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My first aquaponics system. Need some help!
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Author:  ponico [ Apr 8th, '19, 00:30 ]
Post subject:  My first aquaponics system. Need some help!

Hello board members!
I'm about to build my first aquaponics system which will be a simple flood and drain system.
I've read that I should keep the ratio between the growbeds and the fishtank to 1:1, but I don't want to buy a new fish tank every time I want to upgrade my system by adding a growbed. So what I'm wondering is: Could I buy, let's say, a fish tank that is double the volume of the growbed container but just fill the half of it with water to keep the 1:1 ratio? Then at a later time if I want to add a same size growbed, I just fill the fish tank all the way up and it will still keep 1:1 ratio?
Or is it really about the containers having the same volume for some reason?

Author:  arbe [ Apr 8th, '19, 06:21 ]
Post subject:  Re: My first aquaponics system. Need some help!

The fish tank to growbed ratio is a guide/suggestion.

You can start with a much larger tank and even fill it completely. You could even have a smaller tank than your growbeds.

The first system that I built had a 5000 litre fish tank and only 1500 litres of growbed. Still worked well.

Author:  Terra [ Apr 8th, '19, 15:36 ]
Post subject:  Re: My first aquaponics system. Need some help!

Remember to base your fish numbers on your filtration (Wet Gravel in your grow beds) capacity .

Generally accepted as a guide that 1 plate sized fish needs at least 20 Litres of wet gravel

More fish wont necessarily make your system more productive

Too much nitrate will create problems with your plants

Start a thread in the members section for your systems progress

We love photos

Have fun.

Author:  dlf_perth [ Apr 13th, '19, 12:16 ]
Post subject:  Re: My first aquaponics system. Need some help!

> Could I buy, let's say, a fish tank that is double the volume of the growbed container but just fill the half of it with water to keep the 1:1 ratio? Then at a later time if I want to add a same size growbed, I just fill the fish tank all the way up and it will still keep 1:1 ratio?
Or is it really about the containers having the same volume for some reason?

those types of quotes assume people are filling the fish tank to capacity.
as the guys have basically said - it is actually the number and size fish that matters to the ration (kg/pounds fish to volume of media)

buy whatever you like as the water volume makes very little difference. Fill it all the way.
just keep the *number of fish* to a reasonable level for your gravel bed filter.
If your levels start to build then you have too many fish and need more gravel.

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