Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I'm trying to consider solids removal and have read many different methods.

One uses heavy aeration in the FT which "lifts" the sediment to the surface and forms a sludge which is then removed with a screen , this also provides max o2 levels for the fish.

Others seem to use earthworms in the grow beds.I also thought about making a manual device with a U-shaped tube and small pump moving water through a screening bag like a filter.

I'm trying to avoid complicated clarifying tanks and such that they use on enormous commercial set-ups.

Just like to hear any ideas? How about a few catfish, do they work?

Is this because you are not using gravel beds?

If you are using gravel beds pump the solids into them, and put some composting worms in there and you won't have any problems.

Glad to hear the worms work!, Yes I do have gravel beds, Thanks for the input!

Just gotta get the wife to agree to an "indoor" worm bin !...........Yikes!

If you can get the solids/water from the fish tank to the grow bed without going through a pump first, the grow beds will catch the solids even better while keeping your pump even cleaner.

Why would you need an indoor worm bin? Just put some composting worms into your grow beds.

Yep... this is aquaponics... not aquaculture (or hydroponics)... no need to filter solids, unless you aim to run to NFT... and no nutrient mixes to dispose of...

Just a fish tank and growbeds.... aint AP grand??

Ya know TC, It never dawned on me to put the worms direct into the beds, what a novel idea.I really need to get my system up and stop thinking so much.The pump should arrive tomorrow and I can start assembly, we had two straight 100 degree days already that have hampered "production" around here, back to normal on Friday.

I guess I'm making more of the solid removal then it really is, we'll see

Don't the worms "complain" about the flooding? When we get heavy rains and the ground gets saturated, the earthworms come to the surface so they don't drown.

Don't the worms "complain" about the flooding? When we get heavy rains and the ground gets saturated, the earthworms come to the surface so they don't drown.


You have got to get the right kind of worms......I know it's hard to believe that worms will survive in a gravel bed. Composting worms can do that.
Some members found composting worms in their gravel beds..... they migrated there on their own!

Worms die in puddles of rain... not because they drown... but because they suffocate through lack of oxygen...

In a highly oxygenated environment... such as a flood and drain growbed... or even a sump...

They survive perfectly well.... even earthworms... but compost worms are the best...

Makes sense to me!

I have a pretty big compost pile for my garden and have never seen a single worm in it. I think we just have just the regular night crawlers around here. Perhaps a small investment in some red wigglers.....

Thanks Oz, Just need to see if they'll (worms) hold up during the summer here.I don't know yet how high the water temps will get during summer, 90 probably.I here they can handle up to about 85 degrees.

Compost worms tolerate high temps... a good compost heap can get to smouldering...

On that point ... turning a compost heap helps control the temp... and aerate it...

Wet a compost heap down too much... and the worms will leave... not because of "drowning"... but because of oxygen deprivation... the heap becomes oxygen deprived... anerobic... cools, stays wet and sucks oxygen... gets smelly and sludgy.... worms go else where...

Red wrigglers.....are bloodworms.
Re.....compostworms....try somebody who has a septic tank. Check the outflow of the septic tank - they usually live in there. Compost worms are on every continent.

are worms viable in hydroton or only gravel?

Got them in every one of my growbeds... gravel, hydroton, perlite/vermiculite....