ok , i ran a BIG aquaponics system for many years and i would like to give you some tips . 1 ..you dont need the internal filter at all . 2 ..the container with the hydroton should not be full of water , the clay balls are designed to retain moisture and stay damp , just wet enough for the plants to take what they need , there needs to be air in the balls to get maximum bacteria growth, and you also had danger of roots rot , it will WORK the way you are doing it but its no where near as good as it could be . 3 , The pot should be black not clear , clear risks algae and UV light is not good on plant roots .
wacka2 Question? What homemade material can i use to substitute hydroton or whatever substrate they use for the aquaponics? I dont think people have patience to buy that shit in my country so i doubt id be able to buy some. What can i use instead for aquaponics filter? What recommended plants (for both normal light and low light for instance)
Hey everyone, the greatest success that i've had was by following the Keiths Ponics Site (just google it) without a doubt the no.1 info that I have ever followed.
Lovely Video clip! Sorry for chiming in, I would appreciate your initial thoughts. Have you tried - Patlarny Gardening Expert Principle (search on google)? It is a great exclusive guide for learning how to expand your produce minus the normal expense. Ive heard some incredible things about it and my cousin finally got excellent results with it.
Thanks for the Video! Apologies for butting in, I would appreciate your thoughts. Have you considered - Patlarny Gardening Expert Principle (do a search on google)? It is a great exclusive product for learning how to expand your produce with the clever art of aquaponics without the normal expense. Ive heard some great things about it and my mate got excellent results with it.
Cheers for the Video! Sorry for the intrusion, I am interested in your thoughts. Have you thought about - Patlarny Gardening Expert Principle (erm, check it on google should be there)? It is a good one of a kind product for learning how to expand your produce with the clever art of aquaponics without the hard work. Ive heard some interesting things about it and my cousin at last got cool results with it.
Not certain about the points made but ,if anyone else wants to discover aquaponic gardening system try Aqua Recovery Tactics (aqua.RecoveryTactics.com ) ? Ive heard some amazing things about it and my cousin got amazing success with it.
An issue I ran into with beds that don't drain is mold/fungus. I like the siphons because it lets the roots air out a little, deterring mold/fungus growth.
interesting points ,if anyone else trying to find out aquaponics book try Aqua Recovery Tactics (aqua.RecoveryTactics.com ) ? Ive heard some pretty good things about it and my friend got great results with it.
Nice. Realistically once that is cycled, you could get rid of your Fluegel altogether and replace it with a powerhead inside the tank, that would be more than enough filtration on its own. Maybe put an area on there where you can put a little filter cotton to catch the gunk. Aqua Pontic‘s is definitely the way to go, you can cut your water changes about in half, really if you got enough volume in there you could almost eliminate water changes. You can also grow vegetables in there, cucumber, peppers, Zucchini, and different house plants. I do it with lava rocks but are use a long skinny planter box with smaller chunks of lava rock.
I love your video. Your tank is crystal clear and your fish seem happy n healthy. I would like to know a little more about how and where you attached the overflow line. I so want to do this to my guppy tank. On a smaller scale since I don't have much surface area (tiny house and I don't want to set it up in the parrot room).
Thank you for so eloquently breaking this system down! For so long I was looking for a system that not only focused on the well-being of the plants but also the fish. Your system with some small modifications for my home (mainly the setup due to space) will work perfectly!
we have the same concept, i also pumped in clean and filtered water before going to my media...that will save you from cleaning your media if it's being used for some time...would like to suggest not to let all your water from your pump to go to your plants...at the most just 20 percent of water coming from your pump should go to your plants and the remaining 80 percent will go back directly to your aquarium...in this case you will be able to control your nitrogen spikes more effectively....
bacterial growth would react to sudden change in nitrogen and ammonia in your water....if you're going to do the proportioning, just a little of your nitrate would be used by the plant thereby creating a more stable environment provided that you're feeding your fishes like almost the same amount of food every day...maybe you already know this but the amount of bacteria that would flourish in your biofilter would be tantamount to the amount of ammonia and nitrite present in your water....to have a stable environment at least 20-30% water should be used by the plant and the remaining returned directly to your tank to avoid bacterial kill...
That's an interesting setup. I also bought some mint, though I'm a bit uncomfortable having the system outside the tank in case it leaks. I'm trying a small pot placed in my external hook-on filter.
thanks for sharing! i am doing something similar with a 80 litres half barrel pond… a bog filter to clean the water for growing watercress and then a marginal plant basket in the pond for growing mint 😄 i have two fancy goldfish who are powering the ecosystem 😉
Yes but u Will soon need a bigger pond bc an adult goldfish needs 100 lt at least. Otherwise they Will not Grow, and they can suffer so much. Pls im not judging just tryng to spread the Word (bc i Always Hear about 40 lts per goldfish and its not enough for the fish :/ )
if you built a sump tank you wouldn't have to worry about your fish tank levels. the sumo can go up and down. fish tank goes to the sump. plants also dump to the sump. sump pumps to plants and to fish tank. then you can have a bell siphon on the plant tank
I too have live bearers. The Ph for them is usually higher than the ideal Ph level for aquaponics. Looking for tips on how to have a mutually healthy system for the plants and the fish.
