Redundancy vs Complexity

Is adding another pump to a system to supplement aeration adding to the complexity and failure points in a system or is it adding redundancy to protect your system in case of some other failure?

Some where not too long ago I saw some one stating that they wouldn’t want to add another pump to . . . → Read More: Redundancy vs Complexity

Indexing Valves for Constant Height in Fish tank

I’ve had a few people ask about doing constant height in Fish tank systems with Aquaponics indexing/sequencing valves lately.

Doing constant height in fish tank (CHIFT) with an indexing valve does require a slight modification of thinking. There are ways to do it but I don’t think I would recommend doing it with only one . . . → Read More: Indexing Valves for Constant Height in Fish tank

Sump Tank

What is a Sump tank and why do people use them?

This is a common question I’ve seen in aquaponics forums. There are a few possible reasons for using a sump tank but they are primarily a plumbing device and water level fluctuation control device.

For instance, in an aquaponics system design, if your grow . . . → Read More: Sump Tank

Fish Jump

Now I know I’ve covered the importance of covers over fish tanks before but I’ll mention it again. It is very important to have a cover over your fish tank for several reasons. 1-to keep the sun from causing algae problems in your fish tank (now you don’t need to completely black out the tank, . . . → Read More: Fish Jump

Growing Shoots and seed starting

I set up my aquaponics raft bed last fall but haven’t done too much with it so far. I couldn’t find any 2″ foam so was stuck with 3/4″ and that isn’t really high enough for keeping the seedlings from water logging if I were to drill holes and place net pots in the foam. . . . → Read More: Growing Shoots and seed starting

Revising stocking recommendations

Now for a long time many people have said you could stock an outrageous amount of fish in an aquaponics system, however, I think most of these claims have some numbers mixed up and are probably taken a bit out of context, then when some one new to aquaponics goes and tries to mimic what . . . → Read More: Revising stocking recommendations

Stock-Tank-Ponics Kit

Ya heard it here first. Stock Tank Ponics or Stocktank a ponics however you want to say it.

I’m working on a kit that will help people build their own Stock tank aquaponics system similar to my 300 gallon system.

This would be a kit providing all the kinda specialty parts that might be hard . . . → Read More: Stock-Tank-Ponics Kit

To Seaweed or not to Seaweed

I’ve had a few people comment that one should not use seaweed extract in aquaponics systems because it would cause salt to build up and even heard it suggested that the occasional use of salt is defeating to the aquaponics.

I can understand some portions of the arguments but I have never seen an issue . . . → Read More: To Seaweed or not to Seaweed

Understanding the Details

I recently read a post some where that was criticizing how advice in a public forum might get taken as gospel and run people into aquaponics disaster.

I can understand where this might come into play when one skim reads without doing much of the introductory reading and picking bits of knowledge from here and . . . → Read More: Understanding the Details

Basic Media Bed Aquaponic Design

In some places I’m known for my patience in re-explaining many of the basic info needed for stable home aquaponics system design.

Things like the three major functions of media filled flood and drain grow beds (actually there are more than three functions.) 1-Media filled flood and drain grow beds provide Bio-filtration 2-Media filled flood . . . → Read More: Basic Media Bed Aquaponic Design