Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hey TCLynx!


That is really something! You don't even imagine how happy and amazed I am to hear that somebody agrees with me! I am rather used to encounter strong resistance!
Let me add here, that I still care how things are manufactured. But as a matter of consequences, I can't focus on that part of chemical fertilizers and condemn them because of the way they're manufactured. We're part of all what's going on - as J. Krishnamurti pointed out about the tendency of people to dissociate themselves from parts of society and the "system" they don't like or approve. "You are society and society is you".... It's just to easy to blame and condemn and completely negate that you are actually and always a part of it (in fact a part of everything, wether you like it or not).

Thanks for pointing out about the rather ignorant way of cultivation that was coming up with the industrial age and is unfortunately still lasting. I left that part out, because I didn't want to overdo that posting even more. But in this context, one has to add that the whole cycle of over-fertilization and mainly deployment of aggressive pesticides went along with excessive monoculture of selective crops. Crops that weren't particularly resistant or robust, but rather prolific and mainly profitable. This tendency (that is still going on) again was the consequence of extremely high demand of particular products, that were linked to demographic expansion and upcoming lifestyle. No excuses here, just a better exposure of the bigger picture! Still, the reason for this sad evolvement could also be reduced to ignorance, irresponsibility and greed.

I'll get back to the problematic of waste nutrient solution (vs.. recycling) with hydroponics in a next post, - which is effectively an issue, and obviously something that I am concerned about.

Just briefly about "disposal" of nutrient solutions, as this is an auxiliary topic that doesn't really concern AP:

1. What I explained earlier about chemical fertilizer applies to nutrient solutions as well: it isn't something toxic or fancy or bad. If it goes unusable for the proper use, because of changing PH (either high or low) or being unbalanced, unlike with AP - it needs to get replaced, though.

2. But disposal doesn't always mean to flush it down the toilet, or drain it in a river. Diluted 50/50 with water it can be used as fertilizer for almost any plants (especially for pot culture). It could also be improved (stocked up with some ingredients) and reused as some adequate fertilizer for specific cultures.

3. A very pragmatical and effective solution (that I partially use myself) is to plant a evergreen hedgerow and feed it with used nutrient solution. Some species are very robust and omnivorous. They develop a very dense root system and can actually take and recycle a lot of crap.

4. I am also growing bushes and "nursery trees" with hydroponics, as iranian mountain figs, neem, (Azadirachta), moringa, etc. These bushes (and baby trees) can deal with almost any PH and nutrient composition. And hence, one can use these "qualities" to feed them with second hand nutrients.

All very true... and valid points Lucas...

But within the context of commercial aquaculture and hydroponic operations... the volume quantities are large... and either disposed of (unscruptuously) down drains, into rivers.... or used to irrigate crops or pasture....

The latter causes significant problems with runoff with period s of high rainfall...

To the extent that here in Australia... volume quantities are limited on a daily basis... and banned during rain events and for several days after...

Backyard/small scale operations are neither regulated or of as significant in terms of volume...

But again... constant incorrect disposal... will ultimately peek the interest of environmental authorities...

Right, I perhaps tend to describe things to much from my own point of view (which is an instinct somehow) and hence idealize a bit. Of course, if there is big BUSINESS, there is always some sort of unscrupulous behavior. There is a french author who said: "if there is a big fortune, there always is a big crime behind it!". Not that I tend to generalize, but behind any generalization is always some truth. But with downsides of hydroponic business, you can again reduce it to human behavior as in "ignorance, irresponsibility and greed". Actually, for every questionable or nasty thing that's going on in this world, it's the human race itself that is overrated, - the method, the media, the discipline or whatever may be involved is actually neutral. Well, perhaps except a few things that are basically evil by there very nature - and yet, not possible without human intervention

Still, unlike overdoing fertilization with conventional farming, with hydroponics you have a closed system and are actually able to control your nutrient solution as you wish. As you have your "waste" in reservoirs from the start, you have full control and indeed have every possible option. You could even use evaporation and separate HO2 from solids.

Unfortunately there has been little efforts to fully explore the possibilities of recycling here. I have spend quite a time to investigate about what has been done already and unfortunately haven't found anything concrete.

No doubt, and it goes without much saying that AP is the more ecological and more evolved method of growing here. And still, one shouldn't deny the heritage here (from hydroponics) and last but not least the fact that any method of breeding, planting and growing isn't actually natural.
It is strictly impossible to humans to grow anything "naturally". Simply because it's not about evolution or whatever is in the sense of the bigger picture that mother nature strictly follows, - but to provide FOOD! To provide enough food for yourself and your kin, you have to be selfish, use kin selection and even worse. If you want to grow something naturally, - just sit down somewhere in nature and watch