Post navigation ← Previous Next → Layout Example Posted on April 30, 2011 by GreenJesster Here is an example of an aquaponics layout. Share this:EmailFacebookTwitterRedditMoreLinkedInGoogle
SO excited to find your blog. It’s awesome!
This looks like a pretty serious layout. I’m an aquaponics noob, so I’m not sure what some of the elements are.
What is the purpose of the degassing tank, and bio filter? I assume the remove things the plants don’t need…
What are the differences between the 4 solids elements? (cone through slow solids filters).
Thanks, glad you like the blog I have been working to add new information and resources! To answer your questions….
The degassing tank is to allow the offgassing of toxic elements produced typically under anaerobic conditions such as hydrogen sulfide and methane. This is also a great place to oxygenate the water before it moves to the biofilter or grow space. The biofilter is a utilized when you are not using growing medium. tanks filed with porous material or other media gives nitrifying bacteria a place to colonize. (Netting, biofilter media, and practice golf balls could all be used) In raft aquaponics there is little growing media for the bacteria to attach. Bacteria do colonize sides and bottoms of grow tanks as well as undersides of the rafts and plant roots. By providing a separate tank for bacteria to break down ammonia to nitrite, plants have a better opportunity to uptake nutrients and remove them from the culture water.
There are lots of different ways to do solids removal. Right now I am planning to just use a solids separator with multiple baffles that then flows through a fine screen. The slow swirl filters do the same thing but at this point seem like they would just take up more space.
Hope that helps clarify!
Enjoy reading your blog.
I have a question about various filtering elements as well. Since whole idea of adding fishes to aquaponics was for them to provide waste materials for bacteria and nutrient cycle, why do we even want to take them out? Also, wouldn’t this change stocking ratio of the system? Always wondering about this…
Great question! The solid waste is removed to prevent anaerobic bacteria from developing. The ammonia and other minerals are still present in the system. Solid waste at the corners and bottom of tanks would produce anaerobic conditions, causing water quality problems and release other by-products into the system. Also solids collecting on plant roots would limit the ability for the plants to uptake nutrients and access to oxygen which limits plant growth. If you want to release more beneficial nutrients from the solid waste you can empty the solids into a mineralization tank where the solids sit in water over an extended period, then the water is added back to the system. Another option, is to take the solids from the system and vermi-compost them. Then taking the worm castings and adding them to the fish culture tanks. The solid waste becomes food for the worms then the worm castings become food for the fish (yes they will eat castings) as well as the worms becoming fish food as well. Worm castings can also be used in the plant starter pots. The goal is to retain all the nutrients in the system.
I’m from India and in my quest to learn about aquaponics, I have come across your Blog. It is a great work.
i would like to know the scope of getting details of your ” Plan Layout” to try in India.
Thanks in advance,
Rajendra Prasad Vemulapalli
Hi Jessica, Looking forward to meet you and others in Aquaponics. We are home builders in alaska and I am very interested in using the home heating system with adding additional footage for indoor gardening.
Would you recomind how I learn what I need to know, where do I go, are there classes on line? We are wanting to build a model home with garding early this summer.
Thank you for any help.
With thankfullness. Clint Hall
There are a lot of good resources on the web, feel free to browse through my “articles” and “resources” section for a good overview. I really enjoy http://www.aquaponicshq.com/forums/forum.php you have to register to post but it is free. Everyone is really great and people actually post responses. Make sure you read previous posts before you ask questions!