Indoor Fish Tank Aquaponics: Complete How-To Guide

Getting started with aquaponics is as easy as setting up a personalized grow system from an ordinary fish tank.

You can do it, just like we have done it before, along with numerous others who had little or no experience.

To begin, just collect a few basic materials (mentioned below) and then proceed to follow the simple instructions provided in this guide!

Supply List

Fish tank (preferably 20 to 40 gallons)
Growing tray/container
Air pump with tubing and air stone
Water pump (a simple fountain pump)
PVC pipes or similar tubing
Bulkheads or universal seals
Growing medium (clay pebbles work best)
Fish
pH and EC meter

Building Your Fish Tank Aquaponics System

Set Up Your Fish Tank

To begin, the first step involves establishing a fish tank. There are multiple options available, such as utilizing a conventional 10, 20, or 40-gallon tank, or selecting a more budget-friendly alternative.

The choice is yours when it comes to using food-grade containers like totes or large rain barrels to make DIY aquaponic systems.

After deciding on the type of tank, proceed with its setup in the same way as a standard fish tank. This involves adding water, dechlorinating it, and allowing it a month or so to settle before introducing fish, unless you plan to aerate it regularly. If you have an air pump and air stone, they will effectively cleanse the water within a few days to a week.

In this step, make sure to install a submersible water pump inside the tank and an air pump outside of the tank.

In order for the water and air to recirculate properly through the system, it is necessary to connect an air stone to the air pump and position it at the tank’s bottom. This should be done before installing the media growing bed.

Create A Media Bed

The second step in the process is to construct the media bed, which is of great importance. The media bed, alternatively referred to as a grow bed or flood table, serves as the designated area for plant growth.

Typically, common media beds for DIY projects consist of shallow totes, plastic trays, bus bins, or even wood with heavy-duty plastic sheets. Ensure that the volume of your grow bed closely matches that of your fish tank.

Once you have made a decision on what to use for the grow bed, it becomes necessary to establish a support system for it. Either shelving or a table can be utilized for this purpose. It is important to consider that the bed will become considerably heavier once a growing medium, plants, and water are introduced into it.

The optimal position for the grow bed is directly above the fish tank, although it is also possible to place it beside the tank if there are concerns about its weight. Nonetheless, an extra water pump might be required in this scenario.

After positioning your bed, the next step is to include the bulkheads.

To rephrase the text while maintaining the same meaning: Ensure a step-by-step approach by installing the bulkheads into the drilled holes. Typically, the bulkheads are equipped with gaskets, which establish a waterproof seal. If your bulkheads lack these seals, apply rubber cement or a universal sealer to ensure there are no leaks.

Now, proceed to add your preferred growing medium to the bed and continue with the next step.

Connect Pipes from Water Pump to Bulkheads

After considering each step, the subsequent one might appear slightly daunting, yet it is actually one of the simplest aspects of the entire project. All you need to do is attach your PVC pipe to the bulkhead that you previously installed at the bottom of the media bed, and carefully position it inside the fish tank.

To start, attach a suitable length of tubing to the water pump’s outlet, then direct it towards the upper section of the media bed. Once the connection is established, the water pump will transport water to the grow bed, where it will saturate the plant roots. Subsequently, the water will flow out through the PVC pipes and return back to the fish tank.

Add Water to the System

Once you have set up your fish tank and media bed, the subsequent step is to add water in case it was not done during the initial setup. If water has already been added, it is now time to replace it with fresh water in order to eliminate any residue or contaminants that may remain from constructing the system.

Add Fish to the System

While steps four and five can be done in any order, it is recommended to start by adding the fish. Alternatively, if you have prior experience in constructing a fish tank aquaponics system, you might have already included the fish when initially setting up the tank.

Regardless, for this particular step, verify the pH and EC levels of your water using either a meter or test strips.

If the pH and EC levels are not balanced enough for the specific type of fish you intend to use, you can address this problem by utilizing liquid pH and EC adjusters.

After confirming that your water is properly prepared, proceed with caution and introduce the fish into their new habitat.

It may be a good idea to allow them some time, possibly a few days or even weeks, to acclimate to their surroundings before proceeding to the next stage, although it is not entirely mandatory.

