Bio Filter?

[wh33t]

I have been raising Tropical Fish and Koi since 1965 and I have been at Aquaponics for the better part of 15 years and as I have said in the past, I am a purest and having said that, this is how a system is suppose to be set up.

1) Fish Tank
2) sump
3) Bio-filter
4) Growbeds

The water flows (or is pumped) form the fish tank to the sump where solids and particulates (poo) is allowed to settle to the bottom where it can be removed and put into a Vermiculture for worms or on your wife's flower garden, or at the base of your favorite trees.

The water then goes to the Bio-filter where the Ammonia, with the help of Nitrification Bacteria, is turned to Nitrites which in turn is turned to Nitrates (this is what the plants want).

Then the water is coursed to the grow beds for the plants to remove the Nitrates and return the clean water to the fish tank.

Go to a large tropical/saltwater fish store and get them to explain it and show you what and how a bio-filter works.

Some people, for reasons unknown to me (not offense meant to anyone, maybe it's money or laziness or someother reason), feel that the grow bed is the place to pump the Poo and then they throw in a hand full of worms and Wa-La, it's eaten by the worms and everything is peaches 'n cream.....untill...WAIT FOR IT..!

However I can tell you form my own experience because I have tried every idea that has ever come down the PIKE, some day down the road, a year, maybe 2, your are going find that you are no longer growing plants Aquaponically because of the sludge that has accumulate in the bottom of your grow beds. Your veggies will have been turned into BOG PLANTS.

Then comes the chore of shutting down your whole operation and removing all your grow media, washing it and cleaning the worm and fish poo out of the bottom of the grow bed.

And let me tell you, it's not only not a pretty site, but it stinks to high heaven and then our have to find some place to put the stinky mess because if you throw it out in the yard, you are going to have to cover it up or the neighbors will be up in arms.

Now you do as most AP'ers do and make up you own mind how you are going to set it up and....WAIT FOR IT...!

Never has Aquaponics been so easily explained. I have seen videos of Sumps and wondered what they were for. Now I know!

So if the grow bed is not the bio filter, then I presume it's some other object that I can build or purchase? Preferably build?

So would you, in all of your experience, ever suggest putting in worms to help digest solid wastes in the grow bed?