Hard to find info for people who actually want to keep fish and not just have fish for the aquaponics. The grow bed media is a inert clay of sorts, correct? Does it effect your fish water in anyway? I'm worried about picking wrong media and it fluctuating my PH in my fish tank.
Yeah the expanded clay media I used was inert and did not affect my chemistry at all, and I also rinsed it super well, so i'm confident it did not move any of my water parameters. The manufacturer will indicate on the bag how it will (or will not) alter your chemistry. Mine explicitly stated it was "inert".
Expanded clay and perlite will cause no Ph fluctuation. The drawback with clay if you run an unfiltered/unscreened system is that it may clog something up, being much smaller than clay balls. Also before you buy the clay check the size because they also come in as small as lentils size. But, roots of small plants like the perlite better. I run a mix with clay on the bottom, perlite for about 70% and clay on top after the perlite has soaked. Give it a couple of days before you plant anything as the whole thing goes up and down.
Excellent video content! Sorry for chiming in, I would love your initial thoughts. Have you researched - Patlarny Gardening Expert Principle (google it)? It is a great one of a kind guide for learning how to expand your produce minus the hard work. Ive heard some super things about it and my mate after many years got astronomical success with it.
How is your aquaponics doing? I want to set up my first aquaponics but have no idea how to do so. Would you be willing to make a tutorial? I like your system setup. thanks
If you're worried about the plants not getting enough nutrients from the water, you can spray their leaves with dilute plant fertilizer. I know some plants can absorb them through the leaves. Just make sure you don't let any get into the tank water.
Nice setup mate, but I thought the fish poo is the fertilizer for the plants? Or just the soluble elements? Isn't mint a really easily accessible plant? And cheap? Good if it's an experiment I guess?!?
Hi, I've just discovered your channel while looking for a DIY water garden. I used to have several aquariums many years ago, but got out of the hobby when I began moving around. Now that I'm retired I wanted to get back into it, that't when I saw this video. Your fish are so happy and healthy! I'm going to watch your other videos and hopefully get a tank going in the next few months. I'll be moving into a permanent tiny home and the aquarium will be a happy place for me. They're so relaxing and the fish are great little creatures to talk to. Thanks so much for this channel....hope you continue to post new videos. I'm relearning a lot. :)
Cool video! The mint is esthetic looking. We build custom Paludariums and I bet the mint would look cool in the terrestrial portion. We subbed and will check out the other videos.
Hi. I have converted our old bathtub into a fish tank; my question is: since it's out in my garden and under a tree, I didn't want me water pump to be screwd with decayed leaves, so I left the sponge in the pump where it originally was, but I am still interested in getting the fish faeces into my clay growbed.
thanks for showing a simplified system. I am interested in breaking into aquaponics for a long time, I've been reading up and trying to learn. Not looking to invest a ton of money and space at first. This is a good system for getting feet wet, and I have a 55 gal tank in my shed. Your tank has tons of air bubbles. Are you using subgravel filter or what?
I have a network of small air-stones underneath my substrate which is causing the bubbles. Sub-Gravel filters are pretty much useless in my opinion and have gone the way of the dodo bird ;-) I have massive filtration in that tank, using a Penguin B150 + 200, a Fluval 205, and then the aquaponics. You should definitely get your feet wet, they are a lot of fun, and the biological interactions are scintillating.
As I understand, you dont want to filter the water, before it goes into the media as, that is where the ammonia oxidizing bacteria live. But your results are undeniable. Full disclosure, I'm new to this as well
that is a beautiful setup, ish. how much money does that canister filter cost? I'm on a really tight budget because I'm in high school and don't have a lot of money. Also, could I have a list of all materials needed for that setup? I want to try that out.
I want to try your build but im concerned with the grow bed. Wouldn't the water on the surface be the only water flowing back to the tank having the water in the bottom of the tub be stagnant in your grow bed?
Nice concept I really like it but what the hell would I do with all that mint, nice to have lettuce and kale but great way to demonstrate a proper water filter and in turn get some food
the cost of power kinda equals the market value of mint, maybe a bit more. So, we cannot call it ecologic, BUT it's healthier and way more rewarding. Or maybe it's more ecologic (but not more economic) since it uses less water than out in the field. Anyway, I'm happy to see fish aren't tortured in small buckets and stuff like that. Thumbs up!
The additional power consumption of this system costs me $5.40 (Canadian) per year to run. Thus if I wanted to sell the mint, I could easily recoup that in two weeks, if not every month. But your right, my Thesis was to experiment with aquaponics for the health and love of tropical fish. Thanks for the reply!
Love the idea of aquaponics to eat nitrates, and limit water changes. Would think it would be perfect for the african cichlids since they cant have plants in the tank, and require very low nitrate levels. Any update on this system, or follow up videos?
Thanks Sean. Once school is over this May i'm gonna re-arrange my basement, and when I do my Tropheus tank is gonna get an amazing new aquaponics system that will utilize light from a window.
Dude, this is awesome! Are you planning to make a larger Aquaponic system? With the plant bed full all the time, are you getting any root rot on the plants?
