Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Is there a need to filter the water through a bio filter? I see people on here run their water through some really elaborate filters to try and clean the water. I came across a filter that claims to keep the water healthy by using bacterias. Let me know what you think. Here is the link: www.aquaripure.com.

You have plants to remove the nitrates..

What about algae?

no we try to avoid algae.

I'd want a bit more info before accepting it removes all organics matter - the amount of organics sludge in the bottom of a mature GB would suggest the bacteria don't handle it all, which is why worms have such an hospitable environment.

The missus would be a bit upset at the sugar fix the little buggers need and I'm not sure I'd want to keep them supplied with alcohol. They must have imported Aussie bacteria for them to have a taste for booze...

Just thought I would add...

The media in a GB is a biofilter. Removing nitrates from the system before they get to the GB is going to seriously hamper any attempt to grow plants. Some people add in a solids-removal filter (usually swirl or radial as they are less work than settling filters) and a biofilter to improve the system.

Removing solids has a number of benefits (just do a search on solids filter) and adding a biofilter such as an MBBR (again, search for explanation) can provide a substantial increase in media surface for very little space, and it's on the surfaces that the bacteria grow which convert ammonia to nitrites and nitrites to nitrates to feed your plants.

Journeyman - Correct me if I'm wrong but if the nitrites and nitrates are converted in the media which is in the growbed, it should feed the plants in the grow bed. If so many nitrites and nitrates are created that they migrate to the water and are carried to the fish tank and not consumed, then don't they need to be removed?

Have a read of this HenryMac, it may help you understand the process of bacteria colonisation.
http://www.backyardaquaponics.com/infor ... gen-cycle/

There's also benefits to not removing solids and letting them break down in the grow bed... compost worms can help.


there's tradeoffs either way.


brian

Theres actually also added benefits of certain levels of anaerobic decomposition.

Read the link and, yeah, well... Never grown fish before getting hooked on AP maybe in an aquarium situation this filter may be helpful, however... My veggies like nitrates and I like my veggies.

Charlie - I read the article you suggested. What I took away from it was: They must colonize a surface (gravel, sand, synthetic biomedia, etc.) for optimum growth.

They colonize inside the growbed. They shouldn't be floating around in the fish tank. If they are then this is a bad thing.

The ammonia is sent to the growbed where the bacteria live. The process of nitrification and nitratification should be taking place in the growbed. The nitrites and nitrates should remain in the growbed. Have I missed something? Thanks.

the bacteria are throughout the water column, as I understand it

you couldn't isolate them to the growbed even if you tried

think about creekbeds and shorelines...no real barrier from the waterbody, and the same thing is happening in AP

the really interesting part is when you start to realize just how many bacteria live in and on you!

the mapping of which is ongoing...look into biogenome (prolly the wrong word) classification, astonishing stuff!

biome...I think that might be the word I'm looking for

Nothing is perfect - there are bacteria floating around a system constantly. It doesn't do any harm because they aren't sitting on a surface.

In fact a good way to speed up cycle times is to take water from a mature system and add it to the new one. The bacteria in the water start the nitrification process sooner that way.

Testing a mature system, there are bugger-all nitrites and ammonia in the FT water. It might be that those of us who have minimal readings constantly should be adding extra filtration, either more GB or a biofilter, but such tiny amounts don't affect the fish - it is when they start getting higher we tend to get concerned.

And by minimal readings I mean under the minimum on the chart.

The choice to leave solids in the GB is still up for discussion I think bcotton. One benefit I have seen is to do with maintaining all possible nutrients in the system but this can be as easily achieved by adding back in the settlement liquid after mineralising the solids. A worm farm can provide extra nutrients to the plants in the GB as well. And while these are extra steps, the products can be more easily used elsewhere, such as wicking beds and soil gardens, fruit trees etc.

You're right that there are benefits, but they are on both ways of doing it, and it very much depends on what you are setting up and running.

@Charlie - apart from duplicating the ammonia conversion process in slightly different form, what advantages are there to having anaerobic areas in the system? I thought they would be mostly negatives.

90% of you is bacteria, in that there are more bacteria in your gut than there are cells in the rest of your body.