a bunch of newbie questions

[Nikenik]

I have a few questions about my planed indoor aquaponic system. Instead of just "spamming" the forum with 5-6 different threads it thought to put them in the same thread...

I'm planning to use a 65 liter IKEA-box as a fishtank and have two 55 liter's boxes as growbeds. (Yes, swede's like Ikea )


The fish will be goldfish to start with.

1. Is that tank/growbed ratio ok? 65l FT : 110l GB, almost 2:1.

2. Should the fish tank be transparent or black for the best fish health?

3. How many goldfish should I get?

4. Won't the water level in the fish tank rise and fall a lot in such a system? Should I add one more water tank to have a constant level in the fish tank? I'm thinking about the health of the fish...

5. If a add a large fluidized bed filter can I run the system without fish and just "feed" the plants with seaweed extract, fermented nettles and chicken manure?

6. Will the goldfish like an total empty tank? I'm an animal lover and if I raise an animal for food I want them to be as healthy and happy as possible. The things you can buy from a pet store for aquariums seems more to be for the owner then for the fish.
Not sure if I will eat the goldfish but...

[keith_r]

nice bins.. here's my take
1. ratio is good
2. black will get very warm if in direct sunlight, but clear will cause algae buildup,, i'd cover with a reflective material
3. it's a pretty small tank, i'd only go with a half dozen or so.. find a high quality fish food or your fish and plants will suffer..
goldfish can get pretty big, some pet stores will buy them back if/when they get too big for your system
4. yes, unless you use a sump,, then set up as chift pist - constant height in fish tank, pump in sump tank
5. if you don't have fish, you don't need a large fluidized bed filter if you're just feeding seaweed extract.. keep the chicken manure out of the ap system
6. i put a couple of clay pots in my smaller tanks for the fish, no gravel in the bottom of the system tank.. goldfish are eatable, they are just a member of the carp family

[Nikenik]

nice bins.. here's my take
1. ratio is good
2. black will get very warm if in direct sunlight, but clear will cause algae buildup,, i'd cover with a reflective material
3. it's a pretty small tank, i'd only go with a half dozen or so.. find a high quality fish food or your fish and plants will suffer..
goldfish can get pretty big, some pet stores will buy them back if/when they get too big for your system
4. yes, unless you use a sump,, then set up as chift pist - constant height in fish tank, pump in sump tank
5. if you don't have fish, you don't need a large fluidized bed filter if you're just feeding seaweed extract.. keep the chicken manure out of the ap system
6. i put a couple of clay pots in my smaller tanks for the fish, no gravel in the bottom of the system tank.. goldfish are eatable, they are just a member of the carp family

Thank you for the answers!

1. Okay, will go with that ratio then.
2. Hmm, maybe I'll buy the transparent one and cover it with aluminium foil. I could leave a "window" transparent and just cover it up if there's to much algage.
3. 6 small godlfish, thanks.

4. What is the difference between adding a sump and just getting a bigger fish tank?
I'm planning to have the fish tank stand on the floor underneath my living room window and the two grow beds on top with the height of the bottom the window. Kind of like this setup:
Can I have another bin of the same size next to the fish tank, have the pump in the "sump" and have like a overflow pipe between them?

5. Maybe I'll just start a different thread for this question since it actually is "organic hydroponics" and not a aquaponic question.
6. Thanks, will add a clay pot or two for the fish happiness, until I eat them. :P

[Aloha Don]

Welcome to the forum.
I think the best thing that you should do first is read Olivers AP 101
continue to read/study and ask and thanks for the pics.

[urbanfarmer]

Does it hold the weight of the water?

Don't make a soup of chicken manure in your house. I'd worry less about the smell and more about the pathogens. Raw chicken manure in your house is a bad idea. I can see the headlines now... chicken manure for your soul, APer dies to strange cocktail of avian-borne pathogens...

[Nikenik]

Does it hold the weight of the water?

Don't make a soup of chicken manure in your house. I'd worry less about the smell and more about the pathogens. Raw chicken manure in your house is a bad idea. I can see the headlines now... chicken manure for your soul, APer dies to strange cocktail of avian-borne pathogens...

Haven't thought of that yet, will test one bin tomorrow in the hot tub.

I wouldn't worry to much about the chicken manure. It's in dried pellet form, sterilized by the manufacturer and sold as fertilizer. I use a few pellets with 3 dl of good "eco plant-soil" and a bit of seaweed extract for my compost tea. Have it indoors now in a 10l bucket with water and massive areation, a lot of grow media and a lid on. Doesn't smell and I haven't died yet. :P

I think I've seen someone on youtube who has a "chicken ponic's"-system with chickens walking over water on steel mesh and the water is pumped to grow beds. Wouldn't want that setup in my apartment though...

[JCO]

Welcome to the forum and as already mentioned, I'd be careful about chicken manure in the house even if it has been cooked. It can be re-activated if exposed to water in sufficient quanities it in a short while as bacteria are airborne and bacteria is all it takes.

[Nikenik]

and bacteria is all it takes.

I'm a bit surprised, I know a lot of people that use those chicken manure pellets, and where I'm from the only negative that's mentioned is the smell, never once heard of someone getting salmonella from watering their plants.

I've worked both in a water treatment plant and on a commercial indoor chicken farm. Still alive...

Maybe it's a bit of a cultural thing or it's just me. I know about harmful bacteria, wash my hands and I don't really worry.

Besides, you don't die from salmonella unless your old or sick. And harmfull E.coli don't really grow well in my compost tea because i always add a bit of extra lactic acid-bacteria. The room is well ventilated, not in contact with the kitchen, has a lot of plants in it including air cleaning plants like aloe vera and I always wash my hands after I've handled my tea.

[JCO]

I hope your good fortune last and keep the photos coming

[Nikenik]

Back to topic then.

I've filled the 65liter "samla"-bin from ikea and checked it. It bulges a bit but i think if you just tie a rope around it it will be fine.

I've also read up on sump tanks and haven't find any reason to have one in such a small system rather then just increase the size of the fish tank but keep the same amount of fish as for a 65 liter bin.
Am I wrong in thinking like that?

I've found this "ikea-hack"-system and thinking of doing exactly like that to start with, but maybe not with that many goldfish.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Easy.../Finishing-up/
Any thoughts on that design?
That's a 50l FT with a 25l GB. Perhaps it's better to start small and expand that system with a larger fish tank and more grow beds when I've learned more. But heard in the "aquaponic secrets"-dvd that a small system isn't as stable