Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hey guys!

I live in the Philippines and I have decided to create my own version of an Aquaponics system. This system is the product of hours of reading in this forum (and I have just joined as well)! I hope I got it right, let me know what you think.

Below is the system I made. I have also documented it in a blog (davaoaquaponics.com). Your suggestions and comments are very much appreciated!

Hi All,

I noticed that the lettuce I planted is not growing normally in a gravel media. Did you guys experienced it too? Any advice?

Hi and welcome. Your system is a good start. From what I seem u need a filter system. If you pump water from fish to gb it will get dirty, muddy quick.
The ratio is off a bit should be 1:2 growth bed should be twice the size of fish tank.

I am planning on adding 2 GBs because I noticed that the water have very high nitrate content.

Do you know a post about this filter system?

I have another question, do lettuces grow well in river pebbles media? Mine is growing quite slow.

Ryan from chatterson farm post. His old post is very detail.
You tube university of Kentucky aquaponic system. If you can stand the background noise. A complete break down of how aquaponic is.
Aquaponic is not a trial and error no more because their is a lot of study for it.
Good luck on your journey

Thank you!

I will look it up!

For such a small system, you shouldn't need a filter. On some kinds of AP setups like DWC, a gravel filled grow bed *is* the filter. As for your lettuce growth, I have no clue what the climate is in the Philippines, but my lettuce grows just fine in gravel media. Make sure you're watching your pH, some gravel can cause problems with that. Another problem could be light. Is this system outdoors or inside?

I'm also not a metric guy, but it certainly appears that you have more GB than fish tank, though your title says the opposite.

It kinda tropical and humid here in our country, I have just planted lettuce in soil and try to compare their growth I will update you for the progress.

I measured the PH from time to time and it records at 7.8 average, should I bring it down more?

My system is set up outside but in a shaded area. But my squash is doing great though.

I am planning on changing my media to expanded clay but it cost about 6 USD per kilo locally.

I have 2 tanks, the concrete tank is about 1000L and the plastic drum is approximately 900L and my GBs are 460L combined and I have about 75 tilapia on both tanks. At the moment I don't have much planted in my GB, that's another concern for me, the nitrates is off the roof.

Oh, I wasn't aware that there was a tank underneath the GBs, I thought that was just a stand. That makes more sense then.

It could be that it's too hot for lettuce to flourish, they usually prefer colder weather. I had some lettuce planted outside during the summer here in Missouri, and I harvested twice from my basement AP system before the outside stuff even looked like lettuce.

I see, I am going to move the lettuce which I planted in soil indoors and compare them. Thanks for the tip!

Hi Xander.

You don't need an additional filter, as long as you're not overstocking.

With the lettuce growth, can you show a better closer picture?

And what's your PH sitting at? I noticed you've got a concrete tank. Has it been lined with anything?

Hi!

My PH is at 7.8 and I have not lined the concrete tank.

What do you consider when you say overstocking?

Here is a picture of the lettuce it has been in the GB for a couple of weeks now and its not improving.

It looks leggy to me.

How much direct sunlight does it get? And is it through shade cloth (judging by the green colour), and does that cloth let in enough light?

I installed an opaque green plastic above the grow beds to prevent sunlight but it is still considerably hot though. The rest of the light are just reflections from junk.

Leggy means it isn't getting enough light, the plant puts all it's effort into searching and finding a light source, they elongate the stems, and then fall over and die.

I'd loose the plastic and see how the plants fair.

I've had plants here standing up to direct sunlight on 43C days without a problem.