Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

If I had access to that sort of water, I'd be looking to establish some sort of long run for aquaculture-esque fish-raising (trout or perhaps salmon?) with either cages in the stream, ala (on a massive scale)


or diverting the stream through a long trough (run or raceway) and using traditional dirt-gardening techniques for the veges.

If you're not recirculating the nutrient laden water through the plants then the plants are not going to receive the benefits. I don't doubt that it's possible to locate some GBs downstream of the fish, but with massive quantities of clean water flowing through, all the GBs are going to do is filter the stream water making it even cleaner for everyone else further downstream, but I'd doubt the nutrient levels will be sufficient for healthy plant growth.

Documents like this (http://www.fao.org/docrep/015/i2125e/i2125e.pdf) might help you make your decisions or give you some inspiration?


That's what you get for joining a backyard aquaponics forum; a dedicated forum for the 1% will be a pretty lonely place. I am sure that more than 99% of the members here happy with more than 99% of the information available here. Even though this forum is primarily aimed at the backyard systems in the suburban environment, there are parallel discussions regarding larger scale, even commercial systems; there are larger scale aquaculture forums out there too.


Scott

You soooo stole my post then Scotty

Had it all typed out and then bam! You beat me.

Sounds like a waste of good water to me. I have four 22000lt tanks and a bore (drilled deep well) and I will still not waste such a precious resource. It is not aqua phonics if it is not a closed system using the fish waste a your main fertiliser.

Normally, this happens the other way around

Ain't paybacks a b1tch!

you got me

50 mod points for you

That's what you get for joining a backyard aquaponics forum; a dedicated forum for the 1% will be a pretty lonely place. I am sure that more than 99% of the members here happy with more than 99% of the information available here. Even though this forum is primarily aimed at the backyard systems in the suburban environment, there are parallel discussions regarding larger scale, even commercial systems; there are larger scale aquaculture forums out there too.
Scott[/quote]

What i was trying to get at is the information on this site is very good and the people are knowledgeable
I also want a simple small back yard system.
That is why i am here on this site.
But most people do not have a over abundance of water like i do.
Is that not the reason for a closed loop system?
To conserve water?
What if i limit the fresh water coming in to the fish tank to the amount that would normally flow in a closed loop system?
I then let that dirty fish water flow into my grow bed.
What is the benefit of pumping that clean water back up to the fish tank?
Maybe the water is not really clean and over time you have a beneficial build up of bacteria?

I think i need to take some pictures and post them up.

Your very welcome to all the info here and we will help you to the end.

You have a unique availability of water which is great but it wont benifit an AP system. Sure you could ude it for top ups and alike but the AP is the re-circulation of benificial bacteria colonised water.

Fish produce amm, converts to nitrite then nitrate which is food for th plants.

A flow through system, even in a slowed way in which you point out would dilute amm and not give the bacteria time to breed and colonise.

As bunson mentioed and I agree, you would be better off using that water flow to incorporate some kind of aquaculture environment, the benifit would you woouldnt need any kind of filtration - for this reason your in a very good situation. Your tank would basically be a holding tank type thingy.

Then as a side, you could do a closed loop AP system apart from the aquaculture tank.

Your a pretty lucky guy.

If bacteria cleared all the ammonia, nitrates and the plants the nitrates etc on a single exposure then it might be possible to run a continuous stream, but as "goodness" is stored/held in the water, it takes a few exposures (or prolonged exposures) for those nutrients to be used/absorbed/eaten etc, hence the need for the water to recirculate or at least stay in the system for a period.

Having a ready source of clean water nearby and free is excellent if you ever needed to change out large quantities of water. Getting clean top up/replacement water is problematic for many people.

Given the option, I think I'd still rather use the stream water through a raceway containing the fish, and for watering the dirt garden and/or a hydroponics system (if you've another way of dumping the hydro-water other than polluting the stream with chemically-fertilised waste water?) and/or the "traditional" AP system? You've got a lot options to choose from.

Just throwing the idea out there... to use the nearby stream for initial fill and top ups as required, but use the stream flow either to lift the water in your system to the highest point (mechanical pumping) or generate electricity to run the pump which does the same thing (hydro-electric). The ultimate low energy system?


Scott

Thanks for the info.
I see where you are coming from.
Water conservation is just a by product of how a AP system works.
I was trying to get around using a pump and aerator.

Well back to the drawing board.

I do have some smaller inside cement tanks that i could use in a AP system.
The grow bed would be outside.

I do use the water from a small stocked pond to water 6 12 by 4 raised beds

Good idea.
Dont really want hydro power but a mechanical pump may work.
Wonder if you could use the same concept to aerate the water in the AP system.

thinking about this you have a unique opertunaty to go totally offgrid with your system, a small type of water wheel running through an old car gearbox could power a mechanical pump as well as an air compressor.

grr my spelling first thing in the morning lol

Id love to see a pic of your area when you get a chance.

If you need help to upload pics, PM me and Ill walk you through it.

Pick the water up and drop it from a height, either splash the surface or allow to enter and take the water to the bottom of the FT.

You could even drive a water-wheel to repeatedly pick up and drop the water.

I'm salivating at all the possibilities and opportunities I wish I had...


Scott

Youve got it bad scotty....

Masterchef makes me salivate.