Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hello all,

I have been lurking around the board for a few weeks trying to read up on aquaponics. I am brand new into aquaponics, or anything similar, so I have lots to learn.

Due to my current living situation all I am able/allowed to set up is an indoor system. Size will be an issue to be sure as it is a very small space. I currently have some fish aquariums and a turtle tank (50 gallon pond, about 40 gallons full) that I am considering making a system out of. I included an attachment of a rough design set up I am thinking of and would love some input/advice. The main structure is already built as is the turtle tank. I will update with measurements and more specifics as I can. I am thinking of trying the flood and drain set up if I can figure it all out. I will be short on my grow bed to tank ratio, but the tanks are not heavily stocked...plus I have no idea how two 10inch or so turtles will change things (lots of solid waste to worry about). Anyway, I hope to be posting a lot more in the time to come.

Anyone around the Athens/Atlanta area doing aquaponics? I searched around a bit and did not have much luck finding anyone. I would love to check out a system as I learn much better by seeing than reading.

Looks like it is going to be a pretty impressive system, I can't wait to see pics of the construction process. Good luck with the build.

Hey
I'm over in Hartwell still working on setting up my system. Home-built greenhouse, 2 - 300 gallon tanks buried, Strawberry towers, NFT pipes, grow bed, etc...
Not much time to work on it as I work too much and am (seems like) never home.

What do you plan on growing for plants?
Whatcha got for pics?

Am I the only one who is wary of keeping turtles in an AP system? I recall when I had a turtle that I had to be careful to wash my hands, as they carry salmonella. Wouldnt this transfer to the plants? (And to you if not washed/cooked properly?

I second the turtle thing on the salmonella. Might want to make the turtle system separate and grow house plants in a bed hooked to the turtle tank.

If the aquarium are lightly stocked then you might not have too much trouble with not having that much bed space. Especially if you already have filtration on the aquariums, the beds will simply be a means of trying to use up the nitrates to reduce the amount of water changes you have to do. Once the beds are well cycled up you might also be able to quit cleaning/replacing the filters and just let the beds take care of all the filtration once it's all balanced.

Biggest challenge with indoor systems is getting enough light to the plants and having enough space but not too much between the lights and the plants. You will want to make the lighting adjustable if it's florescent so that you can keep it as close as possible to the plants without touching the leaves. And trying to grow all the same size stuff under a given light fixture so that you can adjust the light appropriately for all the plants. I only managed this well with lettuce.

FYI

I'm not against the idea of turtle ponics, heck I have a duck-a-ponics system so that the water stays nice for the birds and I don't have to dump and replace it all the time so I save water and grow plants for the birds but I don't want to eat salad grown in a water system containing fresh manure of birds or turtles.

Hey iammr.bill, glad to hear from someone so close to my area. I have not begun any work on this set up so there are no photos to share. I did another small set up first on a single fish tank as it was simpler and had better light. In addition, I have been reworking the design posted above. I will no longer be having the fish tanks and turtles all connected in one system. That was going to be more work than it was worth. I bought a 100 gallon rubbermaid stock tank that I am making into a new and improved turtle habitat. I will be throwing in a few fish as well just for fun that will most likely be eaten by the turtles in short order. I have most of the items needed to make this set up, now I just need to find the time to do it.

Hellbent and TCLynx, thank you for your concern/comments about the salmonella. I too am concerned with the salmonella potential from the turtles. Every thing I have heard so far seems to indicate that it is not drawn up into plants though. The contamination occurs when the water splashes onto the leaves and then does not get washed off. In the case of tomatoes I read an article on how it can be taken into them during the harvest/washing process, but not in the growing process. All and all I am torn on the subject. I know it is not something I really want to mess with, but it seems safe enough from my research. Plus the turtles produce sooooo much waste I would hate to waste it. If anyone knows of or has seen something different about salmonella please do let me know.

I think I will try mainly house plants at first with the system. I may try to plant a moringa plant in there just for fun and maybe my indoor banana plant. Neither of which I will harvest from while in the system, but it may be good to help them grow out.

All of this is only for the time being anyway. In a year or so hopefully the wife unit and I will be in a house with a yard that will be quickly consumed with aquaponics. We shall see!

MP, nothing wrong with Turtleponics. How about growing some useful non-edible plants to sell to fund the veggie system? Use it as a seperate closed loop system from the future veggie growing AP system. Since you already have the turtles, might as well use them. Concepts are the same, pretty much.
Might want to keep from floating any raft system in the turtle tank though. They'll eat through it. Maybe NFT over the turtle tank?

Don't find the time, make the time.
Mr Bill

I wish I could make time. That would be a useful skill.
I would love to do some NFT over the turtle tank in time. I figure once I have the basic set up running I may be granted permission to expand. This is all being done inside in a very limited space.

Where does one buy the worms that people put in their grow beds? I will have a lot of waste in my turtle-ponics setup and will need a lot of worms to help break it down I think. Any other thoughts on breakdown/removal of waste within the system?

If you need help up in Hartwell let me know. I am always looking to have more hands on experience and to see what others are doing. My knowledge is limited to what I have read on this wonderful forum and from other places online, with only limited actual experience, but I am willing to help as I can.

you can usually get "red wiggler" worms from bait shops - you want composting worms, not night crawlers

+1 on wigglers
Thing is on the worms, they will repopulate until they balance themselves to their environment. I suggest only buying one container of the worms and letting them sort themselves out. Get too many and they will start dying and stinking the place up. Which of course, will nix the expansion. Luck to you and updates always. Pics would be good.
Mr Bill

im down here near cairo / bainbridge/ thomasville ga. I know a lot of people in athens, used to live there myself, but no one into AP. I have a small system down here on my farm, looking to expand it when it gets colder. If your ever down south, give me a shout.

Thanks for the info on the red wigglers. I will look into getting a few to start as you mentioned. Last thing I need or want is decaying worms smelling up the place!

Hey SwampCreekFarms. Good to hear from someone else in the area. I do not make in down that way much, but used to live in South Georgia in Douglas over in Coffee County. The wife and I were over in Tifton and Valdosta quite often so I know the area a bit. I might be heading to Thomasville in April for the Rose festival. I might give you a shout closer to the time. Always eager to check other set ups out!

I see that SwampCreek is bitten with the AP bug. He has one of those syndromes I see commonplace in this obsession - "expansion".

MP, how is the TurtlePonics going?

I can't see any reason not to do turtleponics. Harmful bacteria are always in the environment, including an aquaponics system. Harmful bacteria need to be managed. If they couldn't be managed, no one would eat eggs.

Some suggestions: Make sure that no water splashes into the GB. Prune all the plants away from the media, removing the lower leaves (I do this with my AP system too). Before handling plants wash your hands.

Additionally you could: Don't grow any plants that are eaten raw, especially leafy greens, although I can't see any harm in any fruiting plants (tomatoes). Don't grow any root crops (onions, turnips, etc.).