Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I still don't understand (I come from Narrogin ) AP is meant to be chemical free and I get good results by adding sweet fa, my solids are removed instantly due to water emptying from one tank and draining back to the other via the bung holes, solids get pumped into the GB's instantly almost, I thought using fish shit was the whole idea, spraying fertilizer over the plants seems to defeat the organic advantage of AP and adds to cost, I don't see then how you could sell the produce as organic or wholly AP grown, but i'm all for experimenting , but really it doesn't appear to be aquaponics, more aquaculture with fertilized veggies getting water from a tank

I guess it's all about definitions, and there's more than one way to skin the proverbial... Some systems I have seen take the fish water, then analyze it for all nutrients, then they add whatever nutrients are lacking from the water, run it through the plant system once, then out to waste. I think Tailor made used to do it this way. Did the autopot guy do it this way as well perhaps?

All this commercial talk makes me want to get our system back up and running in a hurry..... Damn, just have to build a cover for the whole area first....

Yeah, not so much "aquaponics" in a "flood & drain" sense Nocky... more an effluent treatment system... ala Taylor Made & (now defunct) Barramundi Blue... both of which, as Joel alluded to.... added supplements back to the water to maximise plant growth...

Having said that... lettuce will virtually grow with just tap water.... .... and "new" AP systems often have to supplement iron (in particular) as well.... usually because of nutrient lockout due to pH...

Rupert each system has its own Oasis Vortec 20000 filter box. I aim for a flow rate of one full tank exchange every 45 minutes.
After the sump 80% of the water goes directly back into the fish tank while the other 20% goes directly to the NFT channels.
As for Seasol I don't have much faith in it. I've looked into it and find that it lacks the trace elements that the plants need.
The Thrive is only used as a light foliant spray and I certainly wouldn't put it directly into the fish tank or sump.

yeh well I agree with the lettuce statement, my questioning here evolves around a rumored Community Garden project here, the story is coming from someone that worked with Tony, whilst I would be supporting a small scale project I can't see the value in a system designed as this one, if it was to be a community garden it would have to be lower maintenance that what this appears to be, if you don't ask questions even if silly ones you don't get the answers, I think a CG would require more than lettuce

For those that might not have seen the Oasis Vortec filters... once highly favoured by koi afficiandos... here's a couple of pics...





Water enters the "circular" chamber... like a swirl seperator.... overflows to the "brush" chamber... then through the filter blocks... and the matting... and back to the tank pond....

Maintenance of the circular "swirl" chamber is by a bottom drain... the brushes, filter blocks and matting require regaular maintence and replacement...

Many of the koi blokes removed the matting in the third chamber... and replaced with kaldnes, and air stone... ala a "moving bed"....

One, because they found they got much greater bio-filtration... two because maintenance and replacement of the matting was a PITA ... and expensive...

Tony, just noticed your reply... good.... because I was seriously doubting that a single unit would be capable of coping with the feed rate of 700 trout at around 500gms... which appears to be what your stocking rate suggests...

Most of the koi blokes reckon that this unit is actually only good for about 8000L max.... at a max flow rate of about 6500L/h...

... like what???

OIC

Yep. Used those things before. And you're right, Koi bods usually remove the matting. We used pea gravel as the last stage.

However they are kind of expensive for what they are. It's better to use a more modular system. We used a swirl filter then simple 30 gallon plastic tubs chained in. Overflow of one, feeds the sump of the next all the way down the line.

Yeah... 350 trout @ 500gms... feed rate 1%.... daily feed ration of about 1.75kg...

Frankly... I don't think that filter will cope with half that... even with daily maintenance...

Yes they are still doing the NFT system and have built a large restaurant on site, with NFT trays running along one side of restaurant and an in-ground fish pond half way round the rest. They have also built a large fresh produce building for processing and retailing their produce and other local products. I think they will do better out of these in the long run, as Port Stephens is a popular tourist spot in the warmer months.

Any updates Tony, surely something happening

Hi Nocky,
Since you asked there has been plenty happening. For a start the system made page 3 of last Thursday’s Australian newspaper. Its not every day aquaculture or aquaponics makes news in the national paper, particularly at this time with a national election on.
For those who want to read the article you can find it below

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/na ... 5895307518

First crop of lettuce were harvested about a week ago. The very cold mornings that Perth has experienced has slowed the plants down but at least we didn’t lose any plants to frost which I understand a number of commercial farmers around Perth did.
The fish (Trout) just keep powering on and they are looking good.
By the way I have been asked by several people if the next full weekend aquaponics course at Fremantle (August 21 and 22) will include a site visit to the commercial setup. The answer is yes.
Those wanting more info or want to enrol in the course then ring Merri on 92398008 during normal office hours.

good stuff Tony. The only thing I found lacking in the nutrient department with solids removal (and ofetn without,) is iron... so long as the ph is low, the lettuces thrive. One thing we found though with single cropping ie just lettuces, is once the bugs move in ie aphids, it is almost impossible to beat them. We tried to mix it up a bit, but longer living plants roots block the chanels... even basil. I see you have the bigger chanels rather than the elgrow ones like I have, so hopefully it works out for you. Nice to see someone doing something positive for the community and hopefully your students go places and spread the gospel.

Nice update Tony, my AP made a National Magazine
But it would be interesting to see how other plant's go, is there plans for things like Tomato's, Corn, Chilli etc, the cold weather here as knocked the crap out of everything, what happens with the harvest, is it sold or spread around the community?