10 Goldfish... now what?

[wh33t]

Hello DIYAQUA!

I did the green house thing last year as part of my Personal Greenification. This year I was going to do some more raised beds and then a friend suggested I just skip raise beds and do a raised pond. After he explained to me what Aquaponics was I just knew I had to get my feet wet! So here I am with lots of questions. If you could answer any of them I would be ever grateful.

1.) Turtles / Crayfish (fresh water prawns) / Fish? Which are easier to use? So far I'm leaning towards turtles. Apparently they are more resilient to ammonia build up and other environmental changes.

2.) Assuming I'm growing fish, what is the ideal water temperature I am wanting to grow?

3.) How many fish do I need to produce food for a plant?

4.) Does the Nitrifying bacteria grow on it's own? Or do I need to add it? Should I regularly add it?

5.) What do you feed the fish? If you feed them fish flakes and other common food for fish, doesn't that mean you are indirectly eating sunlight and fish flakes in the veggies that grow out of it?

6.) How do you check for ammonia ppm?

7.) I have read that Aquaponics is great for nitrogen heavy vegetables such as spinach and basil. What if I want to grow some food that is phosphorus heavy as well? Such as a tomato or cucumber? Is it possible to add chemical fertilizers in small quantities to the pond? How much is too much etc?

8.) If I grow fish in the pond, will they taste good? My friends tell me that they don't think the Talapia everyone is growing would taste "fresh". Any personal experiences to share?

9.) Do we allow/permit/encourage the fish to breed in the water? Will they do it on their own?

10.) How often do you run the water pump to feed the plants?

11.) Can the plants be over fertilized? I'm sure they can be under fertilized.

12.) From the guide I have read on this site, it says that heavier fish waste will sink towards the bottom of the tank/pond. It can be collected and used on a compost pile to encourage worm growth, which can then be fed back to the fish. Is there an elegant way to collect heavy fish waste? Pool vacuum or something?

13.) Is it common to have water top off systems that keep the water at the optimal level? As the water level goes down from feeding the plants and through evaporation does the ph/ppm balance go out? Does this need to be watched over?

14.) How much work is it in comparison to conventional gardening in terms of yield, renew-ability, and maintenance.

That's all the major questions I can think of off the top of my head! Thank you very much for reading! I look forward to any and all responses.

[davidstcldfl]

Hi wh33t ....welcome to the forum...

One thing that will help determine what you might want to raise, is 'where' you live. If your up-north, you may not want to try tilapia, as they need the water to be pretty warm, even in the winter. Even in central FL, I've had to heat the water some.

If you at least post a general area of where your located, that will be a big help. Others in your area may be able to share the pro's and con's of certain things, specific to your area. Plus, you might even get to meet up with a few and check out some set ups in person.

[wh33t]

Hi wh33t ....welcome to the forum...

One thing that will help determine what you might want to raise, is 'where' you live. If your up-north, you may not want to try tilapia, as they need the water to be pretty warm, even in the winter. Even in central FL, I've had to heat the water some.

If you at least post a general area of where your located, that will be a big help. Others in your area may be able to share the pro's and con's of certain things, specific to your area. Plus, you might even get to meet up with a few and check out some set ups in person.

Great point! I never even thought of that. I guess that's because I figured I would start small and have it inside. I'm on the west coast of BC near Vancouver. There is lots of rivers and lakes here with lots of life to choose from. No Tilapia though.

[rfeiller]

welcome to the forum.

[wh33t]

Hey guys!

I just joined the site yesterday and I have been researching as much as I can. I have started small this time (kind of unusual for me) with a 10Gallon tank and 10 feeder goldfish. The lady at the pet store told me they were the most resilient species they had in the store and because I'm experimenting it wouldn't be a drastic financial loss if they perished in the experiment. I will however, do my best to ensure that they live and are vibrant and healthy, after all, they are living creatures in my care.

So I've got a 10 Gallon tank, 10 gold fish, the water is sitting at ph 7.3, ppm is 20, temp is 22C. Does any of this need to change? I have put in tap water which has a bit of a chlorine smell, the pet store lady informed me it would be a good idea to use some dechlorinator. I have used this (http://www.seachem.com/Products/product ... Prime.html) in it's proper mixing requirements. I let it sit for about 15 minutes and the fish appear to be swimming happily. I also pinched them a small bit of fish food.

The fish tank has no gravel in it. just a shiny reflective bottom. Is this ok? I've got a big air stone in it and it's pumping air pretty good. I've also got two 13w CFL lights illuminating the tank, is that too much for Gold fish? I think this tank used to be used for a reptile.

So what I'm curious to know is.

1.) Where do I get the bacteria required to turn fish poop into plant food? Does it grow on it's own automatically?
2.) When can I start growing a plant in/on/above this sucker?
3.) If I use a raft style grow technique, will the fish eat the roots? I was thinking about trying some basil first. Apparently that's a heavy nitrogen plant.

thanks for reading!

[wh33t]

Thanks guys! I just got my starter tank up and running!

>> 10 Goldfish... now what?

[urbanfarmer]

What is at a 20 ppm??????

I don't like to use extra chemicals in my aquaponic systems... sometimes they can introduce carcinogens or poisons into your system... To dechlorinate the water, you can just let the water sit with a bubbler in it for about 24 to 48 hours and the chlorine will volatilize into the air. Check your local water municipal source. If you have chloramine, then it's a different story altogether.

The product you used does not seem to state what is in it. The only warning I see is: "Do not introduce to drinking water or foodstuffs. Wash hands after use, wear gloves if exposure is prolonged." My guess is DO NOT GROW FOOD IN THIS WATER BECAUSE YOU PUT A POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS CHEMICAL IN IT!!!

MSDS is pretty secretive:
http://www.seachem.com/support/MSDS/Prime.doc.pdf

1) Yes.
2) Just about anything. I would suggest starting with leafy greens like lettuce or herbs. They tend to be easier to grow.
3) Some fish eat the roots and some don't. Most likely with those small goldfish, you should be okay.

[wh33t]

My EC meter tells me the water in the tank is at 20ppm. The tap water is often 10ppm or so. I figure the equipment I'm using might have had some dirt on it or something. Or possibly the Dechlorinator added an extra 10ppm. It could actually be 11ppm, but my meter always rounds up to the nearest ten. Is this a concern?

Also, my second question wasn't what could I grow in it, but when can I start growing veggies in it? Do I need to wait for the water to smell a bit?

[wh33t]

Also, the lady that suggested I use the PRIME said it was necessary in our town. So I presume I have Chloramine in the water.

[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 so pick a topic of your interest and start your own thread and Enjoy.

Since it sounds like you are brand new to Aquaponics and really don't have a clue as to how it all works (no offense intended), I would suggest you go to this link in the forum and start reading.

http://diyaquaponics.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=112

Then if you still have more questions about things you don't understand, then start with the questions.

If you have not done it already, PLEASE update your profile to indicate what Country City and State or Province you live in.