The Internet offers numerous resources detailing the process of establishing an aquaponics system, but much of it may appear daunting and require significant time investment. My aim for today, however, is to simplify the process and alleviate any apprehensions you may have.
What is the definition of aquaponics? It involves utilizing aquaculture and hydroponics systems to produce both fish and plants. But can it truly be as simple as I suggest?
This question can be answered both positively and negatively. It can be easy or difficult depending on the approach. Although aquaculture and hydroponics have inherent challenges, when combined, the number of difficulties can be minimized to only a few.
The difficulties you can run into with aquaponics are few and can be remedied fairly easily. These problems are:
- Space
What are the options for placing your fish tank and grow beds?
- Any south-facing space just like a greenhouse.
- A basement, garage, or carport. If you use an enclosed space like a garage or basement you will need to invest in grow lights since sunshine and heat are essential for both fish and plants.
- A greenhouse. This is the absolute best place for an aquaponics system since you won’t need to provide a heater for the fish tank in cold weather.
- Equipment
Possible alternative: Possible options:
- If you don’t have access to food-grade containers you can line the containers you do have with a pond liner.
- DO NOT use any containers that have been used to store chemicals or are comprised of any metal other than stainless steel. Avoid anything copper so that it doesn’t leech into your system since it can poison your fish.
- Any food-grade plastic containers large enough to hold 10-20 fish for a small system will work.
- Time
Possible rephrasings of “Solutions”: – Possible ways to address the issue: – Courses of action that could be taken: – Approaches to resolve the problem: – Options for tackling the challenge: – Ideas for fixing the situation: – Strategies for overcoming the obstacle: – Remedies for the difficulty: – Measures to deal with the dilemma: – Plans for handling the matter: – Proposals for resolving the concern.
- An aquaponics system is not usable as soon as it is assembled. You will need to develop your bacteria colony before you can stock the fish tank and wait till you see how your fish are doing before planting your crops.
- It can take anywhere from 10 days to 3 weeks to allow the bacteria to find your system and develop a colony that will benefit your plants and fish.
Once you have identified the area where you plan to construct your system, the process of setting it up becomes a breeze. In this article, our focus will be on creating a system within the confines of a greenhouse.
The following equipment is required:
Aquarium
- This can be a large fish aquarium, a vinyl kiddie pool, or any food-grade plastic container.
- You will want to figure about 10 gallons of water for each fish. The ratio is 1 pound of adult fish to about 10 gallons of water. Stocking your tank with one fish per 10 gallons of water will help to keep your system balanced and reduce the amount of ammonia in the water and keep the pH in the optimum range.
Medium used for growing.
- Most DIYers setting up an aquaponics system will use pea gravel. It is relatively inexpensive and easily acquired.
- You can also use coir, peat moss, or expanded clay pellets.
Beds for gardening purposes that allow plants to grow are called grow beds.
- These can be any other food-grade containers that you have access to. They should be between 6-12 inches deep although the deeper containers will allow you to grow a more varied number of plants in each bed if you are working with a limited amount of space.
- Many people will simply build a grow bed and line it with a pond liner. Doing this allows you to make it to the size you want and you can choose to stack grow beds for more planting space and add legs so that it will fit over your fish tank.
A test kit for evaluating freshwater quality.
- A test kit is necessary to keep control of the chemicals that can build up in your fish tank. If there is too much ammonia in the water or the pH is too high it can harm your fish. If ammonia is high in the tank then your beneficial bacteria aren’t getting the nitrites they need to live and the plants aren’t getting the nitrates the bacteria produce.
- These kits test freshwater pH, ammonia, nitrite, high-range pH, and nitrate levels to help you control those levels more easily.
Pumps for water
- I am going to assume that you will be using an intermittent flow system since it is the easiest to set up and operate. However, you can also use either the continuous flow or ebb & flow systems as well.
- Choosing a water pump is very important for “turning over the water.” This filters and aerates it so that your fish remain healthy and the water does not become toxic with the amount of ammonia contained in the suspension.
- An intermittent flow system means that the grow beds will be flooded once an hour in a 15-minute on and 45-minute off cycle.
- Things to consider when choosing the right pump are fish tank volume and the distance between your pump and the top of your grow bed where the water will flood the growing medium. We will have to make a lot of assumptions here. Your calculations and measurements may be different from the picture we are creating.
- Assumption No. 1: Your fish tank is 100 gallons. One-hundred gallons divided by 24 hours means you will want to move 4-5 gallons per hour. However, you will not want to get a pump based solely on that figure.
- Assumption No. 2: Your fish tank is 2.5 feet deep and your pump will be sitting 6 inches from the bottom. Elevating your pump means you won’t get a bunch of solid fish poo gumming up your pump.
- Assumption No. 3: There are about 1.5 feet between the top of your fish tank and the bottom of your grow bed.
- Assumption No. 4: Your grow bed is 12 inches deep.
- With these four assumptions made, we can determine what size pump you will need to purchase for your system. Simple math skills will aid you here. 30 inches (fish tank depth) – 6 inches (pump elevation) + 18 inches (space between tank and bottom of grow bed) + 12 inches (grow bed depth) = 54 inches. This means that your head height, or the distance between the pump and the top of the grow bed, is 4.5 feet.
- The best pump to get for the system described will be one that will cycle 5 gallons or more per hour with a head height (or “rise”) of about 5 feet. You will also need to consider the size of the tubing that you are using for your pump. There may be an efficiency loss of 15-30 percent the greater your head height and tubing size are.