Brian Taylor if you were listening to my video, it is intended for people who have established aquariums and would like to dabble into aquaponics. "The Point" is to solve the biochemical limiting factor for any aquarium which is Nitrates. When you educate yourself about the actual chemical interactions between fish, bacteria, and plants you will realize the plants are only interested in the final by-product of the nitrogen cycle, and not in solid fish wastes. This is what the mutualistic symbiosis hinges on. If you pump mechanically and biologically treated water into the grow bed (because people with canister filters are going to continue using them), it stays a lot cleaner, you limit the growth of undesired organisms inside the grow bed, and the plants get exactly what they need. In my system the mint grows about 1-2" per week, and i have reduced the frequency of water changes by 50%. That Brian is "The Point".
+Funksolid thanks for explaining that. I'm new to this and I was wondering about how the solid waste is handled. So the plants just need the fish water, correct? What happens in a typIcal aquaponics system? I guess it eventually decomposes?
In this system the solid fish wastes are broken down in the substrate of the tank, and in the canister filter by a suite of bacteria. The bacteria then liberate Nitrates which are food for your plants. Typically in aquaponics you dont have a dedicated canister filter, but the growbed for the plants is your filter. The fate of all solid wastes is that bacteria break them down into simpler compounds that are removed through water changes, chemical media in the filter, or absorbed into the plants.
watched one guys journey (he used a bell siphon) he did not have much luck in growing anything or if it did grow it didn't last long. I am really liking your system because I don't like the fish tank water going really low either as I want the aesthetic of the fish tank. My question is are you using the fluval filter in place of the Pump and is that why you are not getting solid waste in your grow bed (I don't want to have to deal with red wiggler worms to try to deal with the solid waste... I don't like worms) I just don't want to throw a lot of money at this only to have it fail. Also did you use any kind of filter (like cheese cloth or another media to keep your grow media from going back into your fish tank?
I simply placed the out-flow of the Fluval filter in the grow bed, and then installed a drain from the grow-bed to the tank. The canister filter does its job and removes all the shit from the water that smart people ;-) do not want inside their growbed. The drain inside the growbed had a plastic attachment/strainer prevented media from draining. It was cheap and easy!
I have a question about the material the plants are growing in. The canister filter provides the necessary mechanical and chemical filtration, but I wonder if biological filtration is needed in the canister. Would the aquaponics system provide a sufficient place for the beneficial bacteria to grow. Could the whole nitrogen cycle occur within the aquaponics system? I am thinking in terms of it being such a huge area.
+Kenneth shaheen jr. Thats a great question, and yes there is massive surface area in expanded clay media systems, which support the growth of huge amounts of nitrifyng bacteria. In the context of my system, I had a overstocked aquarium that I was adding the aquaponics to. Therefore I needed my filters to support the bio-load while aquaponics was establishing itself. I would probably wait a good month, but you could start to phase out the bio-media in the canister (and my other two HOB's) because it would be redundant for sure. I am a huge fan of crystal clear water, so I would probably replace it with more foam :-)
Yeah I still do, the solid fish waste still drops to the bottom of the gravel and collects down there just like a normal tank, I'm a huge proponent of vacuuming the gravel while doing frequent water changes.
Nitrates and nitrites are created through the biological process of nitrification. It is indeed the bacteria that convert the harmful (to fish and plants) ammonia into usable Nitrates for the plants. Pre-biological-filtering is unnecessary though the mechanical filtering will help with the clarity of your water. You have Nitrates in your system because your grow/media bed acts as a very large biological filter and though you kill the bacteria while passing from the tank to the growbed the growbed is chock full of beneficial bacteria which naturally float around in your air and innoculated your system, that is why there is a break in period with new aquaponics systems (from 30-90 days).
Thanks for the lecture on the Nitrogen cycle, but you need to do some work with The Google. 1. Nitrifying bacteria floating through the air? 2. Killing bacteria from tank to growbed? 3. Did you realize the title is Aquariums TO aquaponics. Keep in mind the context of this video is for people with established aquariums.
That's actually a pretty nice looking system. Other than water reading levels, what are (if any) other maintenance steps you've added to your already established aquarium maintenance?
Is it still working well as designed in the video. I'm surprised you aren't getting root rot. With a deep water system like you are using you generally need an air pump to pump a lot of air into the water to prevent it.
If the fish have enough oxygen to breathe, then the system is in equilibrium with the oxygen in the atmosphere. It inputs water into the bottom and dumps in the top which provides adequate circulation.
hi, i builded an aquaponic system for my aquarium. my pot is 25 cm high. Water level is 15 cm high. I try use hydroton 20 cm high, but the hydroton is not sinking.it is swimming. What is my wrong? İs water level high?
dude! this vid is awesome! I'm gonna make i pretty similar setup, but with my plants being in the windowsill, I love that you can see the root system too, so I'll just have to paint 3 sides black! Did you have any experience with this before you started? :D my tank is not so big, so my growbed is going to be smaller too, but in your system you never drain it completely? maybe it doesn't need to be drained?
+skarsteen Tank was a 40 Gallon, and growbed was... 8 Gallon rubbermaid? I had the tank setup and adequately filtered for about a year before I setup the aquaponics, and I used it to remove Nitrates. This system does not utilize draining and filling which I mention in the video, because I like my tanks with constant full volumes of water.
Good day sir. I would like to know if you ever do water changes at all to keep your fish tank clear or do you just add water as the water level drops over time??
+Owen Berry I have added some Fluval Plant Micronutrients, but didnt see any benefit. I guess the nutrition in the fish food I use provides enough residual.
