Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Not sure if any of you use this type of stuff, but it sounded quite interesting. I'm a big believer in re-mineralization of soil, so I was wondering for a bit of time regarding a good way to give fruits/veggies minerals in an aquapoinc system. I understand that rocks and such are in the system, but it takes quite a bit of time for them to break down (I would think). Plus the part about having fish healthier and more colorful sounded really important to me, especially if I was going to consume the fish. Just wondering what everyone think's about this.

A combination of a balanced feed pellet... worms... a seaweed extract, like Seasol or Maxicrop.... and the correct pH range...

Is all that's needed in an AP system for mineralisation of the wastes... and provision of trace elements to the plants...

Some people have added "rock dust" to their systems... with some benefit....

Well, if you watched the video or skipped through it a bit (I know it's a bit long) he explains the difference between his minerals and let's say azomite. I will be using this stuff in my system as I prefer to avoid pellets if at all possible, because I really enjoy just learning the ins and outs of what I'm doing. But I thought this would be really important to people aware of the mineral decencies of our food. So if one consumes their fish it would be good to point out "You are what you eat" and having the healthiest fish possible means one is taking in a healthier meal (IMO).


iPhone Typos

I understand the possible benefits to the plants... and perhaps even the fish....

But while this is essentially a "soil" improvement product... with perhaps some benefits to fish...

I don't think he's claiming it to be a replacement fish "feed", or even a supplementary feed... just more a beneficial "tonic"....

It's very hard to provide a balanced complete feed for your fish... even with mulitple alternative sources....

Love them, or hate them... pellet feeds have developed over nearly a century... to be complete, balanced feeds... to provide optimum fish growth and health...

This is something I will be using as part of their diet. I never said only. But you did see the part about positively charged and negatively charged minerals and food grade minerals? This stuff can be used in someone's water as a mineral supplement if they wanted. Toward the end of the video he talks about minerals etc excelerite not the boogie brew that's for the garden. I'm not an organic freak but omri is good enough to me + being food grade is important. Also I am not dissing pellets I just prefer the cheaper route and the more organic way. I know exactly where it's coming from and I know exactly what they are eating. This may not be important to everyone but it is me.

iPhone Typos

I hear ya Mark... and I'm on the same page....

But this is primarily a plant feed... not a fish feed....

Fish need minerals, trace elements just as plants do... but they need protein, amino acids/fats... for growth...

This stuff, however good it might be... wont make your fish grow...

RupterofOz have you watched the video? Did you actually see the part in the video where they say pond owners use this and have seen great results with their fish getting more color and looking healthier? Where do your fish get their minerals from in a closed loop system? I know of only two ways, plants and ingesting the minerals directly from the water. So when you buy pellets do you know if it's negatively charged minerals or positively charged? This is the point, because it has minerals doesn't mean it has the right kind, and that also doesn't mean they can absorb them, it's just negatively charged minerals are absorbed BETTER. The stuff I'm talking is a bag of negatively charged finely ground minerals, which is called Excelerite I am no damn spokesman for the company, but I was watching one of my youtube channels and that's where I saw them talking about it. I add rock dust to my garden every time I plant something, and the reason I do this is because it makes ME healthier.

I'm not here to promote this product, what I'm here to do is say "hey, if you didn't know, check this out and see if it's right for you tank, as it is for mine." I feel like your disputing something you are ignorant of... gotta think outside the box.
http://us-rem.com/products/livestock/

"Nutrient Dense Products
US and European research suggests that when livestock are given consistent access to re-mineralized feeds, there is a higher nutrient density in the milk, cheese, eggs and meat that is produced. "

Yes I did watch the video... and yes I did see the part where he said pond owners reported "more colour and looking healthier"....

And yeah... the minerals contained in the product may well be beneficial for the fish....

But fish need a protein and amino acid feed for growth... as well as minerals...

There's nothing that suggests that the pond owners stopped feeding their fish feed... and replaced it entirely with this product...


Yes fish will eat some vegetative matter... to a greater or lesser extent depending on species...

And perhaps they may "ingest" some degree of mineral needs directly from the water...

But they need protein... and fish feeds not only provide protein, fats, amino acids... but are also formulated to provide the necessary trace element minerals required for growth...



