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Garden Gate:  Aquaponics  |
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HoneyForVinegar
Farmgirl at Heart
4 Posts
Brooke
San Marcos
Texas
USA
4 Posts |
 Posted - Oct 01 2015 : 08:41:11 AM
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Anybody here into aquaponic gardening? I just got my system built and running this past March, and it's been about six months now and I can honestly say I'm blown away. The premise of aquaponics is that it's a closed system. You have a tank of fish that you feed (either through pellets or algae or grown food like duckweed) and their waste is converted by bacteria into nitrogen, which then feeds your plants, that then filter the water and reoxygenate it for the fish. So you don't need any fertilizer, and because the water is pumped in with a flood and drain system each hour, there's absolutely no competition for nutrients. They all get the same amount of access. So you can plant twice as densely with half of the spacing. Oh, and it uses 90% less water than conventional gardening. I top off my tank maybe once a week (more during the super hot Texas summer months) for evaporation and what the plants take in. It's like a jungle in there!
You catch more flies with honey than vinegar |
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Annika
True Blue Farmgirl
5602 Posts
Annika
USA
5602 Posts |
Posted - Oct 01 2015 : 08:53:26 AM
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| My husband and I were just discussing raising rainbow trout last night =) We've never discussed it before, so it's funny to find your post this morning. Our area can be rather arid at times, so reusing the water in an aquaponic greenhouse makes a lot of sense here. We'll be looking into this more in the near future as we move towards buying property of our own. |
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Ninibini
True Blue Farmgirl
7577 Posts
Nini
Pennsylvania
USA
7577 Posts |
Posted - Oct 01 2015 : 09:27:19 AM
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A good friend of ours is into aquaponics. He ran into a problem here, though, because, apparently, in PA, it's illegal to grow tilapia. They want you to grow only native fish, and I can't remember for sure, but I think he said it's highly regulated as to what he is and is not allowed to do. We haven't seen him since last winter, so I'm not sure exactly what he ended up doing; however, his girlfriend and I are in contact and a few months back she told me he is growing the most amazing tomatoes indoors. His only problem was that they weren't ripening, and he couldn't figure out what to do. I told him to wrap the fruit in small brown bags, that it's not only the sun that helps ripening, but also the gases given off. I haven't spoken with her in a while, but I'll ask her what she ended up doing. ANYHOW, I really think aquaponics is a brilliant system! I wish you all the best with it, Brooke! Please keep us updated! Hugs - Nini
Farmgirl Sister #1974
www.papercraftingwithnini.ctmh.com
God gave us two hands... one to help ourselves, and one to help others!
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HoneyForVinegar
Farmgirl at Heart
4 Posts
Brooke
San Marcos
Texas
USA
4 Posts |
Posted - Oct 02 2015 : 6:54:11 PM
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Ninibini I actually use koi and goldfish in my system because I'm not much of a fish eater. It works just the same as the tilapia or catfish (you can even do freshwater lobster or crayfish) but you don't have to replace them when you eat them.
You catch more flies with honey than vinegar |
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HoneyForVinegar
Farmgirl at Heart
4 Posts
Brooke
San Marcos
Texas
USA
4 Posts |
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TexasGran
True Blue Farmgirl
4919 Posts
Marilyn
Stephenville
Texas
USA
4919 Posts |
Posted - Jan 03 2016 : 12:29:12 AM
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Do you have your set up in a green house, a barn, under a porch or in your home?
TexasGran
#6389
Let God's light shine through you every day.
www.etsy.com/shop/
anniemayme
Amazon Children's Books, look for my name:Marilyn Robinson Godfrey
Craftsy: patterns for farm stick animals
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Dapple Grey Lady
True Blue Farmgirl
725 Posts
Betty
Goodrich
Texas
USA
725 Posts |
Posted - Feb 10 2016 : 3:44:23 PM
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My son has been talking about doing this. Is this something you have set up in an enclosed area? What are you growing in yours?
~ Betty ~
Farmgirl Sister # 5589 |
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ceejay48
Farmgirl Legend/Schoolmarm/Sharpshooter
13679 Posts
CeeJay (CJ)
Dolores
Colorado
USA
13679 Posts |
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pamcook
True Blue Farmgirl
228 Posts
Pam
Chapel Hill
NC
USA
228 Posts |
Posted - Mar 04 2016 : 11:51:56 AM
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I've been intrigued by the idea of having a system at our home for years. Now that I'm a vegan, I love the idea of using goldfish/koi! What resources did you use to get started? I'm all about following a "recipe" to learn from the wisdom of those who have become successful. Sometime in the next few years, a light rail system is going to force us of our property. Maybe if I invest and get a system going, it will speed up the process! We're so very tired of having this hanging over our heads. HoneyForVinegar, I looked at your instagram photos - beautiful!
www.ikat.org
www.longaberger.com/pamcook |
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Garden Gate: Aquaponics |
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Aquaponics
