Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hey all. Any Minnesotan or fellow northerners running AP systems up in here? Just looking for tips and a little guidance in running AP year round in northern climates......year round.......outside! Any advice is greatly appreciated.


Sent from my iPhone, Jason

OUTSIDE!!!

Step 1: Build a passive solar greenhouse
Step 2: Put aquaponics in the greenhouse

I live in Spokane Wa and this is the only way I have came up with....

Good luck!

Aboman- appreciate your insight. Can u elaborate on your definition of passive? What's your current setup like ?


Sent from my iPhone, Jason

Sorry, just playing around a little there... but really with the temps getting so cold I doubt your bacteria would have much chance outside. Once things warmed up enough you could start a new cycle but the best systems have been around a while and it takes time to develop that biology. By the time things got going again you would not have much time for growing... sucks

The passive solar greenhouse is a green house that contains a large thermal mass (water in this case) that heats up in the daytime and then provides heat when the temps drop. The end result is less sever lows.

I do still heat my water but nowhere near what you would need to without the green house. You can check out my setup by clicking on the "my system" link below.

These guys do a great job of explaining the greenhouse part. Check it out.
http://aes.missouri.edu/bradford/educat ... nhouse.php

What sort of water/ green house temps are u able to maintain with your passive setup?


Sent from my iPhone, Jason

That is a great link by the way! Thanks!


Sent from my iPhone, Jason

I don't run mine passive only. I choose to heat the water to get production out of it in the winter. The question is can you keep your Bacteria from dying in the winter with passive only and the answer is definitely.

When running passive only I could easily maintain my water at 45+ degrees throughout the winter with supplemental heat only a few extreme days per year (like under -10F). Generally, the air temp in the greenhouse sits about 35 degrees above the outside air temp. This is variable to some extent but that's during the coldest part of the night.

This would be enough to keep your all important biofilter going and you would get a super early start in the spring!

Very good info! For supplemental heat what is your choice? Solar,Electric, gas, geothermal of some sort? At what temps do bacteria begin to decline? Sorry if it feels like I'm asking a thousand questions but I'm anxious to build something to get started !


Sent from my iPhone, Jason

Also , what kind of fish are you raising! Assuming a cold water species such as trout , walleye , perch?


Sent from my iPhone, Jason

NP. Your bacteria should not actually decline until you go below freezing. They will however stop growing and slow way down under 50 or so I think it is.

All you would really need is a smallish space heater. But I also installed a small propane unit as a backup. Only used during construction so far.

Blue tilapia. The adults can survive in some pretty cold conditions like 45 ish but you will just be maintaining you won't get any real production that low. If your doing a passive only system I would recommend something else more cold hardy.

Thanks for your two cents! I appreciate it!


Sent from my iPhone, Jason

I live in MN and I just started doing aquaponics in my backyard. Here's a link to my humble youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMB1pW7LqtcQpaAkfqez3JQ It's all quite doable.

I also recommend the Northlands Winter Greenhouse Manual. If you google around, sometimes the authors offer a .pdf version as well.

This might be of use for someone building a greenhouse - http://www.extension.umn.edu/rsdp/community-and-local-food/production-resources/docs/cold-climate-greenhouse-resource.pdf

Maybe you should google "walipini" as well.... I think for colder climates the combo walipini and aquaponics could be magic!