simple floating aquaponics system
A very simple flotation type aquaponic system. Very simple and scalable way to grow fresh water fish or crustaceans for food in water and using the effluent …
25 Responses to simple floating aquaponics system
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The red lava rock didn’t work out in the net pots, so I will be switching to perlite this fall when the plants in the pots die off. I think I will grow more lettuce next summer. I’ll shoot a follow up video next spring when I put the spring lettuce in.
SocietyofEnoch
October 2, 2013 at 10:15 pm
I will look it up. There are many floating aquaponic systems around the world, a few of which I have looked at a little, but most require investments in components that I do not have the resources to invest in. I am actually very poor and must often make do with what I have and can get out of garbage bins.
SocietyofEnoch
October 2, 2013 at 10:29 pm
There is already a very simpler floating hydroponic system and that is the floating gardens of Burma! Study nature, copy nature, improve upon nature, and scale them up for all kinds of crops! Floating cages of water hyacinths reverses and prevents water eutrophication, floating cages of azolla adds nitrogen to the water. The Burma method uses floating straw beds with river mud, silt, soil placed as a thin layer on top of them and planted with all kinds of crops. The Burma lake, Inle, study it!
darthvader5300
October 2, 2013 at 11:00 pm
I have decided to make a new float with more, smaller holes for this growing season. I am going to get some net pots to put in the holes and use red cinder rock as the substrate. I’ll be posting videos soon.
SocietyofEnoch
October 2, 2013 at 11:10 pm
sounds good man, i like uncomplicated systems myself
jono90hd
October 3, 2013 at 12:09 am
Since the fish in the pond are native to still water settings adding air to the water might kill them and would certainly cause me other problems, as this is sitting right next to the road, and stuff get’s taken from my yard often enough without adding a new temptation for the local meth-heads.
SocietyofEnoch
October 3, 2013 at 12:57 am
Actually, it’s Paul Stamets idea, which is explained in his book: “Mycelium Running”
SocietyofEnoch
October 3, 2013 at 1:19 am
that is probably right, but having wild fish native to still water settings growing in the barrel, adding extra oxygen to the water might have killed them, I am going to try some lettuce this year, and if it does okay I’ll post a video.
SocietyofEnoch
October 3, 2013 at 1:44 am
the plant might have done better with an air stone or some type of moving water, the roots might not be getting enough dissolved oxygen in the water
jono90hd
October 3, 2013 at 2:08 am
Thanks. I am hoping to post a lot of new videos as this growing season progresses
SocietyofEnoch
October 3, 2013 at 2:45 am
I’d try gravel but I fear the pot would be top heavy and tip over. Expanded clay pellets would work, I just used what I had on hand.
SocietyofEnoch
October 3, 2013 at 2:51 am
SocietyOfEnoch, use Lecra (expanded clay) instead of perlite. You only need that stuff for physical support, so that the plant does not topple over! Lecra, or gravel (small stones, should not be sharp in order not to damage the roots).
argenjointje
October 3, 2013 at 2:53 am
SocietyofEnoch, you’re the man! I’ve done some simple hydro in the past but this setup just blew my mind! Also your mushroom cardboard tek rulez!
argenjointje
October 3, 2013 at 3:03 am
Put an acuarium bubbler stone in there and the roots will grow like crazy! Question: what does the plant feed on??? Fish poo? That enough or do you add fertilizer?
argenjointje
October 3, 2013 at 3:54 am
I believe the fish eat insects that land on the surface of the water, and they eat the smaller snails.
SocietyofEnoch
October 3, 2013 at 4:06 am
I’m not sure if snails would survive in a hydroponic nutrient solution. If you have algae growing in your solution I would guess snails would survive there, but the only way to find out is to try it.
SocietyofEnoch
October 3, 2013 at 4:25 am
ah cool, would they survive in a regular nutrient solution? maybe i could put snails in my regular hydroponics
Endrikh Darkvine CXVI
October 3, 2013 at 5:04 am
I don’t think so, there are native snails in the water that seem to keep the algae down.
SocietyofEnoch
October 3, 2013 at 5:27 am
do the fish eat the algae too?
Endrikh Darkvine CXVI
October 3, 2013 at 5:35 am
Your suggested alternative sounds like a lot of extra, unnecessary effort, besides, I just threw this together with scrap materials I had on hand at the time. The only challenge I have had with this system is that smaller pieces of perlite leak out and get into the water, which I consider unsightly/messy. I have a tomato in it, which is clearly not a good choice for a floating hydroponics system, as my soil planted ones nearby are thriving and this one is barely staying alive.
SocietyofEnoch
October 3, 2013 at 6:04 am
Is Pearlite really the way to go? That stuff’s pretty cheap at Home Depot. I also think that polyurathyne foam is the way to go but I don’t like the idea of cutting a hole in a raft. Why not cut two I beam rails as beams and screen a row of peralite in between them? Not quite sure what to use as framing material. What about making a sandwich with sacks of screened peralite and bands made of duct tape or bailing wire every foot or so? Just cut a hole in the top of the sacks to plant the plants?
Surf steve
October 3, 2013 at 6:46 am
Thank you!
JMMELGRATTI
October 3, 2013 at 7:29 am
Sun exposure should be dictated by your system, and what you are growing. If the tank is black, sitting on concrete in the hottest part of an Arizona summer you may need to shade it to keep the fish alive, otherwise full sun. Typically, in a floating system, full sun is desirable.
SocietyofEnoch
October 3, 2013 at 8:16 am
Great! I like that. I’ll try. What about the sun?
JMMELGRATTI
October 3, 2013 at 9:07 am
You don’t change the water. In aquaponics the bacteria change the fish effluent (urea and feces) into nitrogen compounds which the plants(s) then absorb, cleaning the water for the fish. Aquaponics is a copy of the systems found in nature. If you set up a proper balance between the plants, water volume and number and size of fish, you should never have to worry about water exchanges, only adding water to replace what is lost to evaporation.
SocietyofEnoch
October 3, 2013 at 9:34 am