Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I read about this product the other day, and was immediately intrigued. I didn't know such a product even existed. Unfortunately this is not available in Canada anywhere and they can't ship it to me either.

So I'm curious if there is any other products similar to this that would be available to me in Canada. And if not, what is a very simple combination of things I can use to keep my fish healthy while also insuring my plants are getting everything they need. Is it possible to just feed a quality pellet food and add seaweed in once in a week? What about making my own feed?

I want to use Goldfish (the cheap kind from pet store), maybe a single Pleco to keep the tank clean from algae, and I'll be growing cannabis indoors. I feel like I've got every other part of my system figured out, I'm just unsure what is the simplest-yet-good method of inputs to the system.

Cheers and thanks for reading.

Growing 420 with goldfish as the primary nutrient source will not work well. At the very least you need to be using fish that can consume a good quality feed, such as Skretting (feeding Skretting to goldies will see them go the way of Elvis), and even then it's not ideal, you would still need to supplement with K, Ca, Mg etc to achieve good bud development and yield. Most successful growers are using dual root zone aquaponic system, so they can add these supplements. There is a good group on Facebook by Steve Dread specifically about growing in DRZ systems. Off the top of my head I think it's called Aquaponic Cannabis Growers

_________________
Mr Damage - a.k.a: Yabbies
Owner at Perth Aquaponics - Aquaponic Consultant & Trainer
Trade certified Horticulturist & Cert IV TAE

What fish would give me the simplest amount of inputs?

Would you be able to give me a crash course on what you mean by dual root zone?

Also, what is a simple way to provide those supplements you mentioned? Can I just grab any water soluable powder that contains those elements in it and add that in small doses to my system?

For where you are, I'd think Trout would probably be your best option. They are voracious eaters, so on a good quality feed, such as Skretting, you will get plenty of nutrients.

Just be aware though, that over time the nutrient profile in most aquaponic systems, even running as per the above scenario, will tend towards high Nitrogen in ratio to other elements, which is not ideal for the budding stage of the 420 plant.

DRZ growing entails having two layers in the pot or grow bed. The lower level, which usually contains expanded clay or similar as the growing media, comes in contact with the water from the aquaponic system. There is then a layer of geo cloth, hessian, or similar, with a layer of organic growing media above it. The organic media layer is watered from the top at regular intervals, but not enough that it saturates and drains down through to the aquaponic layer. Any required additives, ie: Potassium, Phosphorous, Magnesium etc are watered into the top layer.

While I have researched DRZ and watch along with interest on FB etc, I have never practiced it, so your best bet for more info would be to follow the FB page mentioned in my first post.

Cheers!

_________________
Mr Damage - a.k.a: Yabbies
Owner at Perth Aquaponics - Aquaponic Consultant & Trainer
Trade certified Horticulturist & Cert IV TAE

Brilliant. Thank you!

Very neat idea with the dual layering.