Aquaponic System Archives - Page 2 of 6

Building An Aquaponics System

Last Updated 27 October 2020

Building an aquaponics system involves combining aquaculture with hydroponics – in essence you are setting up these two methods of farming and joining them together. Although this may seem like a feat, in reality setting up a successful aquaponics system is fairly simple if you have good instructions and an understanding of the basics of such as system.

What Is First Thing To Consider For Your Aquaponics System?

To keep life simple, you should first do some planning before starting the construction of this system.

The most important things you need to consider are location, method of aeration, choosing the fish, choosing the plants, and pot placement.

With regards to location, this will obviously depend on the space you have available – whether it’s in the house, in the garage or in the garden.

Temperature, Lighting And Aeration Are Key

You can set up an aquaponics system practically everywhere, but then you will need to adjust it accordingly.

Mainly, you will need to ensure that the temperature of the location is suitable (if you’re placing it outside and you live in a cold area you will need to think about insulation) and that there is sufficient light (if it is inside you will need to have large windows or else set up artificial lighting).

In addition, if you are placing the system outside, make sure that you will not get harmful substances getting into the water – you may need to cover and protect appropriately.

Next, think about aeration systems. Your fish will need oxygen to live and thrive, and generally you will need to have a sort of pumping mechanism – although there are ways to achieve good aeration without any pumps or equipment. However, this will depend on the species of fish you’ll grow.

What Species Of Fish To Choose?

This leads us to the next point to consider: which species of fish to choose. Different fish will have different requirements (some are easier to culture than others); in addition, there are regulations on which fish you can keep, so make sure you check the laws of the state you live in.

Some common fish in aquaponics systems include carp, trout, catfish, tilapia, and Murray cod.

What Plants Are Suitable For Aquaponics System?

Choosing what plants to grow is generally simpler, as plants tend to be more tolerant of different environmental factors. Hence, the main thing to consider when choosing plants is personal preference – in other words, what would you like to have freshly growing in your own home?

And The Final Point To Note

The final, and equally important aspect to consider before starting construction of the aquaponics system is pot placement. Ideally, the pots should be at waist level, so you won’t have to bend over to harvest and check the plants. In addition, you’ll be able to place the fish tank directly underneath the pots, saving you space.

Get Step By Step Instruction Below

You can learn more about aquaponics, and how to build your own system in Aquaponics 4 You system. Below video shows what this system covers. Get it today.

Top Tips To Running Commercial Aquaponics

Last Updated 22 October 2020

Many start out with aquaponics as a hobby, and quickly scale up to do it on a commercial scale once they realize how profitable it is.

What Are Cost For Running Aquaponic Business?

Start up costs are low, because you can build the system yourself using materials found that your local hardware store. Running costs are also minimal, because nutrients and resources (such as water) are recycled between the plant ecosystem and the fish ecosystem, and the two sustain each other.

Profits are high, because fresh organic vegetables and fish fetch good prices.

What Are The Top Tips For Commercial Aquaponics?

Here are our top tips to get you started in commercial aquaponics:

1. Research the local market.

This will dictate what vegetables and fish to grow. You want to choose the ones with a high demand, high price, and possibly low competition.

Of course, do not choose a fish/vegetable species that requires climatic conditions that are very different from what you have in the area.

For example, tilapia require warm temperatures, and if you live in cold areas you’ll have to spend significantly on heating to grow these; a better option would be trout. In addition, you may consider growing fish to sell them as pets instead of food: in many areas there is a considerable demand for goldfish, for example.

Same when it comes to plants: in some areas, you’ll find that it is more profitable to grow herbs instead of vegetables. In addition, it is usually profitable to grow off season produce, but this will require heating (and hence heating costs). It’s all about finding the optimal balance to maximize profits. Do your research properly.

2. Find your customers.

If you sell directly to the consumers, you’ll get to keep all your profits, but it can be a hassle.

Instead, you can get a deal from a local grocery/fish monger and you can sell all you produce to them. However, you’ll have to give them a lower price than what you’ll give to direct clients.

If you are selling fish as pets, consider placing an advertisement in your local newspaper.

3. Start small, think big.

No matter how thorough your research, only when you’ll actually start your venture you’ll get to know all the things involved and the profit margin.

Therefore, you should start small, as this will give you the flexibility to adapt. It’s also easier to run a smaller system, and if you are new to aquaponics you’ll have some learning to do to run it efficiently.

In addition, when you’re just starting out, things will go wrong and it is easier to fix them on a small scale than if you are running a massive Aquaponics farm.

Learn How To Make It BIG With Aquaponics Farming

You can learn more about aquaponics, and how to build your own system in Aquaponics 4 You system. Below video shows what this system covers.

Common Fish In Aquaponics To Consider

Last Updated 15 October 2020

In aquaponics you will be growing vegetables and fish. Fish are a tasty food source of protein and omega 3 fatty acids – both essential for good health. Many people would think that it is extremely hard to grow fish in your own home or in your backyard, but with an aquaponics system this is not so.

You will be able to grow lots of fish easily, all year round, and best of all cheaply! This is because you’ll be recycling the water and using the fish’s waste as a fertilizer for your vegetables. In turn, the vegetables will filter out the water for your fish, removing the need for expensive filtering equipment!

What to look out for in caring aquaponics fish?

It is essential that you ensure the fish remain healthy, so that you can benefit from optimal yields of both fish and vegetables. When choosing which fish to grow, check that their optimal temperature is compatible with where you will be placing the set-up.

If you are placing it in the garage, and it tends to get cold, then don’t get fish which require warm temperatures. In addition, fish require good levels of dissolved oxygen to thrive.

Thankfully there are ways how to achieve this without using a pump; in other words, you can get aeration for free.

