Aquaponics
Aquaponics is basically Aquaculture and Hydroponics combined.
The basic three things that plants need are water, nutrients and oxygen. Aquaponics is one of the most efficient systems that give the plants these three things; Aquaponics also uses one tenth of the water than normal gardens.
In our system, water is pumped up from the fish tank into the grow beds. The water then pools in the bottom of the grow beds and as the water rises it will touch the roots of the plants, where they will use the nutrient rich water created from the fish waste, before it reaches the top of the standpipe. Then a vacuum is made with the air in the bell siphon the water is then forced down the stand pipe and into the fish tank. While the water is refilling the bed, the roots have time to get oxygen.
The cycle of the bacteria starts with the fish food, the fish eat the food then they produce Ammonia. The Ammonia is then turned into Nitrites. The Nitrites are converted to Nitrates. The Plants absorb the Nitrates and then the fish, after their next feeding, will produce more Ammonia and the cycle will re-start.
What Are Ammonia, Nitrites and Nitrates???
Ammonia as I said is produced by the fish, in other words it is found in their waste. Ammonia is a colourless gas with a pungent smell. It dissolves in water to give a strong alkaline solution.
Nitrites are salt or an organic compound of nitrous acid, containing nitrogen dioxide.
Nitrates are salt or an organic compound of nitric acid, containing nitrate ion or a type of fertiliser.
On Monday we started building the frame, it was made of recycled timber and metal.
The next day we prepared the drums. In one 44 gallon drum, 200L if you want to get picky, we cut a small rectangle, 41cm by 31cm, on the side. This will be the fish tank. The other drum was cut lengthwise and all holes filled with a clear gap sealer. These will be the grow beds.
PLEASE NOTE; the barrels we are using had bulk soft drink or soap in them. THEY WERE WASHED OUT BEFORE USE!!!
Next we secured the drums in place. The fish tank inside the frame and the grow beds on top of the frame. The grow beds are held in place by wire and garden string.
On Thursday we did the plumbing. We drilled holes in the bottom of the grow beds for the auto-siphon.
There was also holes drilled in the back of the grow beds for an overflow pipe. There is a pump in the bottom of the fish tank with a pipe going up into the beds to fill them. The overflow pipes bend, if there is a heavy rain or the siphon is blocked and it rises to overflowing point it will drain back down into the fish tank. Where the siphon is placed in the beds underneath will have a return pipe, where as the siphon kicks in, it will return the water from the beds into the fish tank.
There was also holes drilled in the back of the grow beds for an overflow pipe. There is a pump in the bottom of the fish tank with a pipe going up into the beds to fill them. The overflow pipes bend, if there is a heavy rain or the siphon is blocked and it rises to overflowing point it will drain back down into the fish tank. Where the siphon is placed in the beds underneath will have a return pipe, where as the siphon kicks in, it will return the water from the beds into the fish tank.
Two days later we added our fist lot of fish, 5 ordinary gold goldfish, but the water was so murky that it suffocated 4 of the 5 fish. So we let the water sit until it was clear before adding more fish.
Once the water was clear we added 5 ordinary gold goldfish and 5 feeder goldfish. We also added, when he was well enough, the 5th gold goldfish from our first lot of fish. We also added 6 crayfish.
Unfortunately 2-4 weeks later one fish and one crayfish died due to either fungus in the water or a lack of/ too much Nitrates.
5.8.11
We added another 4 crayfish and are treating the fish, with a salt bath, for the fungus and if that doesn’t work we will try an anti-fungal treatment from a local fish supplier.
We feed the fish every couple of days to keep the ammonia level. We also feed the beds chelated iron and sea sol or seaweed extract because the pH being so high it has blocked the plants ability to soak up the iron they need.
At the moment we are feeding the beds chelated iron once a week and sea sol twice a week until he pH and everything returns to normal.
We were recently warned that crayfish will eat the goldfish when they sleep, so we will be keeping the goldfish in the hospital tank until we finish the larger Aquaponics system out of IBCs. The crayfish will now have the barrelponics system all to their selves.
Two days later we added our fist lot of fish, 5 ordinary gold goldfish, but the water was so murky that it suffocated 4 of the 5 fish. So we let the water sit until it was clear before adding more fish.
Once the water was clear we added 5 ordinary gold goldfish and 5 feeder goldfish. We also added, when he was well enough, the 5th gold goldfish from our first lot of fish. We also added 6 crayfish.
Unfortunately 2-4 weeks later one fish and one crayfish died due to either fungus in the water or a lack of/ too much Nitrates.
5.8.11
We added another 4 crayfish and are treating the fish, with a salt bath, for the fungus and if that doesn’t work we will try an anti-fungal treatment from a local fish supplier.
We feed the fish every couple of days to keep the ammonia level. We also feed the beds chelated iron and sea sol or seaweed extract because the ph being so high it has blocked the plants ability to soak up the iron they need.
At the moment we are feeding the beds chelated iron once a week and sea sol twice a week until he pH and everything returns to normal.
We were recently warned that crayfish will eat the goldfish when they sleep, so we will be keeping the goldfish in the hospital tank until we finish the larger Aquaponics system out of IBCs. The crayfish will now have the barrelponics system all to their selves.
Maya 01 :) 
Did you eat the fish??? Mmmmmmm... Gold fish.... Tasty... Maybe with soy sauce..
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