________Pond Aeration & Aquaponics

Aquaponic update

2011-06-14T12:45:00.000-07:00

Our cucumber plant is doing well, we have new blossoms and fruit starting to grow.

This cucumber was planted from seed in April, and likes the water that does not contain salt, (city tap water)
I had another one that was in the salty well water, it did not make it.

The tomato plants are getting pretty tall, and now are starting to produce blooms.

The lower plants are lettuce which is growing very rapidly.

These are tomato plants that are growing in well water they are doing well and also blooming.
Although not as vigorous as the tomatoes in the non-well water

The empty hole is where the other cucumber was.

In the center of the greenhouse, I have taken out the long blue tank, replaced with a 200 gallon tree-pot and raised a couple tables, to hold five gallon pots, filled with hydroton media to grow peppers, (which are growing inside from seed)

I also plan to build a box to go between the table to grow strawberries.

Thanks for watching...

Harvest of lettuce, big system running

2011-05-27T19:21:00.000-07:00

Photo of the Butterhead lettuce in a hydroponic tank with aeration.

It was decided this is BBQ week (by me) Since we are not accustomed to continued rainy weather..

Photo of 2 missing lettuce, we ate one head in the last 2 days.

Pretty tasty, just could not wait to eat something grown from seed at home.

This photo shows the pool in front of the greenhouse.

We have stocked the pool with Koi and goldfish. The fertilizer component of the aquaponic system.

We have built 2 troughs and 2 tube systems to grow plants. the water is pumped from the pond outside the greenhouse. to the tubes, to the troughs inside.

We are using plastic cups and hydro-ton for the tubes, we are using rafts (Styrofoam) in troughs for the lettuce and other leafy veggies.

So, basically we are using the troughs and tubes as a biological filter for the front pool. Using the waste from the fish to grow food.

Work continuing

2011-05-20T20:53:00.000-07:00

Moved 3 butterhead lettuce & micro green, that was planted from seed on April 11 from the incubator (fish tank) to a 30 gallon tub, with a tube diffuser, nutrients, collected rain water.
I am using this as a holding spot, until the second aquaponic system is ready.

We have had rain and cool weather all week, the water temp this morning was only about 52 deg.

This the system I plan on using for the lettuce that I moved today.

The tub to right is the barrel bio filter that has not seeded enough (with beneficial bacteria )yet, the other tubs with lips have had filter media added in the last couple of days. Waiting for the nitrogen cycle to complete.

Cody is keeping track of all the fish, he thinks he is a fish dog, not a bird dog

Welcome to our Aquaponics and Aeration blog

2011-05-19T07:48:00.000-07:00

Since we are still in the process of building our set ups in the green house.

We are doing Aquaponics, .... which is raising fruits and vegetables in water, using fish as the source of fertilizer to sustain plants growth.

We are experimenting with various ways to grow the plants, and will show them as we go..

Currently we are germinating the seeds in the sun room of the house, moving to an incubator (if you will, the aquarium) in the green house using nutrients, to get them bigger, then move them to the aquaponic system.

First aquaponic system running

2011-05-18T20:11:00.001-07:00

First Aquaponic system running

Started with green water
after about 10 days the tank water cleared and the plants are starting to grow

Aquaponics and Aeration

2011-05-18T19:06:00.001-07:00

The beginning of the Aquaponic adventure

Germinating seeds inside... this is the beginning of April
..

plants before moving to the greenhouse aquariums

Plants in 2 inch net pots, transferred to a 125 gallon aquarium with a raft (Styrofoam with holes) the aquarium is 1/3 filled with rain water collected from our downspout.
One of our new tube aerators, and nutrients added (old age growth)

3 weeks of growth, took pic at night, it is raining with lots of humidity in tank.
Tank is covered with poly covering to keep warm at night.

Rain water collection system

The gutter downspout had ripped away from the gutter, so I fashioned a capillary tube to guide the water to the barrel below, the barrel fills to the top, down the pipe to a larger container with a lip, to a smaller tank, total gallon of water approx 150 gallons.

aeration tables

2011-02-07T13:16:00.001-08:00