Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Well hello backyardigans, I don't like making introductory topics, so killing two birds in one shot, Im Josue(25), from Puerto Rico(so pardon spelling and syntax errors), I've been reading a lot about aquaponics for the past months since I don't like starting projects without a basic knowledge. I study at the University of Puerto Rico and have a part time job. I want to build a fully working small system before building a bigger one which I am already designing on paper, so here is what I've done so far.

What I need is for you guys to tell me what I have to do next, if I missed something, if I should do something I didn't know about or any tip you might have.

Well the setup is two 27gallon bins, with a bellsiphon and a small pump, I'll have to calculate the time it takes to fill and the time it takes to drain. My medium is gravel.

For fish, I will start this one on goldfish, but I think I can get nile tilapia(I looked at pictures of tilapia and i think nile tilapia is the one we have in our rivers here) by fishing for when I start a bigger system.

I'm unsure about the veggies I will grow on this small system, but since its just a prototype to learn the basics, Im not really worried about it.

So here is what I've done so far.

I set up the two bins, one higher than the other.
I installed a bell siphon(with shield) and made sure it works properly.
I filled the GB with gravel, about less than an inch higher than the water level, as I read about algae problems.
I filled the tank and let it run all night.
I just changed the water, and added chloramine and chlorine remover as I read cloro kills the precious bacteria.
I will kick start with pee, haven't done it cause I just added the chlorine remover and I didn't know if it would affect the process so I'll wait a few hours.

Thats about it, now what do I do now?

I got an amonia test kit, and a 5-in-1 ph, nitrate, nitrite, hardness, alkalinity test kit. Both of these are test strips(25 strips each), its the best I could find, later I will order something better online.

Question: If I add pee today, when do I start testing the water? and what should I expect?

So yeah, that is where I am so far.

If you guys need any info to help me just ask, I've been reading a lot on this forum so Im a bit familiar with terms. This is a great place, nice community, you guys seem so friendly which is a good thing, we need more places like this.

well im open to advice, I'm eager to start growing, and I read its addictive, which should be true since I am working on my first system and thinking about the next haha.

Not sure if its necessary or if you found out already, but you gotta let the pee age a bit for it to convert to ammonia - and aswell as something about killing any remaining pathogens if any just from letting it "age". (someone quote and correct me...)

I forgot which thread it was in...

Got it.

I did read about aging it on someone else's topic, so should I just pee on a cup and let it sit a day or two?

Also, I got some timing, the GB floods in 5 minutes and drains in 1. Could I let it run continously like that? should I lower the flow so it takes longer to fill?

The flooding rate would be great for the bacteria but a lot of plants would need a greater drying time in between to perform at their peak.

I'll take that as "let it work as it is, and when its done cycling, lower the flow into the GB"?

On the pee thing, I am confused after reading a few topics, some people pee straight into the FT, some let it age for a a week or two. Since I don't have pee already aged, I think I'll go a bit of pee into the system. Or would anyone recommend not doing so?

Go ahead and have a pee, or for a system that small perhaps you pee in a cup and only pour half of it in the system and dilute the other half and fertilize some dirt plants. That is a really small system so it won't take much pee to cycle it. Or perhaps you should pee in a bottle and only give the system a little dribble today and save the rest for later.

If you are aging urine, I would seal it in a bottle so you don't risk spilling it or stinking up the place. Aged urine has a really strong ammonia odor.

As to the aging and pathogens, if you are healthy and clean, I wouldn't worry too much about it for cycling a system up. If you were to run a system pee ponic long term and grow say lettuce from it for feed to other people, I would recommend aging more strongly.

Aging to kill off pathogens takes till the pH reaches 9 or higher. The amount of time that takes may vary from person to person and time of day the urine was collected. Two weeks was usually plenty of time for the stuff I tested.

As far as how long fresh urine takes to register on the ammonia test, that could be anywhere from a day to a week for all the urea to convert to ammonia. I would suggest that you add perhaps 50 ml of pee and wait a day or two to test. I do not think you should add any more until you see the ammonia test results start dropping. If for some reason after a week and a half, you never see an ammonia reading, then perhaps you need to add more or you might want to get a test tube and dropper type test kit.

Welcome, there is no escape now, you are hooked

I took a reading just now, I don't know how accurate these test strips are but it says it has 3.0 ammonia.

Is that normal? a 3.0 reading after 24 hours?

Assuming it is normal and that the test is relatively accurate, the next step is to wait for it to drop to .25 or 0 before adding fish?

Does this forum have edit buttons?

Anyways, I added an airstone to help the process.

EDIT:
Im guessing the forum has a post limit to allow editing? Cause I can edit this post, but not the first ones.

If you added humonia... then yep, it very likely your ammonia is reading about 3.0...

The forum does allow editing of a post for 5 minutes....

There is a little more to it than simply waiting till the ammonia drops before adding fish. There is nitrite to test for as well.
I recommend reading the basic info and useful info sections of the forum pretty completely, they are not too long and should cover cycling for you.

To concider a system "done cycling up" fishless you want to be able to dose a system to 1 ppm of ammonia and within 24 hours you want the ammonia reading to have dropped to 0 and you want the nitrite to also be back down to 0. This can take several weeks depending on conditions. Usually your first dose the ammonia will eventually drop but the nitrite will still be high for a time longer. Hopefully each time you dose subsequently, the time it takes for the levels to drop will get shorter.

Thanks TCLynx, I did read most of that section of basic info, last night I was reading about the two types of bacteria and the cycle, though you helped clarify my doubts with the 24 hour drops. My basic understanding from some reading last night is that the bacteria that turns ammonia into nitrite is different than the bacteria that turns nitrite into nitrate, and the latter starts growing after nitrite is present and ammonia gone. Don't worry, Im good at the patience game. Thanks again to you and everyone else helping me.

If its of any use, last night the PH was at 7.2(again, assuming test strips are accurate).

Just took a reading:

ammonia is about .25 and there are lots of nitrates, there are nitrites present as well, ph is at 7.2, the GB is filling in 7 minutes and emptying in 1.

I added a couple seeds. Should I add fish gradually or should I add humonia first and let it cycle longer?

Nope, not just yet... with regard to fish... you're not cycled yet.... add more plants...

As far as the cycling, and use of humonia goes... review TCL's post above...