To be honest... I don't know if pellet feeds contain "negatively charged minerals".... I suspect that the mineral contents are in fact in a "chelated" form...

Chelation substances can include things like amino acids, ascorbic acid and orotates, as well as hydrolyzed protein. Chelation improves the absorption of the mineral from the digestive tract.

Inorganic minerals have to be chelated before they can be assimilated. This can cause some absorption problems for the organism performing the chelating.

Minerals... ie the metallic part of the compounds essential to growth.... are generally "positively charged".... cations...

Negatively charged minerals... are essentially "chelated"... and are absorbed better.. regardless of pH... which is why "chelated" minerals are so beneficial...

In intestinal absorption... an enzymatic process... when the stomach acids make the minerals soluble, which is a necessary step in chelating them, they become positive charged. The negative charge in the intestines attracts the positive charge of the minerals. Thus, these mineral ions, as the positive charge minerals are called, can stick to the intestine...

The theory that underpins the benefit of feeding "negatively charged" minerals... or "chelated" minerals.... is exactly that they are better absorbed by the stomach...

However, if a second organism can benefit from ingesting pre-chelated minerals, this is ideal. Organic minerals, therefore, have been previously processed by plants, or other marine life, whereas inorganic trace minerals are in their raw, elemental or metallic state.

And the ingredient of fish pellet feeds are comprised of the above "pre-chelated" minerals...


And so he says.. and they well be...


For the reasons above....

But this does NOT mean that the fish, livestock.... are feed ONLY the "minerals"....

They are a supplement....

And we use naturally "chelated" minerals... in the form of Seasol/Maxicrop.... and via the action of worms in our media beds... for exactly this purpose...

The product may well work and do everything it claims....

But it is NOT a complete feed.... it's a tonic... a supplement... and while probably beneficial for the fish... is more directed towards the plants...

What do you get out of this statement that I will only be feeding them Excelerite? So where do you keep on getting "only" from my post?

I'm going to be feeding my fish Duckweed (and green garden waste) + bugs (roaches and BSF, maybe more if they are easy to harvest) + adding Excelerite to the water (for Koi)! So as this may not be a complete diet for the fish, as signs arise I will alter or add stuff to their diet. And yes, I agree that this is needed for plants, so this was also a reason I'll be adding it, but the Koi will be eating duckweed grown from their water, so having the minerals in the water will assist my Duckweed and in turn feed the Koi plenty of minerals, and so I would presume my system would be much healthier overall. The minerals extracted to produce Excelerite is from a river bed, so the fish would have naturally (in addition to plant based sources) absorbed it from ingesting water.

I've gone with the concept, "Look to nature for solutions." So when I look at my system how can I closely mimic nature and this is one of the things I thought made sense.

Mark, I was just making sure that you hadn't got the impression, from the video, that this product was anything other than a "supplement" to a fish diet.... not a replacement...

There's probably nothing wrong with the product, and it probably does have benefits...

I'd compare the cost vs benefits... with other products though... like Seasol/Maxicrop...

Well, it's $50 for a 25lb bag including shipping. The shipping alone doubles the price alone.


iPhone Typos

I feed my fish aquaculture grade fish food.
The fish does its crap and feed the plants.

What's the deal with adding this and adding that?

40 years ago, mothers would smoke cause it was believed to make the babies smaller.

40 years later, these wizbang additives may cause problems.

Regardless of the good or bad of the boogiebrew
I've watched a few of this guys videos,(youtube channel) maybe its good but what i don't like is the idea he may be doing it just for the free handouts he almost always gets. I've seen him recomend $30-$100 items that can be made for just a few bucks out of recycled materials.
checkout his youtube channel and you'll see what i mean.
I even posted a comment on his channel to that effect, as have many others.

We all know you get out what you put in, we buy it he gets it free for the publicity and for that reason alone i don't trust the guy.

Rant over Sorry

I wouldnt be putting more than basically a pinch of that clay product in a system at any one time, i certainly wouldnt be trying to get my fish to eat it, thats for sure.

That is not food in any way, it is clay/dirt/rock dust. Would you eat sand?

Look up compost tea in utube and make your own
Handful of worm castings, same of good soil, some molasis and seasol. Bubble overnight then onto garden . IT works