Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hi everyone,

Are nano-Aquaponic systems feasible?

The background to our query is this - we are a group in Waterloo Ontario looking to promote aquaponics. We would love to build a system that is small and light enough to be easily mobile, so we could take it on demonstrations and events.

For this reason the system would have to be really small, even smaller than the 30 gallon micro-systems. At maximum 10 gallons but hopefully much less

Does anyone have any experience with these systems?

Are they feasible?

What species can you use? can you use shrimp or something else instead?

Cheers,

D

Small system, well what about 5 gallons? would need lights to grow indoors with it but I wouldn't expect it to work well outdoors since the water in the bucket would fluctuate greatly in temperature.

20 gallons total, CHIFT PIST, grew a nice tomato plant and a couple pepper plants using a single goldfish:

viewtopic.php?p=125192#p125192


These plants were grown using a single 20 gallon aquarium and four goldfish. The planters were rotated in and out of the system to use nitrates and help remove solids:
viewtopic.php?p=265343#p265343
viewtopic.php?p=250771#p250771

I like Jimbo's lego approach

viewtopic.php?f=18&t=11308

Yes, small systems are fun because it's not expensive and you can try a lot of things out. I was re-playing Myst about a month ago and it made me think that is what tiny systems are good for, they can be miniature versions of something you'd like to try full-sized but want to find out if the idea works first. (in Myst they often used tiny copies of the real stuff on the map as a control or whatever)

I should have had some artificial light on the Lego system. Winter by the window just wasn't cutting it. And the beans I stuck in it really rooted faster than anything else could, and what progress the herbs were making started to backpedal. But it was definitely a fun experiment and gave me a little practice with siphons.

Well i do not have any experience about this particular system but what i think it will not be any different then the other normal system so treat it just like the other systems only.

A cant believe there are idiots who do that lol.

I liked your vase charlie, I been thinking along the same line for a while, though smaller.

Reeeeeeally wish people would stop posting this picture.

#cruelestthingever

#nothingpersonalcharlie

I had one of these once and I don't really see how it is cruel. These fish are generally found to live in small rock pools, by may way of understanding, so the limited space is not an issue. I know of one that lives in a library, gets fed regularly and follows and interacts with visitors to the library, I think it is fairly happy, not sulking or anything. Do the same people think it is cruel to have a goldfish in a bowl?

How is it cruel, nothing different from a goldfish in a bowl.

aquaponics can be done on a small scale, i mean really small...

and as it was said above, the smaller amount of water you have, the more the water level will fluctuate. also with the small amount of water it will be more susceptible to temp. shifts as well. where large amount of water can retain it's heat for longer periods... only having a few gallons in a system means you're complete temp shift will happen in the matter of just a few hours.

i wouldn't expect to raise any fish that you can eat out of such a small system... or very many of them that is.

and as for the cruelty of the fish in the small vase... since fish lack the brain power and capacity to "feel" anything beyond the physical scope of things... it's hard to talk about what's cruel when the creature has no concept of what's going on... a dog knows the difference between a wooden spoon and a flower... fish do not.

and besides... its a beta... better to be in a small tank alone and safe rather than be put into a small tank with another beta where they would fight to the death... coincidentally enough, some fish species seek small enclosed shelters and spend most of their lives in them... i had a ghost knife and he spent 90% of his life in a clear plastic tube... i had him in a 20gal tank... and he still didn't leave his tube... so what would be the difference if i put him in a 2gal tank or a 50gal tank if he's still not coming out of his sanctuary?

i have a fish that can recognise my face form across the room he can even tell if the lable on the feed bucket is different
one time i had to by the cheep stuf the bucket was the same size and shape but when i held it up he was not as exited then when he tried it had a sad and sat on the bottom he only ate twice that month then when i walked in the room with his normal feed he was going nuts