Introduction to Aquaponics
Dave Donley
March 15, 2014
What is Aquaponics?
Aquaculture + Hydroponics = Aquaponics!
Nutrients from fish build up in water
Instead of dumping water and re-filling, plants take up the nutrients
Mini-ecosystem of Fish, Plants, and Bacteria
Biofiltration
Why Aquaponics?
Advantages of hydroponics:
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Consistent water and nutrients
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No weeds
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Soilless no soil borne diseases or pests
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Fast growing
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Interesting configurations like vertical
Why Aquaponics?
Plus!

Dynamism/animism/appeal of fish-keeping
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Protein from food fish
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Ornamental aspect of fish
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Ornamental aspect of moving water
Why Aquaponics?
Why Aquaponics?
Media Beds and Deep Water Culture
Media Beds
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Media like gravel in 1 foot deep beds
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Plant support
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Solids filtration
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Biofiltration (surface area for bacteria to grow on)
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Simple
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Cheap
Media Beds and Deep Water Culture
Tom and Paula Speraneo’s system at S&S Aqua Farm, 1990s
Media Beds and Deep Water Culture
Deep Water Culture (DWC)
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Fish tank water is sent through several filters
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Solids settling filter
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Suspended solids filter
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Biofilter
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Floating rafts holding plants in net pots
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Filters keep roots from getting clogged
Media Beds and Deep Water Culture
University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) system
Flood and Drain, and Continuous Flow/Flood
Flood and Drain
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Water level rises and falls within bed
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Flooding makes sure all media is covered with new water
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Draining makes sure all media gets oxygen
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Timers and siphons can generate flood and drain action
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Sump may be needed to buffer changes in water level
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Continuous flood can be used instead if water is well aerated and flow is
good
A Simple Aquaponic System
Components
Containers
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Water proof
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Sturdy or supported
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No heavy metals, zinc (galvanized), copper, lead, brass
•
Ideally food safe certification or certified for potable water, NSF-61
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Fish, plant, and human-safe
Components
Aquariums
Bathtubs
Storage totes and tubs
Mega bins
Buckets
Concrete, blocks, bricks, ferrocement
Gutters
Cattle panels and liner
Trash cans
Kiddie pools
Water tanks
Above ground swimming pools
Stock tanks
Crypt liners
Barrels
Lined dumpsters
Intermediate bulk container (IBC)
Fiberglass containers
Wood frames and liners
In-ground swimming pools
Garden Pool
Garden Pool
Garden Pool video
Components
Grow Media
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Gravel
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Must test gravel using vinegar for high pH from limestone
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Expanded clay balls (hydroton)
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Expanded slate and shale
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Lava rock
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Perlite not recommended*
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New media like foamed glass, etc.
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Hardwood lump charcoal
Components
Biofilter Media
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Anything inert with high surface area
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Netting
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Scrubbies
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Scotch Brite pads
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Purpose made Koi filter padding Matala
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Polyester batting
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Movable bed media like Kaldness K1 or other
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Plastic beads
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Plastic bottle caps
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PVC shavings
Components
Pumps
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Fountain pumps, pond pumps
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Remove the sponge filters
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Removable and replaceable impellers
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Head height
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Flow rated in gallons per hour (GPH)
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Flow graphs
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Wattage, AC versus DC
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Magnetic drive versus direct drive
Components
Components
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Air pumps and air stones
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Lights
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Plumbing fittings versus electrical
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Barbed fittings
conduit fittings
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Bulkhead fittings
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PVC primer and glue
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Uniseals
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Clear 100% aquarium safe silicone
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Venturis
smells like vinegar
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Timers
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Rubber hoses clog over time
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Hose clamps
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Net pots
•
Heaters
Components
Exotic Components
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Air lifts
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Interval timers
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Digital controllers
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Strawberry towers
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Radial flow filters
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Swirl/vortex filters
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Epoxy paint
•
Zip grow towers
Bigelow Brook Farm, Rob Torricelli’s Aquaponics Dome
Bigelow Brook Farm, Rob Torricelli’s Aquaponics Dome
(VIDEO)
Fish!
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Goldfish
Koi
Bluegill
Catfish
Trout
Tilapia
Etc.!
Fish!