Goldfish Aquaponics: Perfect Cycle Fish
As a child, you may have had goldfish as pets and may still have some in a tank. However, it is possible that you have not realized the potential of these fish beyond their ornamental value. With a goldfish aquaponics system, you can cultivate and consume your own food using significantly less space than traditional farming techniques require.
Despite their humble nature, goldfish are voracious eaters, which translates to increased waste production and a higher supply of nitrates for your plants. These fish are known to be resilient and diverse in type, making them ideal for novice fish-keepers and aesthetically pleasing to the eye.
It’s crucial to acknowledge that despite being a durable fish, the common goldfish necessitates careful consideration of system design and upkeep to ensure it thrives in its appropriate habitat.
Before embarking on your goldfish aquaponics system shopping, there are various key facts you ought to be aware of.
Goldfish Species
Your aquaponics system can accommodate various species of goldfish, classified into two kinds: single-tail or twin-tail, despite the existence of several goldfish species.
If you attempt to mingle both single tail and twin tail types in the same aquarium, the former will overpower the latter due to its higher swiftness and aggression, thus causing the twin tails to undergo misery.
Single Tail Goldfish
- The Common Goldfish
You are already familiar with the classic orange/goldfish. It is the most resilient type and has impressive speed. With sufficient room to grow, it can reach up to 12 inches and is commonly paired with Koi as a great companion.
The majority of other breeds of goldfish are actually descendants of the common variety.
- Comet
Compared to the typical common goldfish, the Comet displays greater speed and agility. Its tail possesses both a deep fork and can grow as long as a foot. Nevertheless, the Comet can be discovered in colors like orange, white, red, or yellow.
- Shubunkin Goldfish
Although they share many physical similarities with common goldfish, Shubunkins are multicolored and just as resilient, with the potential to grow up to 15 inches in length. Additionally, it’s worth mentioning that these fish also come in a rare blue variety that holds significant value.
Twin Tailed Goldfish
Twin-tailed varieties outnumber single-tailed ones by a significant margin.
- Black Moor
The Black Moor, with an egg-shaped body, is in reality a black goldfish that is smaller than the typical goldfish species, reaching a length of only 8 inches when the surroundings are appropriate. While this type of goldfish is robust, it has bulging eyes and inadequate vision, implying that it is critical to exercise caution while introducing any items into its tank.
- Ranchu
The Ranchu is highly favored among the people of China and Japan as one of the most popular fish species. It bears a striking resemblance to the Lionhead, however, it differs in having a shorter tail and an arched back, as well as lacking a dorsal fin.
They come in different colors like red, black, and white and can grow up to 8 inches in length.
- Lionchu
Lionchus are visually impressive even though they lack a dorsal fin, and they originate from breeding between Ranchu and Lionhead varieties. These fish are available in white, yellow, and red, as well as frequently being dual-colored.
The maximum length this type of goldfish can reach is 6 inches.
- Lionhead
The reason why this type of goldfish is widespread is because of its identifiable head resembling a lion’s mane, hence its name. Additionally, their adorable appearance adds to their popularity.
Once more, they are available in orange, yellow, or rarely white, with a maximum length of 6 inches.
- Bubble Eye
The bubble eye goldfish gets its name from the presence of a bladder beneath each eye. Typically, this type of goldfish is orange, though specimens in red, white, or calico can be found. Despite reaching a length of six inches, these fish are delicate and not the best choice for novice goldfish aquaponics enthusiasts.
- Fantail
Being a Ryukin variant, Fantails display a broad head and compact body. It is worth mentioning that they are quite resilient and an excellent starter option for aquaponics enthusiasts seeking their maiden goldfish.
- Telescope Eye
Due to their protrusion, these kind of eyes resemble telescopes and thus, they are appropriately named. Their color variations can range from orange, red, white, tri-colored, calico, to chocolate. Additionally, this breed is known for their robustness and can grow up to 6 inches in length.
- Pearlscale
When choosing goldfish for your system, you may want to consider Pearlscales. These fish have pearlescent scales and a large midsection. While they are hardy, they are not typically as hardy as single-tailed goldfish.
It’s crucial to note that these fish are not strong swimmers. In the unlikely event that you house them with other fish in your aquaponics system, they may face difficulties in obtaining sufficient food and suffer.
The common goldfish or the fantail are perhaps the most suitable species for beginners when it comes to using them in a goldfish aquaponics system. However, all the above-mentioned species can be utilized for this purpose.
Goldfish temperature
Goldfish are well-suited for cooler climates as they are cold-water fish. They can adjust to temperatures ranging from 40°F to 78°F. Nonetheless, if you choose to keep them in colder temperatures, they may display lethargy and a lack of curiosity towards their environment.
As a result, their consumption, excretion, and nutritive value for plants could be insufficient.
On the opposite side of the spectrum, if the water is excessively warm, the probability of them acquiring a particular sickness called swim bladder disease, which hampers their ability to swim normally, is heightened.
In order to ensure the well-being and contentment of your goldfish, it is crucial to maintain a temperature range of 65°F to 72°F. This factor should be taken into account when determining the feasibility of keeping a goldfish, depending on the climate of your location and the placement of your tank.
Goldfish growth rate
As previously stated, twin-tailed goldfish typically grow up to 6 inches in length, whereas single-tailed ones can reach as much as 12 inches. Nevertheless, their growth is influenced by the environment and the amount of space they have, which will be further explained.
