Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Has anyone tried this? I know brewers are always trying to get rid of spent grain after brewing beer. Just a thought.

Rob C

I haven't tried it myself, although I intend to. However I know they use spent grain as tilapia feed at The Plant in Chicago, which is why I assume it will work out fine.

Check out: http://www.iit.edu/magazine/winter_2012/article_1.shtml The bit about them using spent grain is in the third paragraph.

I have never used it as a main food source or for an extended time. I have given some spent grains and they seem to eat it.



brian

Might have to give it a try, free food would change the break-even equation quite a bit.

Rob C

I put it in the compost bin, worm farm and some to the chooks

Spent grain tends to be low in pH. If one were to try it on a more-than-snack scale, keep an eye on pH.

Spent grain also makes a good supplement for mushroom substrates.

I hate to dispose of anything, especially food, I wanted to find a good way to use this leftover grain.

PH is a good concern. My mash is usually ph of about 5.5.

I have also heard of smashing and cooking spent grain into dog biscuits.

brian

There are some academics and companies working on this. Found this great article from Nelson and Pade.

http://aquaponics.com/media/docs/articl ... d-Beer.pdf

Just ran across a very interesting Craigslist post regarding freely available "spent grain", the contents of which I'll include below in case the post itself expires.

I'm cross-posting this from my own thread and the North Texas thread (because I forgot that this specific "spent grain" thread existed) in case anybody in our area wants to take advantage.
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From: http://dallas.craigslist.org/ndf/zip/4360962634.html

FREE LIVESTOCK FEED - SPENT GRAIN (Witherspoon Distillery)

Free for the taking - distillers/brewers grain. This is a mixture of corn, barley, rye that is rich in proteins, and low in carbohydrates. The grain is wet. The grain is located in the front of the distillery and may be picked up anytime day or night. If you want to receive regular amounts, then leave us a container or trailer to load it into. We generate about 500 + pounds daily. Please do not take the barrels containing the grain!!!

IT IS FIRST COME FIRST SERVE. THERE IS PLENTY. RIGHT NOW THERE IS OVER 5,000 POUNDS.

Witherspoon Distillery
545 N Cowan Ave
Suite F
Lewisville, Texas 75057

I have a good source for quite a bit of stale whole wheat bread. It has no preservatives but does have some honey in it, would this be ok to feed to the fish and worms?

I tossed a few chunks in the pond and the tilapia seem to love it, just making sure it's safe for fish.

Had to do a small harvest of the Basil yesterday, and a post shot of the plants, the seaweed w/ iron greened the basil right up in a week.

Rob C