Which type of aquaponics fish should you get?

When choosing which aquaponics fish to culture in your system, make sure you check the relevant state laws, as there are legal limitations on the species of fish that can be purchased and grown.

There are many suitable fish for aquaculture, such as trout, tilapia, cod, perch and bass. Indeed, the final decision will be based on your personal preference.

Perhaps the most frequently grown fish in aquaponics systems is the tilapia, which is native to Israel. Tilapia are fast growing, reproduce quickly and are very resistant.

Fluctuations in temperature, dissolved oxygen levels, pH and waste build-up do not have such an impact on tilapia as they do on other species of fish. They have been farmed for over 2,000 years, so there is no reason why you wouldn’t be successful with them!

The tilapia’s optimal temperature is about 26-32’C, although they can live at temperatures as low as 20’C. However, for fast growths and best quality, you should try to give them their optimal temperature.

Carp are another fish of choice for aquaponics systems, because like tilapia they grow quickly and are very hardy. They have also been farmed in Asia for over 2,000 years, and nowadays continue to be farmed in simple ponds. They are tasty, rich in protein and in heart-healthy omega 3 fatty acids.

To learn more about how to grow fish in an Aquaponics system, read on.

Where To Get More Information?

You can learn more about aquaponics, and how to build your own system in Aquaponics 4 You system. Below video shows what this system covers.

Feeding Your Aquaponics Fish

Last Updated 13 October 2020

Feeding your aquaponics fish is one of your daily tasks when running an aquaponics system. It is vital for the fish and in turn essential for the production of plant nutrients. In this post we’ll talk about the what, when and how to feed your fish. We’ll also talk about using auto-feeders for the ones among you who like to automate life!

How to take care of aquaponics fish?

Most fish are not picky on feeding schedule; indeed in the wild there is no such thing as regular feeding. They will adjust their metabolisms and growth rates according to food availability.

So if you want to grow fish quickly, simply feed them often. However, be careful with crowding because a population density which is too high will make the fish labile to disease outbreaks. With regards to the actual amounts of feed per feeding session, you should give them as much feed as they can eat within five minutes.

Great tip if you have no time to feed your fishes

Many automatic feeders are available, differing in complexity and price. However, you can get simple cheap ones which will do the job just fine.

You should set the feeding times at once or twice daily, possibly more if you want to grow fish quickly and have a low stocking density. Using an automatic feeder does not mean that you can stop checking on you system daily, because if you do, you won’t know if anything goes wrong with the system.

What do you feed your aquaponics fishes with?

With regards to the actual feed, most people opt for commercial feed, which is an excellent choice. Commercial fee is either of the omnivorous or carnivorous type and these will differ in their quantities of protein.

Check with your local fisheries department for the most suitable one for the particular fish species you are growing; though most fish thrive well on both. Feed also comes in different pellet sizes – you should get the small ones for young fish and larger ones as the fish grow bigger.

What are the common feeds?

Many Aquaponics farmers grow their own fish feed to drastically cut costs. The most commonly grown of such feeds is duckweed, a fast growing plant that is rich in protein. You can grow this in a separate tank or pond.

To provide more protein, you can also grow worms and black soldier fly larvae. You can also feed your fish some garden scraps. For example, most omnivorous fish will enjoy bland-tasting plants and vegetable, such as lettuce.

Be careful that the plant-food you give to the fish is not covered in pesticides or other harmful chemicals.

Learn more how to take care of your aquaponics fish and plants

You can learn more about aquaponics, and how to build your own system in Aquaponics 4 You system. Below video shows what this system covers.

Grow Fish and Vegetables in Your Garage with Aquaponics

Last Updated 8 October 2020

Have you ever thought that you can transform your garage into a greenhouse with a minimum investment and effort? Then you need to try out aquaponics farming. Here’s how.

What is so good about this?

If you love freshly harvested vegetables and love fish, then is high time that you did something for you and your family and the best thing you can do is offer them fresh ingredients for tasty and nourishing meals.

Once you find out how, you will never be dependent on the market again! No more genetically modified vegetables, no more preservatives injected to maintain them fresh for a longer time, just organic, healthy food grown in your garage or inside your house.

The best thing about this type of farming is that it does not require any land, thus you will not have to get dirty and do hard labor in order to have your veggies on the table.

You need just a lighted space where you can place this wonderful system made up of an aquarium and some other pots for growing vegetables. So, no ground, no dirt, no labor! You will be able to place it anywhere in the house, you can even start this type of farming in your flat!

What Is Aquaponics Farming About?

But what it is this type of farming? Well it is called aquaponics and it is a far better version of hydroponics.

If in hydroponics you could only grow plants, which most of the times needed fertilizers to grow normally, in aquaponics you will also grow fish and use their aquarium for feeding your plants. This way you will no longer need any type of fertilizer to make your veggies grow big and beautiful, as the fish will provide them with all the nutrients they need.

In exchange, the plants will clean the water, thus providing your fish with a clean and oxygenized environment.

So, you will not only have organic vegetables grown in your own house, but you will also have fresh fish for your meals or for decoration (if you are a vegetarian).

This is not all! You can put the system so that it will be at your arm’s reach, so that you will not have to bend in order to harvest your crops. Thus, less effort and more comfort for you!

Aquaponic farming is the best solution for having fresh vegetables and fish in the comfort of your home or even in your garage! It will take you a few minutes each day to take care of your plants!

In addition you can have it with minimum of effort and money, so this is ne convenient way to diminish your costs with food! Do not waste more time and start your aquaponic farming as soon as possible for fresh veggies and tasty fish from your own home!

Where To Get More Information?

You can learn more about aquaponics, and how to build your own system in Aquaponics 4 You system. Below video shows what this system covers.