Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hi Guys another newbie question is it possible to use aeroponics on supplying nutrients from the fishtank to the plants roots? Because I have read in an article that aeroponics give better oxygen to the roots. however if thats the case will this design work

aquarium ---> mist nutrients to the roots of plants ---> go down to a biofilter ---> then go back to the aquarium.

I really hope this would work and can someone please tell me how to make my own biofilter? is it just a matter of gravel and letting the water pass through there as it would allow the bacteria's to live there? thanks.

Hi
You would have to swop it arround so that the bio filter comes first as the particles in the water from the tank would block up your misters

aquarium --->go down to a biofilter --->mist nutrients to the roots of plants ---> then go back to the aquarium.

I would put the biofilter before the misters, and make sure you can filter solids out in the biofilter. Otherwise, misters may clog.

A biofilter is any container with media for the bacteria to attach to. Water is made to flow evenly through the media so that all bacteria can get nutrients and oxygen from the water. It can be as simple as a bucket of gravel or birdnetting, as long as the water flows through it rather than just passing over the top of the media. The more surface area per volume of media, the better. So for example, use rough-surfaced gravel rather than smooth gravel.

thank you again guys, but would the nutrients still be the same even if it has passed the biofilter?(fish waste etc..)

should be - the bacteria will work on the amonia and turn it (eventually) into nitrat, which the plants absorb...

I would rather go NTF with good air stones myself - misters would not suit my 'style'... but if its something different you want, go for this!

thank you aquamad and janetpelletier just have a samll space to start with just have to do well with the initial system as it will convince my dad to allow me to use our backyard LOL! thank you so much

i'm not usually the negative type, james, BUT i can see BIG problmes with misters..............and if the "mist" is more of a "spray" then you might as well go for something like DWC instead

Its not really negative..it`s just being realistic about the pitfalls

Power/pump failure will cause the demise of the plants in next to no time, as will blocked misters.

High temps might be another factor to consider ..aero doesn`t have the thermal flywheel effect of a gravel bed.

The low volume of liquid used by aero is another.
You`d need a biofilter on a seperate circuit to keep the main volume turning over or better still a conventional bed serving as biofilter and for the bulk reduction of nitrates.. unless it`s pretty huge, aero alone won`t be able to keep up.
It would make a good add-on system perhaps.

Sorry for all the negatives, James, i didn`t realise there would be quite so many.
Perfectly tuned aero may well be unbeatable but getting (and keeping) everything perfectly tuned is the trick

yeh, people using filtered hydro solutions have enough trouble as it is! and all the BEST results come from ultra fine mist meaning expensive and easily blocked misters.

As far as i know the exceptional growth in aero comes from 100+% oxygen saturation of the solution / roots.

If you want a easy system for proof of concept then grow the plants with the roots submerged in water, put PLENTY of air in via airstones and you will have 100% oxygen saturation. People use this method to grow "funny tomatoes" becasue of the quick growth.............would be the quickest and easiest way to set up a small system to prove the concept.

Steve, some time ago you suggested the use of a Mister/Fogger to strike cuttings, was wondering if the idea is still viable?

Research has shown that when using foggers none of the nutrients end up in the fog - so it is just H2O. This is okay for striking, but no good for growing.

OK & Thx VB

thats why i never bothered................but i bough the mister anyway......probably should still give it a go incase the other research was wrong LOL

I've tried it Steve - was crap.

i agree with everyone else, i have enough problems keeping my pump clean i would only imagine what would happen to a mister, any like you guys said even the chem hydroponic people have problems with blocked misters, i would say i woudln't hurt to try but you would prolly be less bummed if u used a ntf or dwc, and even if you use the aeroponics once the roots grow down into the water its not really aeroponics anyway, most everyone here gets amazing growth from everything else, however i would love to be proved wrong