Another new guy from Michigan

[Riverdale]

Hi everyone, I found this forum while searching for info on aquaponics.

A little about my plan, using the "barrel-ponics" manual, I am in the proccess of building that system in my basement. The garden will be leafy veggies (lettuce, spinach, chard and kale). I am planning on either yellow perch, hybred bluegill or channel cats for the fishy part (since the basement is 60* year round, I really want to steer away from tilapa, because of the temperature, I don't want to have to heat it too much.

Any input will be appreciated!

Roger

[davidstcldfl]

Hi Roger, Welcome to the forum..
That's smart ...using fish that will 'work for you.' Instead of giving all that cash to the electric co, to heat your fish water....you'll have more, to buy other 'AP' stuff.....

[badflash]

Hybrid blue/sunfish gills gets my vote for your application. They should be available locally. I saw one place that sells 1-2" fish for $55 for 250 fish. These get to 2# in 2 years.

High end Koi are another option if you want cash vs. food.

[JCO]

Welcome to the show....pull up an easy chair, relax and stay awhile. New voices are always a welcome addition to our family..! Whatever questions you have on you mind, this is the place to get the answers.

[dufflight]

The barrel-ponics manual is a good reference but there are a lot more easier system to set up. Have a look through other member systems and you will see a lot of easier systems. Flood & drain, auto and loop siphons, sumps etc. Leafy veggies might go a lot better in DWC, rafts etc.

[JCO]

Dufflight is right. There are numerous other ways of setting up a system and if leafy veggies is your forte, then take a look at this video.

Is it Lettuce or $$$$$$

They are a Canadian commercial lettuce grower. They use hydroponics but that portion of aquaponics is the same on either side except you would be using fish water instead of adding chemicals to the water. They use a raft system with 12" of water and harvest their lettuce every 45 days. Think about it...45 days from seed to harvest....so if you stagger you plant properly, you can harvest fresh leafy veggies year round.

[Hotrodmike]

Welcome Roger
By all mean pick the fish that suit the area . Since you will already be spending $ electrically on lighting why spend more on heat too . Now if you were down south you could worry about giving your fish a/c . It's been @ 100 all week here
The guys are 100% correct if you are just going to grow leafy stuff go with a raft . Do keep in mind if you run just a raft you will have to add some form of filter / bio-filter to the system as roots dont seem to like solids attaching to the roots plus you need to get rid of the ammonia . Also a lot will have to do with the fish loading .
Have A Kind Day
Mike

[urbanfarmer]

Happy birthday and welcome!