grow if I placed the setup outside. We only have one sump pump that I run constantly, and one air pump that also runs continuously. We started with 15 fingerling Tilapia in January, harvested our first two fish in August, and currently have over 45 Tilapia of various ages and sizes living harmoniously together in one big tank. We're about to harvest two more since one of them is about 18 inches long and about 3 inches thick.

So far we've only successfully grown cucumbers, mint, sage, and now peppers. Our tomato plant grew to nearly 20 feet long and produced lots of blossoms, but no fruit. I was told by a local expert that tomato plants are extremely hard to grow in AP because they need phosphorous, and that's really hard to get into the system.

 

[CertifiedChaser]

I started aquaponics this past January. My setup is indoors because our intense AZ summers are so hard on plants, and because my chickens would devour everything I grow if I placed the setup outside. We only have one sump pump that I run constantly, and one air pump that also runs continuously. We started with 15 fingerling Tilapia in January, harvested our first two fish in August, and currently have over 45 Tilapia of various ages and sizes living harmoniously together in one big tank. We're about to harvest two more since one of them is about 18 inches long and about 3 inches thick.

So far we've only successfully grown cucumbers, mint, sage, and now peppers. Our tomato plant grew to nearly 20 feet long and produced lots of blossoms, but no fruit. I was told by a local expert that tomato plants are extremely hard to grow in AP because they need phosphorous, and that's really hard to get into the system. 

Where did you find your fish if you don't mind my asking? I know there are delivery services available but I don't know how much they cost and I imagine it's expensive to deliver fish from out of state. I had imagined tilapia producing more rapidly and growing very quickly but I guess they aren't the "miracle" fish I envisioned. Still probably faster than anything else. I had hoped to raise enough for at least a filet or two a week.

I haven't had enough fish to produce anything yet and I had a late start so next year I hope to grow some beans and greens and a few other things. Hopefully some peppers. Have the plants produced a lot or is it about the same as growing in soil? And my tomatoes were butchered by hornworms but I just chopped up the worms and threw em in the tank. Still got one plant growing but I'm new to gardening as well and tomatoes are probably about out of season if not already. Thanks for the tip on phosphorous and tomatoes though! Will definitely just stick with soil next year for them and use the space for other plants.

Also how often and what do you feed your fish? I usually toss a few mealworms or beetles in every other day or the occasional slug, fly, or whatever I can find but I feel like I should be feeding more and more often.

 

[CertifiedChaser]

...

I figured if I bought a tank heater and maybe put a greenhouse around the tank the cold may not be a problem. But since I went with native fish I'm not even worried. I've heard of the mittleider method but I don't know anything about it. Will definitely have to read up on it when I'm not so exhausted. but from the sound of it it involves horse manure and I don't have any of that laying around.[/quote. The mittleider method in its pure form is composed of 75% sand 25% sawdust and fertilizer. The horse manure is a variation of the method. My soil is rock and hard clay. I just built beds over my garden 5 1\2 inches high and fill them with composted manure and sawdust. I added some ammonium nitrate to feed the plants while the sawdust continues to decompose. The sawdust holds water real well and when it finishes it will be good garden soil. It grows cucumber and broccoli real well now. My hollyhocks and squash also look good. Mittleider gardening is like aquaponics without the pond. But all my container plants and my planters are watered from my pond. This gives the plants nutrient rich pond water and gives the fish water changes.

Messed up post....sorry.

It's good. Sounds like an interesting method and I remember someone telling me about it a few months ago before I started my aquaponics. I wish I could do some raised gardens but my back gets a lot of shade and I plan on building some rabbit hutches/runs a pigeon coop and then fixing up my koi pond and building a fire pit next year so won't be much room for any beds. How big is your pond by the way? Sounds like it would have to be pretty good sized to water so many plants.