Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Good to know testing for trace nutrients is at least possible. There has got to be a less expensive DIY testing kit out there You also bring up a good point about factoring in whether the tested nutrient is actually available to plants anyway... giving up on the testing route.

A "leaf tissue analysis" would indeed be interesting, tho. Check out this video about this new French technology for "milking" the roots of plants for essential minerals and nutrients used to produce expensive cosmetics. To get to the root system, they grow these particular plant varieties aeroponically...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZoPl0a2jH8

...think of the possibilities!!!

There is a load of information about nutrient profiles on the web. Just have a good look for it, and you'll find it all over. Ryan probably used them as a start and developed it further for himself from there. Of course he will not share information just like that after spending much time, effort and possibly trial and error.

We know that people need certain nutrients to thrive, as fish and plants do. All that knowledge is out there for you and everybody else to find. It just requires you to put in the effort to collect it, organize it and start using it with common sense. There is no such thing as a free lunch, not even in AP.

Nice thread!

Oh hi, Dom. Correct me if I am wrong, but isn't this forum all about sharing info we've each individually gathered after spending time, effort and trial and error? And all of the threads you've started by asking a question and all your "free" answers to other questions are sorta hypocritical then, no?



Google "open source aquaponics" -- why remake the wheel? It's not like such info in another person's hands is automatically valuable to them (or any less valuable to Ryan). Others would need to apply the information in practice to reap any "free lunch"

Those of us who have been working on commercial aquaponics for years are often happy to share our information with hobbyists up to a point. Beyond that point though it is not really fair to expect to get information that has taken years to attain be disseminated for free.

Took the words right out of my mouth, Stuart. Thanks for that.

And eh, Maria. Your departure point is clearly commercial, if you would be only a hobbyist with some IBC's in the garden it would be a different case. What is wrong with finding out things yourself, based on the many, many leads you already got here for free? It will greatly benefit your expertise on the subject and only makes you a better future consultant/advisor. Don't you think so?

There's a world of difference between a backyard system... and a commercial design....

Lately, so many people seem to discover aquaponics.. only to immediately assume that they can make money from it by designing a "big" backyard system.... and becoming "consultant"... or commercial designers...

Heck, even some of the long standing "gurus" can't differentiate between a backyard system... and a commercial integrated aquaculture design... (because they don't know any better, and don't care anyway.. it's all about the money)

Yep Rup, many jump on the band wagon for a quick and easy buck. Luckily they fall of soon enough. Feel a bit like Nostradamus these days.....

The three views above on sharing AP information is probably related to why aquaponics is so underutilized as an amazing gardening technique for many "hobbyist" & "commercial" growers" -- alike. (and also as to why there are so few females on this forum, big bullies!)

Now, back onto topic: flowers are really cool, just like fruits & veggies. I like growing them. If I can get really good at it and get people to pay me money to build and plant AP gardens, cool! Then I could quit my job and devote more time to AP gardening. If not, I would still LOVE every minute that I spend AP gardening on the weekends (& AP forum'ing while at work. )

Ryan has successfully made AP his career. I would like to learn from him. Is that so bad? It is called information. If you share it, it only grows.

When Ryan publishes his book will you buy it or will you expect him to publish the information for free?

There is more than enough information on this forum for hobbyists. There is also enough information for people who want to go down the commercial road.

For hobbyists the information is such that they can have all their questions answered. For commercial interests there is general advice and often detailed information on what they need to learn and where they can learn it.

At the moment I have a bit of time on my hands because I'm waiting on feed back on a number of documents that I've sent off for review. Which means I've got time to help people and answer questions but it takes time and effort. If someone wants information that they are going to use to make money why should anyone feel obligated to provide it for free? I don't mind helping people get started but if you want commercial information then we will have to come to some sort of commercial arrangement. Thats not me being secretive or bullying it is just the way is. I've only got so much time and I can't afford to spend that time helping someone else make money if there is nothing in it for me.

In a commercial environment, information is worth money. It's not always worth what they ask but they aren't going to tell you that ahead of time - Caveat Emptor. Just like when you buy a bag of chips that's all puffed up with air and not nearly as many chips as it should have

Go somewhere reputable that you know has people with experience that know what they're talking about. Lot of Shysters on this planet.

Hoho now, Scotty! That bag is not filled with just any kind of air, it's a special kind of air that protects the chips and keeps it crispy for a long, long time.

But when the air is out, indeed, not much is left and it soon becomes tasteless.

Actually it can be a special kind of air. Nitrogen is often used to fill such packages and help them to last longer.

That's what I try to say, Stuart. Couldn't recall though what it was and too lazy to check the web for it. Thanks.

To directly answer Maria's question about nutrients that plants need, I would contact the closest land grant university to your area in CA. They should have a USDA Agricultural extension office that will be able to provide loads of information specific to your climate. We have used the local UF office as well as the loads of material that UF provides on-line and free of charge to growers in our state. Much like CA, FL has different growing zones and UF has provided specific information as to what plants grow as well as the plants nutritional requirements and planting dates best suited for our zone. While most of their printed info is geared for commercial soil growers, it does provide a sound starting point. If you are not sure what university to contact, go to the Science department at the university where you study law and ask them.