Bioritize System Progress

[urbanfarmer]

I was under the impression that it was a 1:1 ratio for grow bed to fish tank based on the gallon capacity. Then the other ration was 1 lb of fish : 3 gallons of water. I believe that is more like a 1 fish per : 3 gallons grow bed.

So in my 40 gallon tank I could grow about to 2.5 lbs each or so. I think that is about what I had in mind using this as a breeder. I could keep four good females in here and pop and male in everyonce and a while to say

I heard the 1:1 ratio to and up to 1:3. A lot of that has to do with number of Fish you want to stock. Also is you main focus Fish, Plants or Both. I'm not looking to go super high on either to much time required to do that. But that being said I would to get the most I can with the least amount of effort. I have found that general rules are just that general rules you tell people that don't want to understand more about what is really going on. That why people with higher stocking densities have more grow beds. It all about how much filtering you need to keep your water clean. That involves how many fish how many plants and how well you can use or remove the solids. It is a lot easier to make decisions on how to set thing up in the first place if you understand how and why they come up with these rules of thumb as applied to the way you intend to run your system.
A 300 gallon IBC tote system with 3 16sq foot grow beds with 100 tilapia isn't a problem until you have over 48 pound of fish in it. There assuming that about the time some of them will be big enough to start eating. 100 one pound tilapia will exceed the filtering capacity of this system in a very short time. If you do like they say and start harvesting fish as soon as they reach the 1 pound or plate size Fish this shouldn't be a problem. I just felt like I need to understand how they come up with there numbers and why. One detail I have found out from all my reading is Fish and Plants can be replace relative quickly but the bacteria can not. So when your thinking about whats best for the fish or what best for the plants DO NOT FORGET what best for the bacteria without these unseen guys NOTHING HAPPENS.

Oh I think that would make for a Happy Male Fish.... hehehe

Yep, the bacteria actually feed the plants

I have attached a document that is basic a calculator for all your backyard aquaponic needs! ENJOY!