New way to use chicken manure in hydroponics

[PrettyBeaks]

So cool! What kind of supplements?

Small amounts of Calcium, magnesium, potassium and iron.

 

[Nigel27]

W

Small amounts of Calcium, magnesium, potassium and iron.

What diet were the chickens on? I was thinking about adding whole clamshells to my system because of their water clearing abilities. I wonder if this would be enough calcium?

 

[PrettyBeaks]

W

What diet were the chickens on? I was thinking about adding whole clamshells to my system because of their water clearing abilities. I wonder if this would be enough calcium?

Let me be clear, the nutrients I referenced are supplemented in the hydroponic system, and NOT the chicken's feed.

My chickens receive a pre-processed chicken feed, however, they eat very little of it because they prefer to forage for food in my compost pile. As a treat, I give them tuna mixed with dry, crunched-up Ramen noodles. They love the extra protein and carbs.

 

[CovidtimeQuail]

Most important question: How does this liquid smell? Would an average backyard be able to do this without becoming shunned by the neighbors? I like the idea, but I haven't yet found a way to do this discreetly.

 

[PrettyBeaks]

Most important question: How does this liquid smell? Would an average backyard be able to do this without becoming shunned by the neighbors? I like the idea, but I haven't yet found a way to do this discreetly.

If your concern is manure smell, you shouldn't be concerned. By pumping air into the bio-reactor, you are creating aerobic bacteria. This is in contrast to anaerobic bacteria; the type you would find in a smelly septic tank/system.

When functioning properly, the system has a slight odor that reminds me of when I was a child and I would swim in freshwater lakes and ponds. Those bodies of water function in much the same way as the bio-reactor, therefore possessing a similar smell. A funky odor from the bio-reactor is actually an indication that something is going wrong.

 

[irish44395]

I know this is a old post and wondering if there is any updates? I am going to build myself a small system to give this idea a go. I am doing well with my current system but I am cheep and if I can stop buying nutrients would make me happy I would do the fish thing but they have to be feed too I have chickens so the cost wouldn't be any more because I feed my chickens any ways

 

[CovidtimeQuail]

Skip anything with these "filtering" systems and just go straight to composting with a revolving composter. You can overfill the composter with water and catch the liquid under the system. Use this to water your plants. Dealing with pipes and aeration and yada yada is a real pain. Especially because you don't even need to do it.

 

[irish44395]

Skip anything with these "filtering" systems and just go straight to composting with a revolving composter. You can overfill the composter with water and catch the liquid under the system. Use this to water your plants. Dealing with pipes and aeration and yada yada is a real pain. Especially because you don't even need to do it.

I under stand where your coming from but I like growing my tomato's and peppers by hydroponic. its a whole different way of growing and where I live in florida I like the taste of hydro tomato"s and peppers

 

[CovidtimeQuail]

I under stand where your coming from but I like growing my tomato's and peppers by hydroponic. its a whole different way of growing and where I live in florida I like the taste of hydro tomato"s and peppers

I have aquaponics. If you're already doing hydroponic, you can probably just add the manure to the system water in reasonable amounts. Wet manure wasn't quite as stinky as I had originally worried. I add diluted manure directly to my tomato plant and it's perfectly happy with it.

 

[irish44395]

I have aquaponics. If you're already doing hydroponic, you can probably just add the manure to the system water in reasonable amounts. Wet manure wasn't quite as stinky as I had originally worried. I add diluted manure directly to my tomato plant and it's perfectly happy with it.

I would like to be able to control the amount of nutrients and I am a little worried about bacteria