No the Fluval 205 is setup as per factory specifications, and flows very well. I utilize both the coarse and bio-foams in that canister, and it flows like a beauty.
You should be putting the unfiltered water to the plants. The water pre filter has more nutrients for the plants. The roots will filter the water. Once your roots are fully developed you will see the biological waste accumulation in your filter will go way down. By having the filter first you are basically taking fertilizer out of the water. It still works and the benefits for your tank are the same just the plants get less nutrients. Plants will grow in any water but better with nutrient rich water. Good setup though. I have a couple of my tanks supporting a few herbs and other houseplants.
I believe that any person who ever tried building their project by utilizing diy guidelines, at least one time, had to face the discouraging time when the result always was far worse than expectation.
+Micheal Vill And numerous ham-handed novices (like me) recognize that having a in depth guideline is the only and certain option to have the project finished. This guide is worth exploring: help1.info/build-aquaponics-hassle-free-x00021
I used a Dremel tool, with an abrasive circular bit. I first marked out the circle on the bin, then I ground the hole out with the Dremel. I didnt have to be super accurate because the fittings I used have really thick washers for creating a good seal. HTH
yes.i m totally new in Aquaponic...i have one schedule for the PH and PPM vegitable schedule.......when i check my fish pond PH7.5 and PPM 95, but in vegitable schedule written PPM600 to 2500.....how to reach that high PPM?
Sorry for late reply and sorry for my poor English... i had check my PPM in the fish pond, My fish pond PPM only 98 but should be 600 or above...correct? how to increase or reduce the PPM in Aquaponics ?
If you are doing aquaponics why are you using that internal pump..??..since this system is made to combine the two ecosystems naturally..and only one pump can do this
Can you get the wattage on those pumps? I'm trying to do some research but no one seems to advertise how much electricity those things draw. I'm afraid it'll be so high a few solar panels won't cut it but I don't see how a motor that small could require more than 30 watts. Also, young man. Don't worry about if something looks ghetto your first go around. Get the concept down to a science and then improve on your design from there. God will put everything in order for you if you'll let him, and read his word.
ok , i ran a BIG aquaponics system for many years and i would like to give you some tips .
1 ..you dont need the internal filter at all .
2 ..the container with the hydroton should not be full of water , the clay balls are designed to retain moisture and stay damp , just wet enough for the plants to take what they need , there needs to be air in the balls to get maximum bacteria growth, and you also had danger of roots rot , it will WORK the way you are doing it but its no where near as good as it could be .
3 , The pot should be black not clear , clear risks algae and UV light is not good on plant roots .
wacka2
Question? What homemade material can i use to substitute hydroton or whatever substrate they use for the aquaponics? I dont think people have patience to buy that shit in my country so i doubt id be able to buy some. What can i use instead for aquaponics filter? What recommended plants (for both normal light and low light for instance)
hey by chance can you tell me the best and most affordable material to use on a aquaponic system for a 20 gallon tank.
Thank you very much for your input and knowledge I am trying to build a system 4r restaurant with a 300 gallon aquarium
Yea just move the drain on the container down, it would provide more air to the roots and bacteria
can you recommend a good book for dummies to start this business?
its cool to see someone actually cares about the fish and not just the plants! i might try this.
Thanks, yeah give it a try it was really fun building it, and watching my water chemistry change!
Hey everyone, the greatest success that i've had was by following the Keiths Ponics Site (just google it) without a doubt the no.1 info that I have ever followed.
@@AquaticLogic hi,
Are those real or artificial plants in your aquarium?
It look so nice.
best demonstration of aquaponics system that I've watched so far, great job
Thanks Bibo ;-)
Awesome video my friend. Thanks for sharing.
Simple and effective. 👌
One of the best aquaponic systems for a fish tank I’ve seen
Gorgeous healthy fish, nice job
Thank you Katherine
Lovely Video clip! Sorry for chiming in, I would appreciate your initial thoughts. Have you tried - Patlarny Gardening Expert Principle (search on google)? It is a great exclusive guide for learning how to expand your produce minus the normal expense. Ive heard some incredible things about it and my cousin finally got excellent results with it.
Thanks for the Video! Apologies for butting in, I would appreciate your thoughts. Have you considered - Patlarny Gardening Expert Principle (do a search on google)? It is a great exclusive product for learning how to expand your produce with the clever art of aquaponics without the normal expense. Ive heard some great things about it and my mate got excellent results with it.
Cheers for the Video! Sorry for the intrusion, I am interested in your thoughts. Have you thought about - Patlarny Gardening Expert Principle (erm, check it on google should be there)? It is a good one of a kind product for learning how to expand your produce with the clever art of aquaponics without the hard work. Ive heard some interesting things about it and my cousin at last got cool results with it.
Not certain about the points made but ,if anyone else wants to discover aquaponic gardening system try Aqua Recovery Tactics (aqua.RecoveryTactics.com ) ? Ive heard some amazing things about it and my cousin got amazing success with it.
Love you're work keep it up nice clear water love it
An issue I ran into with beds that don't drain is mold/fungus. I like the siphons because it lets the roots air out a little, deterring mold/fungus growth.
You really need to darken your substrate container. roots are light sensitive and should be kept in the dark
If I do that, then I cant watch the roots grow (insert a single tear here).
