Aquaponics

[KennyS]

Im sure some of the members on here do a little gardening..
Last Year i learned about aquaponics.. basically hydroponics that do not need added nutrients.
Grow fish and vegetables at home.
this was my very basic inital setup last year. I got loads of tomatoes and a few other things last year.
http://i937.photobucket.com/albums/ad216/first24ks/Pond/IMG00018-20120524-2007.jpg

This year, i have over 30 catfish stocked around 4"-9"
i just recently planted some corn, tomatoes, squash, and built a huge grow bed.

So far i must say, aside from setup, this is by far the easiest way to grow food, or have a pond..

Just feed the fish, thats all you do.
the fish emulsion is pumped to the grow beds and the plants/rocks/bacteria cleans the water for the pond, while feeding the plants.
The water is literally crystal clear all the time.

Share your gardening pics!

[longdx]

I have heard about this trend. How hard/easy was it to set up? I really like the idea of an almost self contained system to grow plants without the need for external chemicals?

[KennyS]

the only difficulty is getting the bell siphons working properly.. Basically they flush like a toilet. Fill to the top, start flushing and drain all water, then stop draining. some times they run continuously though.
There is alot of info on the internet, but its actually pretty easy.. I have no testing supplies to test water conditions and everything is still running properly.

That pond is made out of an old long bed dodge truck bed with a $60 pond liner. the pump is extremely overkill 1/3hp that pumps 2500 gph. it was $80, then building grow beds (or buying) and some pvc.. thats all you need.
I add water once a month right now, probably once every 2 weeks in the heat of summer, and feed the fish every night.. thats it. no weeding needed really.

[cmichael258]

When I first looked at the photo, I thought I saw 2 hands clasped together, sticking out of the water and a body beneath the surface. Has anyone reported your mother-in-law missing?