Temperature and oxygen needs
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•
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Heating for tilapia
Cool water and air backup for trout
Consider using Native species
Where to get them?
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•
•
•
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Pet store – diseases and quarantine and mortality
Pond suppliers
Mobile pond supply services, like from Craigslist
Delivered from Florida or other (tilapia)
Natural sources – might be risky
IMPORTANT: Maryland requires permit with Department of Natural Resources, no fee
Plants!!!
Plant Varieties
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Lettuce
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Basil
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Herbs
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Tomatoes
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Peppers
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Leafy vegetables
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Fruiting plants
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Ornamentals
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Need special arrangement for root crops, deeper, wicking
Plants!!!
Plant Varieties
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Lettuce
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Basil
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Herbs
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Tomatoes
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Peppers
•
Leafy vegetables
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Fruiting plants
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Ornamentals
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Need special arrangement for root crops, deeper, wicking
Fish Food
Good quality fish food
Natural sources
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•
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Worms
Duckweed
Azolla
Insects bug zapper
Black soldier fly larvae
Fish Food
Operation and Maintenance
“Cycling” means establishing the population of bacteria in the biofilter
Sources of ammonia
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Household ammonia without fragrance or detergent
Fish food
Small, few fish
Dead fish
Urine
Operation and Maintenance
Cycling
During cycling, ammonia will go up until bacteria process the ammonia
Then Nitrite will go up until another kind of bacteria process the nitrite
Operation and Maintenance
Operation and Maintenance
Tips
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Feed morning and evening
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pH will slowly go down due to carbonic acid
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Maxicrop w/iron as needed (monthly)
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Non-iodized salt for fish treatment
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Insecticidal soap/ladybugs/neem etc.
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Ants will farm aphids in media beds, flood them out
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Adjust pH through top-up water rather than trying to adjust whole system
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pH bouncing is much worse than non-ideal pH value
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Think about crop and fish succession
•
Don’t worry so much or try to control everything, just enjoy the fish and
plants!
Operation and Maintenance
Fish remedies
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Salt to 4 parts per thousand (ppt) with quick salinity change
Plant remedies
•
Generally no pesticides or insecticides!
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Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices
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Beneficial insects like lady beetles
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Insectary planting
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Traps
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Decoy plants
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Insecticidal soap (keep out of water)
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Safe treatments likes Neem oil (keep out of water)
Online Resources
Backyard Aquaponics web forum
http://www.backyardaquaponics.com/forum/
Aquaponic Gardening Forum
http://community.theaquaponicsource.com
Free “Barrelponics” manual from Travis Hughey
http://www.aces.edu/dept/fisheries/education/documents/barrel-ponics.pdf
Rob Torricelli’s Dome Greenhouse
http://www.bigelowbrook.com
Aleece Landis’ (aka TCLynx) Aquaponics in Florida
http://www.aquaponiclynx.com
Ryan Chatterson’s Aquaponic farm in Florida
http://www.chattersonfarms.com
Garden Pool
http://gardenpool.org
Created by
Dave Donley
Master Gardener
UME Frederick County
2014
The University of Maryland Extension programs are open to any person and will not
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Credits
Slide 8
Credit: GrowingEdge magazine, volume 9, number 5, May/June 1998
Link: http://www.scribd.com/doc/82590078/Aquaponics-at-S-and-S-Aqua-Farm
Slide 10
Credit: University of the Virgin Islands
Link: http://www.uvi.edu/research/agricultural-experiment-station/aquaculture-home/aquaponicsystems/research.aspx
Link: http://uvitoday.blogspot.com/2013/01/uvi-aquaponics-system-featured-on-npr.html
Slide 16
Credit: Garden Pool, Link: http://gardenpool.org
Slide 21
Credit: pondusa.com, Link: http://www.pondusa.com/sequence_4000_external_pumps.htm
Slide 24
Credit: Bigelow Brook Farm, Link: http://www.bigelowbrook.com
Credits
Slide 41
Credit: Zeigler Feed
Link: http://www.zeiglerfeed.com/product_literature/aquaculture%20literature_finfish/Finfish%20Bronze.pdf
Slide 43
Credit: FINS: The Fish Information Service
Link: http://fins.actwin.com/mirror/begin-cycling.html