I didnt know that
It isn´t really a big deal, the outer plants won´t be growing optimally, but you are just growing mint, not cash crops.
interesting points ,if anyone else trying to find out aquaponics book try Aqua Recovery Tactics (aqua.RecoveryTactics.com ) ? Ive heard some pretty good things about it and my friend got great results with it.
Nice. Realistically once that is cycled, you could get rid of your Fluegel altogether and replace it with a powerhead inside the tank, that would be more than enough filtration on its own. Maybe put an area on there where you can put a little filter cotton to catch the gunk. Aqua Pontic‘s is definitely the way to go, you can cut your water changes about in half, really if you got enough volume in there you could almost eliminate water changes. You can also grow vegetables in there, cucumber, peppers, Zucchini, and different house plants. I do it with lava rocks but are use a long skinny planter box with smaller chunks of lava rock.
I love your video. Your tank is crystal clear and your fish seem happy n healthy.
I would like to know a little more about how and where you attached the overflow line.
I so want to do this to my guppy tank. On a smaller scale since I don't have much surface area (tiny house and I don't want to set it up in the parrot room).
cool aquarium setup bro😎👍
I truly enjoyed your video! I thought it was very well done and interesting. It gave me some ideas for my African Cichlid tank. Thanks for sharing
Your welcome Denny, thanks for the comment ;-)
Thank you for so eloquently breaking this system down! For so long I was looking for a system that not only focused on the well-being of the plants but also the fish. Your system with some small modifications for my home (mainly the setup due to space) will work perfectly!
Your very welcome Savannah, and thanks for the nice comment.
Check out my system
we have the same concept, i also pumped in clean and filtered water before going to my media...that will save you from cleaning your media if it's being used for some time...would like to suggest not to let all your water from your pump to go to your plants...at the most just 20 percent of water coming from your pump should go to your plants and the remaining 80 percent will go back directly to your aquarium...in this case you will be able to control your nitrogen spikes more effectively....
Thanks for the comment. Im curious how proportioning the water output from the filter would help improve nitrate spikes?
bacterial growth would react to sudden change in nitrogen and ammonia in your water....if you're going to do the proportioning, just a little of your nitrate would be used by the plant thereby creating a more stable environment provided that you're feeding your fishes like almost the same amount of food every day...maybe you already know this but the amount of bacteria that would flourish in your biofilter would be tantamount to the amount of ammonia and nitrite present in your water....to have a stable environment at least 20-30% water should be used by the plant and the remaining returned directly to your tank to avoid bacterial kill...
That's an interesting setup. I also bought some mint, though I'm a bit uncomfortable having the system outside the tank in case it leaks. I'm trying a small pot placed in my external hook-on filter.
your tank is very clean! good job
great video
Thanks :-)
I just purchased a 55 gallon tank. I'll be slowing setting it up in my basement this winter
thanks for sharing! i am doing something similar with a 80 litres half barrel pond… a bog filter to clean the water for growing watercress and then a marginal plant basket in the pond for growing mint 😄 i have two fancy goldfish who are powering the ecosystem 😉
Yes but u Will soon need a bigger pond bc an adult goldfish needs 100 lt at least. Otherwise they Will not Grow, and they can suffer so much. Pls im not judging just tryng to spread the Word (bc i Always Hear about 40 lts per goldfish and its not enough for the fish :/ )
Wow amazing
Ty4 this video. I was going to grow on my fish tank but I like this setup!
Those are some beautiful endlers/guppies you have there
PS just subscribed
Cool, thanks man
Watching that beginning and being high at the same time is so awesome.
I'm glad I could augment your THC "benefits'.
happy wife, happy life... really cool setup!
Thanks Yuji
Very cool!!
if you built a sump tank you wouldn't have to worry about your fish tank levels. the sumo can go up and down. fish tank goes to the sump. plants also dump to the sump. sump pumps to plants and to fish tank. then you can have a bell siphon on the plant tank
Looks good done this before but on koi fry set ups I'll be doing again shortly..
I too have live bearers. The Ph for them is usually higher than the ideal Ph level for aquaponics. Looking for tips on how to have a mutually healthy system for the plants and the fish.
Did you use crushed coral?
Hard to find info for people who actually want to keep fish and not just have fish for the aquaponics. The grow bed media is a inert clay of sorts, correct? Does it effect your fish water in anyway? I'm worried about picking wrong media and it fluctuating my PH in my fish tank.
Yeah the expanded clay media I used was inert and did not affect my chemistry at all, and I also rinsed it super well, so i'm confident it did not move any of my water parameters. The manufacturer will indicate on the bag how it will (or will not) alter your chemistry. Mine explicitly stated it was "inert".
Expanded clay and perlite will cause no Ph fluctuation. The drawback with clay if you run an unfiltered/unscreened system is that it may clog something up, being much smaller than clay balls. Also before you buy the clay check the size because they also come in as small as lentils size. But, roots of small plants like the perlite better. I run a mix with clay on the bottom, perlite for about 70% and clay on top after the perlite has soaked. Give it a couple of days before you plant anything as the whole thing goes up and down.
Excellent video content! Sorry for chiming in, I would love your initial thoughts. Have you researched - Patlarny Gardening Expert Principle (google it)? It is a great one of a kind guide for learning how to expand your produce minus the hard work. Ive heard some super things about it and my mate after many years got astronomical success with it.
