Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Really? We must have been carried away with it then. So, what about a SLO not drawing solids?

I can split the thread but I dont really know where to start hahaha

Paul is there really any need for that.

Sometimes there is....

I found a spot.

Well if they could work it around so they were discussing how to run a steam or IC engine on the solids removed from the system then it could be on topic again.

I think the conclusion on the SLO is you need enough flow into the tank and enough openings in the bottom of the SLO to actually move the wastes out, Plus the wastes need to be moving around enough and not collecting too far from the SLO drain pickup in order for them to tend to get sucked up. If your fish are too small and not stirring things up you can help by adding strategically placed air stones and adjusting water inflow to help the circulation move the solids where you want them. Or give in and use a broom once a week if it doesn't scare your fish too much. I find the catfish do an ample job stirring things up and they are such scardy cats that I wouldn't want to put a broom into their world.

I'm confused. Are we discussing SLOs again or the engine thing?

On one of the other sites I actually suggested some one create a "threadjackers Group" to which they could copy threadjackings that people found interesting.

I would expect that here on this thread one is supposed to discuss the stuff "other" than the original subject of the other threads original question.
Or more likely this will wind up basically as a free for all thread. It is in General Banter now.

This statement reveals two ways of approaching aquaponics. One approach is the typical western method of forcing and controlling every possible variable in an attempt to emulate or alter natural processes. The other approach is more natural, working with biology instead of fighting against it.

To over simplify, the two approaches are manifest in the Media-bed camp and the DWC camp. With media beds you really need to step back and be patient. If your pH isn't at some theoretical ideal you don't step in and dump a bunch of chemicals in to get an immediate result. You learn that it's better to take a slower gradual approach and it's better to try to aim for a healthy stable system. Such a system will mature over time and tend to balance itself without your interference. Some folks can't wait or think their plants won't grow if certain variables aren't meeting their artificial expectations and they try to take control and force a result. Forcing results is easier in DWC because there isn't a huge population of micro organisms in the mix, not to the same extent as in media with worms and such.

It should be clear from my tone that I think the natural approach is better and for that reason am in favor of hybrid DWC/media systems! My studies in ecology lead me to these conclusions though, where we see that ecosystems with greater bio-diversity are more stable, more resistant to sweeping changes and recover more quickly from disturbances. This type of stability means less time spent by the farmer trying to influence and 'fix' things!

Btw, when I add calcium, it's very easy! I either sprinkle right on my media near the inlets, or place it in a net bag in the fish tank. There's no difference other than that a straight DWC system can vary wildly on any one variable while media systems tend to change more slowly. I don't have to freak out with my media system when something is a little off.

Well, yes and NO. It depends if that "any one variable" is connected to the media/filtration or is it connected to the water. A DWC system can have vastly more water in it and if that water is hard water, heavy in carbonates, the greater amount of water in the DWC system will resist change even more than a media based system that doesn't have as much water in and provided the media isn't affecting the system pH.

Temperature is another thing that a DWC system will be more stable in compared to flood and drain media (though the media itself has some thermal mass so it fairs better on the temperature front than a Highly filtered NFT system.)

Salt levels and other dissolved solids can be more linked to the water than to the media and filtration.

Of course some of this has more to do with are you letting things go naturally or are you trying to control things?

While I'm more into the "let things progress naturally" as much as possible. The truth is there is no one BEST system design. System design needs to be situation specific. I believe a media bed system is best for a learning starter backyard type system but it is not appropriate for ALL systems and any farm that has any hope of earning the farmers salary is going to have to be more diversified than just a single crop income from just one growing method.

yep yep, very true, more perspectives. Hard to make my point clearly, and without contradicting myself, but I think it's there.

Just a couple of comments.

Re the steam thing I suggest people check out SAAB and steam vehicles. Monotube boilers do not go bang like a bomb.

As far as AP goes I am not fond of high volume media beds nor even ultra heavy media beds. In the medium sized application fine. For micro and larger systems there appears to me no reason that the main biofiltration load should be carried by the plant growing medium and I do believe in mechanical filtration.

Just my 2c worth.

I dont think the solids debate will ever be settled entirely but I think the general consensus is there is no problem with additional solids removal as long as we understand why we do it and how we deal with it. Like all aspects of AP there needs to be education and understanding of the processes and components.

I like to combine my mechanical filtration with my plant growing space for small to medium (even large backyard scale) systems. Seems silly to have separate filtration units that require additional maintenance that are not also being used to grow plants. I suppose the only time I might say on a Micro scale, not to bother with it is if you already have the aquarium filtration set up and don't want to bother with shelving strong enough to hold a heavy media bed and are not going to want to rinse that media inside an apartment kitchen or bathroom
Otherwise, Media is just simple and I'll always recommend it for a first time system for people who don't really know yet what they want and are really looking for the least number of parts to get a system going with the shortest instruction sheet so to speak.

Once people learn that, they are likely going to be able to move on and decide if they want a hybred system or to experiment with other stuff and don't really need some one else to tell them what to do anyway.



I agree Charlie

I am mildly curious, how can this thread have more replies than views? Does this mean that if you reply or view it and go back you don't count as a view?

Edit

Sorry I wasn't thinking at the time and assumed people sort of flit between threads. Back to the risky business.