Building your own mini aquaponics system will revolutionize the way
you garden indoors. It i
s so easy that you would be crazy not to build it!
The idea Is the fish produce waste which turn into nitrates and ammonia, these things are not good for the fish when they build up too much, but they make a great fertilizer for the plants. The plants soak up the nitrates and purify the water to help the fish.
This system is ideal for indoors or maybe even as a hobby or a project for families or fish. The same principles can be used for outdoors if you make the system bigger.
Materials:
A tank for the fish 3-20 gallons; you can use glass or plastic, I suggest a 5 gallon water bottle, like the refillable water bottles that you find at grocery stores. ($5-$20)
Gravel 2.5 lbs for each 5 gallons of water the tank holds ($2-$5)
Water Pump 3-4 watt pump capable of lifting 18” -54” at 30-100 gal per hour ($19-$40)
3 ft of Air tubing to connect the pump to the stone, it must fit the pump outlet ($1)
Grow Bed that has to fit on the fish tank, ideally 3” -8” deep ($5-$20)
Growing medium pea gravel, perlite, coconut coir, clay pebbles, or peat moss.
Ph testing kit($2-$5)
Fish and Plants
Tools:
Drill with ¼” or 3/16” bit and a ½” bit
Scissors
Electrical tape
Method:
Wash the gravel thoroughly and place it at the bottom of the fish tank.
Drill 1/8” or3/16” holes in the bottom of the grow bed every 2 square inches so the water can drain into the tank. In the back corner of the grow bed drill a ½ inch hole for the tubing from the water pump to pass through.
Set the water pump in the fish tank, and then place the grow bed on top of the tank. Feed the tubing from the pump through the ½” hole. Leave enough tubing to extend to about ¾ the height of the grow bed and so that it loops around the inside of the grow bed. Cut off the excess, and seal the folded piece with electrical tape.
Fill the bed with the growing medium, so that it falls just under the tube.
Puncture small holes every 2 inches in the tubing section that loops in the grow bed.
Cover the loop of tubing with an inch maybe two of growing medium.
Fill the tank with water, plug in the pump to ensure that the water is pumped into the grow bed, so that it trickles down through the growing medium and circulates through the tank. Depending on the size, you may need to adjust the flow.
Connect the air pump to the air stone with the air tubing. Place the stone in the tank and plug in the air pump. You should see a steady stream of bubbles rise through the water, providing fresh air.
Check the pH of the water, the ideal pH is 7.0, if it is higher than 7.2 you should lower it down with a pH lowering product. It should go no lower than 6.8.
Allow the unit to sit for at least 24 hours to ensure that all the chlorine has dissipated from the water.
Add the fish to the tank, add no more than ½” of fish per gallon of water.
Wait four weeks to add the plants to the system, but if you are eager, add just a few and increase the density in a month when your system is well established.
Things to remember:
Frequent small feedings are better, never fill the tank with more food than the fish can consume in 5 minutes.
Every few days refill the tank with water up to the top.
Sources:
http://aquaponicpeople.com/diy-aquaponics-system-design-build-2/
http://diyaquaponicssystems.net/how-to-build-an-aquaponics-system/
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-build-a-desktop-aquaponics-system-for-indoo/
s so easy that you would be crazy not to build it!
The idea Is the fish produce waste which turn into nitrates and ammonia, these things are not good for the fish when they build up too much, but they make a great fertilizer for the plants. The plants soak up the nitrates and purify the water to help the fish.
This system is ideal for indoors or maybe even as a hobby or a project for families or fish. The same principles can be used for outdoors if you make the system bigger.
Materials:
A tank for the fish 3-20 gallons; you can use glass or plastic, I suggest a 5 gallon water bottle, like the refillable water bottles that you find at grocery stores. ($5-$20)
Gravel 2.5 lbs for each 5 gallons of water the tank holds ($2-$5)
Water Pump 3-4 watt pump capable of lifting 18” -54” at 30-100 gal per hour ($19-$40)
3 ft of Air tubing to connect the pump to the stone, it must fit the pump outlet ($1)
Grow Bed that has to fit on the fish tank, ideally 3” -8” deep ($5-$20)
Growing medium pea gravel, perlite, coconut coir, clay pebbles, or peat moss.
Ph testing kit($2-$5)
Fish and Plants
Tools:
Drill with ¼” or 3/16” bit and a ½” bit
Scissors
Electrical tape
Method:
Wash the gravel thoroughly and place it at the bottom of the fish tank.
Drill 1/8” or3/16” holes in the bottom of the grow bed every 2 square inches so the water can drain into the tank. In the back corner of the grow bed drill a ½ inch hole for the tubing from the water pump to pass through.
Set the water pump in the fish tank, and then place the grow bed on top of the tank. Feed the tubing from the pump through the ½” hole. Leave enough tubing to extend to about ¾ the height of the grow bed and so that it loops around the inside of the grow bed. Cut off the excess, and seal the folded piece with electrical tape.
Fill the bed with the growing medium, so that it falls just under the tube.
Puncture small holes every 2 inches in the tubing section that loops in the grow bed.
Cover the loop of tubing with an inch maybe two of growing medium.
Fill the tank with water, plug in the pump to ensure that the water is pumped into the grow bed, so that it trickles down through the growing medium and circulates through the tank. Depending on the size, you may need to adjust the flow.
Connect the air pump to the air stone with the air tubing. Place the stone in the tank and plug in the air pump. You should see a steady stream of bubbles rise through the water, providing fresh air.
Check the pH of the water, the ideal pH is 7.0, if it is higher than 7.2 you should lower it down with a pH lowering product. It should go no lower than 6.8.
Allow the unit to sit for at least 24 hours to ensure that all the chlorine has dissipated from the water.
Add the fish to the tank, add no more than ½” of fish per gallon of water.
Wait four weeks to add the plants to the system, but if you are eager, add just a few and increase the density in a month when your system is well established.
Things to remember:
Frequent small feedings are better, never fill the tank with more food than the fish can consume in 5 minutes.
Every few days refill the tank with water up to the top.
Sources:
http://aquaponicpeople.com/diy-aquaponics-system-design-build-2/
http://diyaquaponicssystems.net/how-to-build-an-aquaponics-system/
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-build-a-desktop-aquaponics-system-for-indoo/
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