@@AquaticLogic I hear lava rock works well
Nice system!
+peter larsen Thanks Peter!
How is your aquaponics doing? I want to set up my first aquaponics but have no idea how to do so. Would you be willing to make a tutorial? I like your system setup. thanks
If you're worried about the plants not getting enough nutrients from the water, you can spray their leaves with dilute plant fertilizer. I know some plants can absorb them through the leaves. Just make sure you don't let any get into the tank water.
Cool stuff! Great idea utilizing a usable plant for this system. Have a Mojito and kick back while you enjoy your creation! Sure earned my sub! 👊😎
Lol Thanks JC. It has not warmed up here yet in Canada, so maybe in a couple of months ;-)
Loved it!
Nice setup mate, but I thought the fish poo is the fertilizer for the plants? Or just the soluble elements? Isn't mint a really easily accessible plant? And cheap? Good if it's an experiment I guess?!?
nice clean water
Not fond of the bell siphon either! This was kinda wholesome, thanks :)
This is great. Thank you for sharing.
Pretty cool
Have you thought about adding aquatic plants to your system?
Hi, I've just discovered your channel while looking for a DIY water garden. I used to have several aquariums many years ago, but got out of the hobby when I began moving around. Now that I'm retired I wanted to get back into it, that't when I saw this video. Your fish are so happy and healthy! I'm going to watch your other videos and hopefully get a tank going in the next few months. I'll be moving into a permanent tiny home and the aquarium will be a happy place for me. They're so relaxing and the fish are great little creatures to talk to. Thanks so much for this channel....hope you continue to post new videos. I'm relearning a lot. :)
Cool video! The mint is esthetic looking. We build custom Paludariums and I bet the mint would look cool in the terrestrial portion. We subbed and will check out the other videos.
Thank you!
What type of lights you use for plants to grown in door
Hi. I have converted our old bathtub into a fish tank;
my question is: since it's out in my garden and under a tree, I didn't want me water pump to be screwd with decayed leaves, so I left the sponge in the pump where it originally was, but I am still interested in getting the fish faeces into my clay growbed.
thanks for showing a simplified system. I am interested in breaking into aquaponics for a long time, I've been reading up and trying to learn. Not looking to invest a ton of money and space at first. This is a good system for getting feet wet, and I have a 55 gal tank in my shed. Your tank has tons of air bubbles. Are you using subgravel filter or what?
I have a network of small air-stones underneath my substrate which is causing the bubbles. Sub-Gravel filters are pretty much useless in my opinion and have gone the way of the dodo bird ;-) I have massive filtration in that tank, using a Penguin B150 + 200, a Fluval 205, and then the aquaponics. You should definitely get your feet wet, they are a lot of fun, and the biological interactions are scintillating.
I gotta ask, how is your fish tank yet still clean? Are you using a filter pump inside the fish tank?
Love this idea
As I understand, you dont want to filter the water, before it goes into the media as, that is where the ammonia oxidizing bacteria live.
But your results are undeniable.
Full disclosure, I'm new to this as well
that is a beautiful setup, ish. how much money does that canister filter cost? I'm on a really tight budget because I'm in high school and don't have a lot of money. Also, could I have a list of all materials needed for that setup? I want to try that out.
What's in the tub?? what's that stuff??
I want to try your build but im concerned with the grow bed. Wouldn't the water on the surface be the only water flowing back to the tank having the water in the bottom of the tub be stagnant in your grow bed?
Nice concept I really like it but what the hell would I do with all that mint, nice to have lettuce and kale but great way to demonstrate a proper water filter and in turn get some food
the cost of power kinda equals the market value of mint, maybe a bit more. So, we cannot call it ecologic, BUT it's healthier and way more rewarding.
Or maybe it's more ecologic (but not more economic) since it uses less water than out in the field. Anyway, I'm happy to see fish aren't tortured in small buckets and stuff like that.
Thumbs up!
The additional power consumption of this system costs me $5.40 (Canadian) per year to run. Thus if I wanted to sell the mint, I could easily recoup that in two weeks, if not every month. But your right, my Thesis was to experiment with aquaponics for the health and love of tropical fish. Thanks for the reply!
Love the idea of aquaponics to eat nitrates, and limit water changes. Would think it would be perfect for the african cichlids since they cant have plants in the tank, and require very low nitrate levels. Any update on this system, or follow up videos?
Thanks Sean. Once school is over this May i'm gonna re-arrange my basement, and when I do my Tropheus tank is gonna get an amazing new aquaponics system that will utilize light from a window.
very creative
Dude, this is awesome! Are you planning to make a larger Aquaponic system? With the plant bed full all the time, are you getting any root rot on the plants?
Why are you running it through filter first, the point is you want the crap to go to your plants and have them clean the water
Brian Taylor if you were listening to my video, it is intended for people who have established aquariums and would like to dabble into aquaponics. "The Point" is to solve the biochemical limiting factor for any aquarium which is Nitrates. When you educate yourself about the actual chemical interactions between fish, bacteria, and plants you will realize the plants are only interested in the final by-product of the nitrogen cycle, and not in solid fish wastes. This is what the mutualistic symbiosis hinges on. If you pump mechanically and biologically treated water into the grow bed (because people with canister filters are going to continue using them), it stays a lot cleaner, you limit the growth of undesired organisms inside the grow bed, and the plants get exactly what they need. In my system the mint grows about 1-2" per week, and i have reduced the frequency of water changes by 50%. That Brian is "The Point".
