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Starting an Aquaponics System |
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Submitted by Travis W. Hughey
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Fill the fish tank to the top with water and start the pump. You would want to add some food grade Hydrogen Peroxide or I have heard of some using bleach to disinfect the system. The idea is to get as sterile an environment to start off with. Don't want to start the system with any diseases right off the start.
Water should fill the top tank and flow through the standpipe to the flood tank. Set the top of the siphon to the max height and wait for the system to actuate the flush valve.
Look at the grow beds and adjust the level of the manifold to fill the grow beds equally. This may take a few cycles. Also, look at the volume of water dumped per cycle. If it is too much lower the top of the siphon until the volume stops at just below the top of the surface of the gravel.
If the siphon fills the counterweight for too long this too can be adjusted by raising the bottom of the internal siphon tube being careful to not change the top setting. Let the system run a couple of days to allow the Hydrogen Peroxide or Chlorine to gas out of the water.
Once the system is up and running consistently for a couple days check and adjust the pH. Adjusting the pH using un-iodized salt (preferably sea salt) to raise it and vinegar to bring it down. Add a small amount of healthy pond or lake water or biofilter starter and some fish. I would suggest cheap feeder goldfish to begin with as there is a strong likelihood some will die while the system stabilizes. This is not the time to use some of your neighbors high dollar Koi to help out your project!!
Now would be a good time to plant some easy growing seeds in the gravel beds. Beans are a good choice for starters as the sprout quickly and will begin taking up nutrients. As far as checking the system with a water test kit goes you will see the following happen:
First the ammonia will run up quite high. This is normal as the fish will be producing it and the nitrifying bacteria haven't built up yet. If you start losing fish at this stage simply remove some of the water and add some well water if possible. If well water is not available it might be advisable to have some sterilized water on hand. Remember this handy rule "The solution to pollution is dilution"
When the Nitrosomonas bacteria have built up to sufficient levels you will see the ammonia to go to zero very quickly. This stage is where I killed a good many fish. In my impatience I started loading up the fish at just the wrong time!! The second phase of nitrification has yet to get started. The nitrites will go very high now until the Nitrobacter reach sufficient levels to reduce the nitrites to almost zero. This is a very critical time as the nitrites are very toxic to the fish. The nitrates will then rise and this is where the system is producing the nutrients for the plants to get healthy. This can take a few weeks to stabilize so don't get impatient.
Don't overfeed the fish and you are on your way to a very enjoyable hobby and a wonderful way to weed free gardening. Have a seat and just watch and enjoy your hard work!! Once your system is up and stabilized you will almost be able to watch the plants grow!!
Special Thanks to Travis W. Hughey - The godfather of Aquaponics
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