Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

So I'm thinking of expanding my system, it would be a mini "blue barrel" system, but using 15 gallon chemical barrels that I have acquired from my work place.



This particular chemical is essentially hydrogen peroxide, but labeled as "extreme oxygen bleach". From what I understand, its fairly safe to use for potable water. Which to my understanding also means food safe.

I've got one barrel cut to see how it might fit, and I'm quite happy with it. It just feels shallow to me.







What kind of issues would I run into with this kind of system? I know about the shallow bed equals shallow roots and such, but outside that, what do I need to look for?

*UPDATE*

This week the system has progressed quite a bit from that first time I added ammonia, and got a reading off the charts. Today when I measured, the nitrates read .5-1 ppm, the nitrates read 0-5 ppm, and ammonia read 0. So I added more ammonia to the system, waited a cycle or two, and remeasured ammonia. The levels now read 2 ppm.

If all goes well, the ammonia will be used up over the week end, as will the nitrates, and I will be able to add the fish either Monday, or Tuesday! As for pics, they again suck, but at least they work for what this is; an ammature build.

Just a quick update for the week, I believe the system is completely cycled now. Yesterday when I checked nitrite/ammonia/nitrate levels, they were all reading around 2. Then this morning when I checked, they are all at zeros. The only one I'm not completely certain about are the nitrites, I think its at zero, but its just ever so slightly off it seems.

So I added more ammonia to test my theory, and later tonight when I get off work, I'll re-test to see where everything is sitting at.

As for the plants, they are doing quite well, though growing somewhat slower than I had expected, but I think that's due to the chilly weather we've had for the past week or so, as well as my light (its a cheap led grow light I got on line).

One thing I learned about plants the other day at the grocery store, is: 1) cabbage is a much larger plant than I had originally thought, 2) Bok Choy is also large, and 3) Kohlrabi has rather wide spreading leaves. When I saw these veggies at the grocer's I realized probably too late, that my small system will very quickly be over crowded. But I will watch and wait for now, harvest leaves and shoots as I need to, to maintain control, but that is a problem I will deal with when it comes.

Thats it for now, best of luck to all!

Update

I got my fish in today, four gray goldfish. I figured it was time for them, because yesterday I put in a dose of ammonia, and today all was reading zeros before I replenished my water (which had evaporated) for the first time. From here on out, the only updates to this system I will post will be when I harvest my first crop (if I don't end up pulling the cabbage early due to size limitations), or if something big happens to it like all the fish and plants die one day. Aside from that, this is just the beginning of my quest for the final system (will be a CHIFT PIST system, haven't decided how big yet). That one as it stands now, I will make my own grow beds and tank out of red wood, and custom weld a metal frame for support.

Hi Goon.

The plants in the picture are looking a little leggy, there might not be enough light coming in.

Also, make sure you support the sides of the mini barrels, they'll bow out if you don't, and create a mess.

Thanks for the heads up Colum, I'll see about improving my light source without moving it outside. Especially with the possibility of the neighborhood urchins wrecking it, they have been known to destroy things that don't belong to them.....

Quick update;

Today I moved my system outside to my back porch after seeing the rapid growth of my new chard seedlings in the natural sun for a week, compared to the month or two I've had my system indoors under my budget led "grow light". It was more than convincing for me. As I was finishing getting my system set up and making sure it was working, one of the neighborhood kids came over to see what I was doing, so I explained the concept of aquaponics to him, and promptly told him to stay away from it unless I was out there (this is the kid who is the main instigator for destroying things around the complex), so we will see if he listens, or if I wake up one day to a ruined system.

As for a plant update, they are so leggy, and scrawny that they are all falling over. So I will be replacing them all shortly with some new plants. And if this works like I'm hoping, I may need to invest in a water warmer for my system when winter hits. The fish are doing good, just getting fat for goldfish. They've already doubled in size since I got them a month ago.

And just a side update, my wife killed off the wheat grass I had in my table top system. She did so by trimming it WAY too short (against my warnings of what would happen). So it is now sitting bare with a beta and dirty water (I will be replacing the wheat grass soon hopefully).

I will get pics posted later tonight of the systems' new home, set up, and plants after I get more anatomy homework finished for the night.

Here are those pics:

The new lid for the fish tank, I was quite happy that I didn't have to move the lower rack up! That would have been annoying.....



Bok choy after 2 months of indoor growth:



The kohlrabi got so bad that it just fell over.



And finally the system as a whole:



So there it is, the system has made some progress since my post last month. True not nearly as much as I was hoping to have seen (filled out and flourishing plants rather than thin and sickly looking plants), I knew that would probably happen (because of past bonsai experience, and what other members have pointed out), but it was worth the experiment indoors.

One interesting thing I didn't know before about black mold, is that it will grow ANYWHERE. Even inside a tube filled with water almost all day.

Anyway, of anyone has any suggestions to offer I'm open (mentally at least).

You need more sun/light. Maybe a warning sign for the "urchins" that says something like- anyone caught vandalizing AP will become fish food! ?? Seriously, it's so much easier to run a system outside then try and use artificial light. It can be done, but it's a pain, expensive, and costly...especially when you compare it to the sun.