+Funksolid thanks for explaining that. I'm new to this and I was wondering about how the solid waste is handled. So the plants just need the fish water, correct? What happens in a typIcal aquaponics system? I guess it eventually decomposes?
In this system the solid fish wastes are broken down in the substrate of the tank, and in the canister filter by a suite of bacteria. The bacteria then liberate Nitrates which are food for your plants. Typically in aquaponics you dont have a dedicated canister filter, but the growbed for the plants is your filter. The fate of all solid wastes is that bacteria break them down into simpler compounds that are removed through water changes, chemical media in the filter, or absorbed into the plants.
so you still need water changes ?
J3AN P3T3R not as many. Most aquaphonics farms just top off when needed.
Loved the Plecco's ;-)
Thanks BC, those bristlenose plecos breed prolifically!
Aquatic Logic how do u breed them the bristlenose I mean
Very cool system but i have only one question. Shouldnt roots always be in the dark and not exposed to much light. Ar least the roots themselves
Its possible that a zero light situation is ideal for the roots, but anecdotally it was not an issue for me. Thanks for the comment.
watched one guys journey (he used a bell siphon) he did not have much luck in growing anything or if it did grow it didn't last long. I am really liking your system because I don't like the fish tank water going really low either as I want the aesthetic of the fish tank. My question is are you using the fluval filter in place of the Pump and is that why you are not getting solid waste in your grow bed (I don't want to have to deal with red wiggler worms to try to deal with the solid waste... I don't like worms) I just don't want to throw a lot of money at this only to have it fail. Also did you use any kind of filter (like cheese cloth or another media to keep your grow media from going back into your fish tank?
I simply placed the out-flow of the Fluval filter in the grow bed, and then installed a drain from the grow-bed to the tank. The canister filter does its job and removes all the shit from the water that smart people ;-) do not want inside their growbed. The drain inside the growbed had a plastic attachment/strainer prevented media from draining. It was cheap and easy!
Are you testing the ammonia level as well as the ph level? I just wanted to ask
Hi, do you need to add any additional nutrients to keep the plants growing healthily?
I used premium fish food in this setup, and it did not need any extra micro/macro nutrients.
Nice. You mentioned having the water high in your tank & aquaponics bed. But if the power goes out, won't your tank overflow?
Nope the design allows a full aquarium with no over-filling risk. I detail how I did that in the video.
I have a question about the material the plants are growing in. The canister filter provides the necessary mechanical and chemical filtration, but I wonder if biological filtration is needed in the canister. Would the aquaponics system provide a sufficient place for the beneficial bacteria to grow. Could the whole nitrogen cycle occur within the aquaponics system? I am thinking in terms of it being such a huge area.
+Kenneth shaheen jr. Thats a great question, and yes there is massive surface area in expanded clay media systems, which support the growth of huge amounts of nitrifyng bacteria. In the context of my system, I had a overstocked aquarium that I was adding the aquaponics to. Therefore I needed my filters to support the bio-load while aquaponics was establishing itself. I would probably wait a good month, but you could start to phase out the bio-media in the canister (and my other two HOB's) because it would be redundant for sure. I am a huge fan of crystal clear water, so I would probably replace it with more foam :-)
that's pretty awesome I love mint
+Turbowaffle 21 Summertime + mint + soda water + (various alcohols) = Awesome Summer ;-)
Nice, thanks for the video, by the way what video camera are you using? its nice and clear. Cheers
Thanks Paul, i'm using an iPhone 6 in all my videos ;-)
Do your fush reproduce in the tank?
hi,
Are those real or artificial plants in your aquarium?
It look so nice.
And what's the plants on the rights that's you're trying to grow?
Cheers
Very nice setup! Do you still need clean the gravel in the aquarium regularly even with this aquaponic setup?
Yeah I still do, the solid fish waste still drops to the bottom of the gravel and collects down there just like a normal tank, I'm a huge proponent of vacuuming the gravel while doing frequent water changes.
Nitrates and nitrites are created through the biological process of nitrification. It is indeed the bacteria that convert the harmful (to fish and plants) ammonia into usable Nitrates for the plants. Pre-biological-filtering is unnecessary though the mechanical filtering will help with the clarity of your water. You have Nitrates in your system because your grow/media bed acts as a very large biological filter and though you kill the bacteria while passing from the tank to the growbed the growbed is chock full of beneficial bacteria which naturally float around in your air and innoculated your system, that is why there is a break in period with new aquaponics systems (from 30-90 days).
Thanks for the lecture on the Nitrogen cycle, but you need to do some work with The Google.
1. Nitrifying bacteria floating through the air?
2. Killing bacteria from tank to growbed?
3. Did you realize the title is Aquariums TO aquaponics. Keep in mind the context of this video is for people with established aquariums.
That's actually a pretty nice looking system. Other than water reading levels, what are (if any) other maintenance steps you've added to your already established aquarium maintenance?
Did you add bacteria? If yes how and which one?
Is it still working well as designed in the video. I'm surprised you aren't getting root rot. With a deep water system like you are using you generally need an air pump to pump a lot of air into the water to prevent it.
