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  1. #11
    Aquaponics 101 Oliver's Avatar
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    Re: Fish to Water Ratios

    aquaarche,

    The heterotrophic bacteria we use is a product called Stress Zyme by API. I don't know how they grow it. It does a great job in our system.

    My experience with bio-filters is limited to pH neutral expanded clay (Hydroton). I really shouldn't be giving advice on bio-filters that are designed using other materials. I can only tell you what I have read in articles and posts on forums such as this one. Using gravel works well for many. Others have had problems with pH due to the high alkaline content of the stones found in the gravel. It may be that this is what you have experienced with your system. This was one of the reasons we chose Hydroton.

    I can understand that many just don't have the budget allocated to their Aquaponics system to purchase some of the rather expensive items that would insure a greater probability of success, or the products are not locally available. We have chosen to build a system that would avoid most of these problems by attempting to design it based on the many years of experience of others. We had no idea what we were getting ourselves into financially, but once involved we decided to reallocate precious funds to assure success. What we have learned is classic; that is to say, if we had to do it all over again we would do it somewhat differently.

    It has been an expensive lesson, and in a sense, we are starting over again by building a grow house while still maintaining a rather cost intensive greenhouse year round. This addition is setting us back financially even more but we hope that it will yield enough positive results to have made the investment worth it. Our goal is to be able to learn how to grow fish and food in a sustainable way with the least amount of operating cost. It has become clear that there is an economy of scale, for there is a minimum size of system that can grow sustainably. It also requires a minimum number of people to operate it. That size is much larger and uses growing techniques that are somewhat different from your typical backyard system. Also, the initial investment is quite high. We will eventually be investigating some of these techniques in our grow house.

    I see that you have other posts on this forum and that is where you should be looking for answers to your questions. I am sure there are others here who have had similar experiences to yours and hopefully have figured out the cause and solutions that may help you with your system.

    Oliver
    To measure is to know

  2. #12
    Members
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    Philippines, Las Pinas
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    Re: Fish to Water Ratios

    Hi Oliver,

    Thanks for what you have shared..learned a lot from it

    I am currently setting up my AP system. I just finished constructing my wooden/tarp pond for the tilapia. Pond size is 13ft x 3ft x 3ft but water is just 1.5ft deep and next would be the GB. What's your experience regarding green water in AP system? Is this good or bad? I'v red that green water(natural food) is good for tilapia fingerling, not sure though its effect in terms of plant growth. TIA.

    fritz

  3. #13
    Moderator JCO's Avatar
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    Re: Fish to Water Ratios

    Oliver, what happened to you...you have seem to of vanished from the project with one article left unfinished.
    JCO
    Irish eyes are always smiling but
    • "In the eyes of the world, you are only as good as your last success"
    so never forget
    • "MAN IS ONLY LIMITED BY HIS IMAGINATION"

  4. #14
    Moderator urbanfarmer's Avatar
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    Re: Fish to Water Ratios

    I think he said something about the pay *grumble grumble* and left

  5. #15
    Aquaponics 101 Oliver's Avatar
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    Re: Fish to Water Ratios

    Sorry guys and gals, I've been busy. It is growing season and we've had lots of inquiries etc. Spring is our busiest time of the year.

    We are in the process of building a grow house (room) by converting 30 feet of our 50 foot back porch into a grow room 7.5 X 30 feet.

    This will be about the same size as our greenhouse 8 X 28 feet. It is well insulated and will require much less heating and cooling here in our harsh environment of the high desert. It is partially an experiment to see how much we can reduce the energy requirements. We will be testing color corrected LED grow lights (not the of-the-shelf LEDs that most sell) to see if they will grow food year-round economically.

    The last part of the series (Greenhouse or Grow-House) will have to wait until we have considerably more data to share. This will take several months and perhaps even a year. There will be at least one web cam up showing the results of this experiment.

    I'll keep you posted as we move along on the project. We are currently finishing up the electrical work this weekend and will be installing the water heater this next week along with designing a heat exchanger to heat the fish tank water. I need to find some stainless steel tubing somewhere and start experimenting with building the exchanger. It won't be needed until next winter but I need to develop and test it now while there are no fish in the tank.

    I am not sure how much heat the water pump will produce this summer so that also has to be tested before we fish up.

    Oliver
    To measure is to know

  6. #16
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    Re: Fish to Water Ratios

    have certainly appreciated your articles

  7. #17
    Moderator urbanfarmer's Avatar
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    Re: Fish to Water Ratios

    Quote Originally Posted by rfeiller
    have certainly appreciated your articles
    Likewise, I can't wait to hear about your new discoveries!

  8. #18
    Moderator davidstcldfl's Avatar
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    Re: Fish to Water Ratios

    Quote Originally Posted by Oliver
    I need to find some stainless steel tubing somewhere and start experimenting with building the exchanger.
    You may have already found some....if not, try here (bottom of the page)
    http://www.jehmco.com/html/heaters.html

    I've been enjoying the articles too
    "Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same." - President Ronald Reagan

  9. #19
    Aquaponics 101 Oliver's Avatar
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    Re: Fish to Water Ratios

    Quote Originally Posted by davidstcldfl
    Quote Originally Posted by Oliver
    I need to find some stainless steel tubing somewhere and start experimenting with building the exchanger.
    You may have already found some....if not, try here (bottom of the page)
    http://www.jehmco.com/html/heaters.html

    I've been enjoying the articles too
    Thanks.

    And thank you for the tubing info. The guy on the phone said that the minimum bend radius is like about 1 foot and suggested I just run it around the inside of the 6 foot diameter fish tank, which is made of polyethylene. This is simpler than trying to build an exchanger using a tight coil inside a plastic pipe.

    I'll keep you posted on this development.

    Oliver
    To measure is to know

  10. #20
    Members cedarswamp's Avatar
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    Re: Fish to Water Ratios

    I too have enjoyed and learned alot from your series.

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