Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

1. We have had some discussions here about cycling an AP system before fish are put in - by addition of ammonia artificially. The should result in a nitrosomonos population establishing (converting ammonia to nitrite) and then a nitrobacter population establishing to convert the nitrite to Nitrate. Could urine be used as the source of this ammonia. Provided a person is not carrying any sort of urinary infection (which I doubt would stay in a system anyway, urine would be very sterile and is obviously organic. I personally am established so do not need to pre-cycle a system, but it might assist others.

2. Can urine be used to add additional nutes at times where this is needed (ie ammonia in urine converts to nitrite which converts to nitrate).

3. Would there be other useful things in the urine that may be deficient in an AP system - like potasium and iron.

4. On the down side - could this add bad stuff to the system like heavy metals that may have been in stuff consumed.

This could be handy - it could save me a walk every so-often when the trickling sound of my pump by-pass gets too much for me.

Hey VB:
I have been wondering about this too - I wonder if you could run a system on nothing but urine, even. Urineponics!!!

I did pee in a cup several times and put it into my system to try to help it cycle last summer. With my new system I guess I could do this again for fun and profit.

In India some people consider urine as a "food". Bizarre but it is interesting to know that urine is quite safe compared to poo which is where toxins etc come out.

http://www.rotten.com/library/medicine/ ... nking-pee/
http://www.indiangyan.com/books/therapy ... ndex.shtml

From what little I have read, urine contains basically the salts and minerals and other things your body doesn't need at the time, and nothing else to worry about, so it would be a good fit to make a use for them in an AP-like system.

isn't the majority of the nitrogen in human urine urea not ammonia?

I think urea is like a double ammonia biologically - it's a reducing form of nitrogen.

Okay then - this is one for you smarties to find out - will urea be converted to nitrite by nitrosomonos?

or would they just climb out the tank muttering and go and have a shower ??????

LOL Good one, Roz !

Hi,

The microbiological processes that occur in an aquaponics system are virtually the same as those that happen in a wastewater treatment plant.

Since there's plenty of urine in a sewage treatment facility, I can see no microbiological reason why it wouldn't serve to kickstart a system.

In a healthy person, urine is sterile.......the caveat being a healthy person.

Periodically, I clear blockages in my system by blowing air down the feeder lines......so I won't be peeing in my tank.....or clearing the blockages in any of yours.

Gary

I've been wondering about the same thing but didn't want to ask. It would contain a little bit of potassium, there shouldn't be any heavy metals or anything that is really toxic in the small does that 1 person would provide. But I dont think you should invite all of the boys around for a few beers. I thought I would give it a go for the team when I start up my system but I cant tell my wife otherwise she wont eat any of the fish or vegies!

I have 2 perfectly functional toilets in my house and see no reason why they should not be put to the use to which they were designed for - I purchased tanks for the fish and have grow beds for the veggies, see no reason or benefit in transvestiting(?)

You are a wuss Les. Admit it old man, you just don't like the thought of standing at the tank for 30 minutes trying to pee

stage fright!!

Urea has the chemical formula CON2H4 or (NH2)2CO

Info i've found suggests that "our" bacterias won't covert urea.

interesting info though: urea + water in the presence of the enzyme urease = carbon dioxide + ammonia.

Personally, i'll pee on the lemon tree as its soil based and "open loop"
I'll leave the aquatic chemical process as it is, there's enough to worry about and lean with out introducing urine for me.

But feel free to experiment

There was some suggestion on the permie gorup that pee left to sit in a bottle will turn into ammonia. Might give it a go and do an ammonia test.