If the fish have enough oxygen to breathe, then the system is in equilibrium with the oxygen in the atmosphere. It inputs water into the bottom and dumps in the top which provides adequate circulation.
This is great. I’m wanting to convert my Juwel 180 litre tank to this sort of thing. Can I ask how you do the overflow?
well done
hi, i builded an aquaponic system for my aquarium. my pot is 25 cm high.
Water level is 15 cm high. I try use hydroton 20 cm high, but the hydroton is not sinking.it is swimming. What is my wrong? İs water level high?
Nope mine floats too. I installed a "strainer" on the out-flow so that it does not end up in my tank.
dude! this vid is awesome! I'm gonna make i pretty similar setup, but with my plants being in the windowsill, I love that you can see the root system too, so I'll just have to paint 3 sides black! Did you have any experience with this before you started? :D my tank is not so big, so my growbed is going to be smaller too, but in your system you never drain it completely? maybe it doesn't need to be drained?
+skarsteen How many liters/gallons are the tank and how many is in the grow bed?
gonna build this beauty saturday!!
+skarsteen Tank was a 40 Gallon, and growbed was... 8 Gallon rubbermaid? I had the tank setup and adequately filtered for about a year before I setup the aquaponics, and I used it to remove Nitrates. This system does not utilize draining and filling which I mention in the video, because I like my tanks with constant full volumes of water.
plants will grow better if the roots were in the dark
The mint has no issues growing but I will take your word for it.
Funksolid the cannabis roots dont like light,,causes root rot,,,lol :-) 420
True
do you do water changes still?
Yeah monthly
Have you thought about an algi tank? Use that the move your water level up and down?
If u would make another video like this, I'll auto-like your vids. Cheers
Good day sir. I would like to know if you ever do water changes at all to keep your fish tank clear or do you just add water as the water level drops over time??
Do you have to add any extra nutrients for the plants ?
+Owen Berry I have added some Fluval Plant Micronutrients, but didnt see any benefit. I guess the nutrition in the fish food I use provides enough residual.
+Funksolid I didn't realize fish food residual contained viable plant nutrients. Please explain this further.
what happens when the electricity gone
What rocks do you use for the mint?
Have you removed the sponge from your filter, to gain better flow on the system ?
No the Fluval 205 is setup as per factory specifications, and flows very well. I utilize both the coarse and bio-foams in that canister, and it flows like a beauty.
Mint is not good to grow. Too invasive!!
The only input I have is that you should pull from the bottom of the hydroton tank.
You should be putting the unfiltered water to the plants. The water pre filter has more nutrients for the plants. The roots will filter the water. Once your roots are fully developed you will see the biological waste accumulation in your filter will go way down. By having the filter first you are basically taking fertilizer out of the water. It still works and the benefits for your tank are the same just the plants get less nutrients. Plants will grow in any water but better with nutrient rich water. Good setup though. I have a couple of my tanks supporting a few herbs and other houseplants.
I believe that any person who ever tried building their project by utilizing diy guidelines, at least one time, had to face the discouraging time when the result always was far worse than expectation.
+Micheal Vill And numerous ham-handed novices (like me) recognize that having a in depth guideline is the only and certain option to have the project finished. This guide is worth exploring: help1.info/build-aquaponics-hassle-free-x00021
thanks for video
Thanks for watching!
How did you cut the hole in the plasic container?
I used a Dremel tool, with an abrasive circular bit. I first marked out the circle on the bin, then I ground the hole out with the Dremel. I didnt have to be super accurate because the fittings I used have really thick washers for creating a good seal. HTH
Is it true U don't need water changes if you do this
nice video..wana know how do u control the PPM in aquponic...and what is the best PPM for all kind of plants?
What concentration (PPM) are you wanting to control? Nitrates?
yes.i m totally new in Aquaponic...i have one schedule for the PH and PPM vegitable schedule.......when i check my fish pond PH7.5 and PPM 95, but in vegitable schedule written PPM600 to 2500.....how to reach that high PPM?
I'm sorry Haroon your English/Translator is making some big mistakes, and I am having a hard time understanding you. Especially the word "Vegitable"
Also, 600-2500 PPM of anything you will be testing is INSANELY high. I cant imagine any fish living in a concentration that high.
Sorry for late reply and sorry for my poor English...
i had check my PPM in the fish pond, My fish pond PPM only 98 but should be 600 or above...correct?
how to increase or reduce the PPM in Aquaponics ?
Hii
Could you please tell me about the filter... my tank is a small one .. the volts...?? or the type.... please please??
If you are doing aquaponics why are you using that internal pump..??..since this system is made to combine the two ecosystems naturally..and only one pump can do this
Only thing is I think the light bundled together produces too much heat, I guess, and you covered them too. They have ro breath
Do you change the water in this system?
Once every month or two yes. The minerals and micro-nutrients need to be replaced somehow.
Can you get the wattage on those pumps? I'm trying to do some research but no one seems to advertise how much electricity those things draw. I'm afraid it'll be so high a few solar panels won't cut it but I don't see how a motor that small could require more than 30 watts. Also, young man. Don't worry about if something looks ghetto your first go around. Get the concept down to a science and then improve on your design from there. God will put everything in order for you if you'll let him, and read his word.