Add Plants to the System

After completing all other tasks, such as checking for leaks and testing the pH and EC levels, it is now time to introduce the plants.

In terms of media bed arrangement, there are two options for incorporating plants. You can either place plants in separate netted pots that are submerged in the growing media or directly position the roots of each plant in the bed and then overlay them with a loose growing medium to ensure firm anchoring.

When transplanting plants that were started in soil, it is important to thoroughly rinse all soil residue from the plant roots. However, plants that were started in growing sponges or hydroponic seed starters can be directly transferred into the bed without rinsing.

Regardless of how you arrange your plants, the system will operate in an identical manner. The water, along with nutrients from the fish and air from the air stone, will circulate through the growing bed, nourishing the plants, and then return to the fish tank.

Fish Tank Aquaponics Routine Maintenance

Operating your new aquaponic system is both enjoyable and thrilling, but it also necessitates a certain level of regular maintenance.

Feed fish daily and check for dead fish
Avoid overfeeding the fish
Check plants for pests and diseases often
Keep a 1:1 (fish to plant) ratio
Keep an eye on water temperatures daily
Regularly balance pH and EC levels as needed
Check for leaks and malfunctioning equipment
Change water and clean filters or air stones

Common Problems & Solutions

The water temperatures are characterized by instability.

If the water levels reach temperatures that are intolerable for fish or plants, it poses a significant issue. This problem frequently arises in fish tank aquaponics. If not addressed promptly, the fish, plants, or both will quickly perish.

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One way to address unstable water temperatures is by monitoring them closely on a daily basis, which provides a clear understanding of the situation.

One possible solution to resolve the situation is by topping up the tank with cool water or using a fish-friendly water coolant. Another option is to incorporate a water chiller coil into the setup, as it will help regulate the temperatures.

Furthermore, to prevent high water temperatures, you can utilize one of the following methods:

Paint your water tank(s) with a solid color to keep excess light out (inside or outside)
Bury the main water tank in the ground (if outdoors)
Keep a fan blowing directly on the system to disburse hot air (inside or outside)
Install a swamp cooler beside the system (if inside)
Use sun umbrellas to shade the system during the hottest part of the days (if outside)

pH levels that are not balanced

Unbalanced pH levels are a prevalent issue encountered by both beginners and seasoned experts, resulting in the demise of fish and plants. It is important to note that different types of fish and plants have specific pH preferences.

When considering pH levels, it is important to note that there is no universal standard that applies to everyone.

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The initial step in addressing a pH level imbalance is understanding the appropriate pH levels for the fish and plants involved. Subsequently, selecting suitable fish species for the specific plants being grown significantly aids in naturally sustaining the proper pH equilibrium.

If the pH levels are not balanced, it is important to promptly address the issue by adding liquid pH adjusters as necessary.

The tank is overcrowded with an excessive number of fish.

One common issue is having an excessive number of fish in your tank. This usually results in either reduced oxygen levels caused by air stones and filters becoming clogged or higher nutrient levels than needed.

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The most straightforward resolution to this issue involves the removal of fish. You have the option to sell them, consume them, or house them in a distinct tank. As a general guideline, it is advisable to maintain a ratio of one fish per plant in your system. Typically, this equates to approximately one fish for every 5 gallons of water.

