Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I did better than the pump. Bicycle power is quite possible. My system currently uses 111Whour ( 103Wh pump + 8 Wh airration) If I had a new energy efficient pump it could be lowered to under 40Wh. Thats a very good number for a system of this size.

In fact by lovering lifting height to the minimum the energy usage could be reduced even more.

An ultra sustainable AP system as I imagine it would be:

- Floating raft system with minimum lifting heights, less than 25cm for the complete system. = effective pump energy usage
- Constant height in FT and also in SUMP with automatic evaporation water replacement via float swich. = effective pump energy usage
- Use air lifting pump instead pump and FT airration. = this probably doesnt result less power but gives a perfectly airrated water to the FT.

I have the design in my mind and did most of the maths too, some day soon I might come forward with the desing.

Hungry for more news?

I got an offer last week that worth to think of:



size: 240 m2
orientation: perfect (east to west)
rent: free of charge
AP designed: 2*12m3 FT + 2*25m2 floating raft + 2*4m3 filtration = 60 000 l system: wave1:

invest: The polytunnel needs at least an seccond foil layer and two decent ends for winter operation. And still than ist not gona be hot inside.
market: Local market of organic products is weak, no one knows aquaponics, catering industry dont pay organic products.

It looks like I will not start a commercial business right away. Im quite sure I could handle this technicaly. The problem is I dont know if there is enough market potential in it.

So I desided to design everithing, do the investment calculation, and the market research, and try to find some investors.

restuarants could be an option for your market..

Sorry, I ment restaurants under catering industry.

Testing the greenhouse:

As colder nights kicked in the system water tends to cool down more by night.
Here is the temps for the last 24 hours:


As you can see the temp fell down to under 10C for about 4+ hours tonight.

I closed the green house door and window around 6 pm.
Air temp outside 18C.
Air temp GH: 20C
Water temp: 19C

Today morning I went out to check the GH befor 8am, the sun was still too low to penetrate into the GH, so I could get see how it dit during the night.

Air temp outside: 13C
Air temp GH: 17,5C
Water temp: 18,5C

Big step up to commercial growing, is it near things? main road, big town perhaps? This may help perhaps with adding something more to revenue streams having groups come and look, schools for educational visits, do up a couple of big boards showing the basics of how AP works.

Fishing time yesterday!

I netted some fish to measure them. The little ones are ~60 gr , averages ~90 gr, the big ones ~110-120 gr.

zsazsa,
Could you elaborate more on how you captured,monitored and graphed temperatures.
Sensors, recorders, graphing hardware and software?

Its clear by now that With this film I wont be nominated fot the best picture award on the oscar, but i get better and better each time!




Bob H@ I read and record data manualy and get some data form a local weather page that collects amatue weather enthusiasts http://idokep.hu. I dont have a wetaher station to record everithing because the factory recorders dont fit the task.

A dream weather station form me would record:
airtemp. outside
airtemp inside
system water temp.
thermal mass water temp.
humidity inside
humiditry outside
window open status
door open status
sunlight

I need to build my own, untill than i do these by hand

Thanks zsazsa,

Great looking greenhouse. Starting to look like a jungle with those tomato plants!

How do you measure sunlight?

Do you use Microsoft Excel for graphing?

Sorry for all the questions. I'm thinking of trying to make my own data logger. It will be a slow process because I'm learning as I go.

If you are a handy man you can buy all build it yourself, or you can by pre-assembled as well.

For light measurement search for: "light to frequency converter" http://www.google.com/#hl=en&cp=28&gs_id=5&xhr=t&q=light+to+frequency+converter&fp=1

The easiest was is to use an old computer as a datalogger and arm it with sensors. Thats flexible and cheap. With a computer, its not just logging, but you have the power to controll as well (wentillation, heating, artiffical light, shading, etc). The downside is that your logger will use more power than your system.

If you just want to monitor, you need a "data logger". That does the role of your old computer, use little power, and needs minimal supervision. In exchange its more expensive

Thanks for the tip. I do have an old PC. I just have to move it out to the shop and future greenhouse.

Szia Zsazsa, have just read through your log and what a great set up. Really look forward to how the greenhouse performs over the year, you think it will let you keep growing all year? You get pretty cold winters don't you?

Am looking to move to eastern Slovenia in a couple of years, so will no doubt be picking your brains on getting it to work in a similar climate and who knows I might even make it to the next meeting at Balaton!

Tricky@ Zdarvo!

Glad to have you around, feel free to ask, or comment. There is an operating aquaponics system in Slovenia. Molj has his own topic here "My littel aquarium" and dough he is not updating, he is active. Check his topic as well!

Zsazsa

Really enjoyed the video zsazsa. I've got plenty of those cabbage loopers myself. They really seem to like broccoli the best. Your fish and plants are looking good. Cheers.