Building an Aquaponics System (The Backyard Prepper Series) (Volume 1) by Anthony D Faircloth

Building an Aquaponics System (The Backyard Prepper Series) (Volume 1) by Anthony D Faircloth

Author:Anthony D Faircloth [Faircloth, Anthony D]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781481148511
Amazon: 1481148516
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Published: 2012-12-02T05:00:00+00:00


Operating the System

In a successfully designed, operated, and balanced system there should be zero Nitrites and low to negligible Nitrate, and depending on the number and type of plants added the Nitrate may drop to zero as it is used by the plants. Once the chemistry is stable, think 3 weeks or so, you can remove the Goldfish and add other less hardy fish, or keep the Goldfish and just add other fish!

One small note: remember that initially the water is going to fill the grow bin thereby emptying the aquarium. Find the level that you want the water to stay at, probably an inch or so from the lip of the aquarium, then place a small mark using a permanent marker. This will give you a fill level so that you can add water as it evaporates though this shouldn't be too often.

You will want to “take chemistries” around once a week. This will help you catch any major chemical imbalances especially pH and Nitrites. Just like with any aquarium the pH will need to be somewhere around neutral, and there should be zero Nitrite. Also, either top off with distilled water or de-chlorinate your tap water before adding it to the system. Remember that too much chlorine will kill off the nitrifying bacteria and cause system problems.

Occasionally, the system may “stick,” meaning it forgets to flush and the water continues to flow from the grow bin to the fish tank. This is not that big of a deal but it is REALLY annoying! Usually the system will catch-up and burp, but you can reset it by lifting the bell and letting it burp. If this happens frequently you may need to “tweak” your system by slightly modifying the height of your standpipe, or the bell might be too tall, or the pump might need to be turned down a tad; usually done at the pump by adjusting a little damper.



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