Easy Steps for Keeping Your Aquaponic System Running Strong, All Year Long

Manage Temperature Fluctuations and Humidity – Now is the time of year when it might get really hot in the day and still very chilly at night. Temperature management is a tricky one. It is especially critical to ensure proper air ventilation throughout the building, circulating air inside the building, and managing heat and humidity the best you can (I know this is tricky for many). High temps and humidity can cause plants to bolt and die or quickly succumb to pest pressure and diseases. Give your plants more space, add fans, keep your vines vertical and properly trimmed of suckers and dead leaf material, and choose your crops for heat tolerance so you’ll have greater productivity. Things that grow well in colder temps like lettuces, kale, and chard may suffer as the weather gets warmer. Choose leafy green varieties that are designed for hot temps. Now is also the perfect time to get the vining crops growing that flourish in the longer day length and warm weather. Start the shift to warm weather crops as the temperature in your climate allows. Also, remove plants that have lived out their lifecycle. Lettuces, greens, and some culinary herbs only live for about 60-90 days, fruiting crops for 90-200 days. If your plants are starting to have yellow or dying leaves, pest pressure, or low production it could be that they are at the end of their traditional life cycle and need to be replaced.
Beat Down the Bugs – A greenhouse environment allows pests to live year-round (unless you choose to grow seasonally). As the days get longer and the crops grow more vigorous, the bugs often grow more out of control. More crop means more to eat and aphids, white flies, and other pests love the buffet. The most important thing to do is stay ahead of the pests. It’s really important to get them while they are young so that they can’t reproduce and make more mouths to feed. All over the internet, there are people posting their favorite bug-killing brews. The first step, is to try knocking them off with water, blasting them with a gush of air (out of the space if possible), or using alternating remedies of diluted olive oil and water, vinegar and water, dish soap, and water. It’s best to spray at night when the sun or lights have been off the plant for at least an hour. Never spray anything into the fish tank or onto the media if possible. Also when using a new remedy, it’s a good idea to test spray a few leaves and wait a few days to see the effect before using a lot of it. You don’t want to destroy your precious plants. Avoid products like Neem oil or Pyrethrum, while they are organic, they are also very toxic to the fish..
Protect your system from the bigger pests and predators – This time of year, people start opening doors, and windows or even moving their systems outdoors to help with the heat. This is also the time of year when birds, squirrels, rabbits, deer, mice, and much more are excited to start checking out your garden spaces and sampling the produce. Although they really kick in when you have perfect tomatoes or some prime bell peppers that are worth nibbling a few pecks or tasty bits out of each one. Fish are very susceptible to becoming sushi dinners from the likes of herons, owls, and other birds of prey, bull snakes, raccoons, and skunks. Netting, screen doors, window, and vent mesh, and fencing are all good ideas to ensure your plants and fish stay where they belong, not in the belly of a predator. Other things to keep a watch for, are frogs that want to turn your sump tanks and raft beds into a tadpole nursery.
Keep an Eye on Nutrients – This time of year, plants are taking up more nutrients since there is longer day length. pH can plummet quickly if it’s not being properly adjusted and maintained with alternating calcium and potassium. Iron-loving plants like basil and kale will show yellowing (chlorosis) which will cause permanent damage to the plant, so test and supplement iron before the yellowing starts. In addition, vining and fruiting crops need a wider variety of micronutrients than leafy greens, so supplementing those crops at the root base and adding phosphorous for blooming, fruiting and flavor are all useful ways to ensure that your plants, bacteria, and fish stay healthy and happy.
Improve Water Quality – If your fish or sump tank water quality could use a bit of a boost, place a submersible pump in the bottom of the tank, and drain out about 1/3 of the water. Apply the water to fruit trees or kickstart your compost. Refill the tank with temperate, dechlorinated water. This will keep the fish and bacteria happy while removing some of the thicker solids from the bottom of the tank. Too many solids over time will result in larger concentrations of heterotrophic bacteria which consume solids and out-compete with nitrifying bacteria for space and oxygen. This will cause denitrification which will reduce the nitrogen available for the plants. Make sure to flush solids out of the system on a predefined basis, keep filters washed, and minimize the amount of overall solids buildup.
Check for Thick Solids in the Media Beds and Deep Water Culture – Do your grow beds have a lot of solids in them? Is the bottom of your deep water culture filled with sediment? It may be time for a rinse and refresh. While a lot of mineralization goes on to convert fish solids, uneaten feed, and algae into plant nutrients, at some point in time, solids will accumulate to a point where they overload the system. When that happens, they can become anaerobic or just too thick for plant roots to absorb any more. You may have heard that worms help and they do for a while, however, they also produce waste. Eventually, the beds just need some cleaning. We usually do this when we are changing crops out to avoid messing with the mature root systems. Flush the water out of the bed into a bucket or a sump, then siphon or pump out to fruit trees or compost. Try not to wash too much media all at once, since you don’t want to completely disrupt your biofilter in the process.