Hello all,
So, the Aquaponic system had worked so far, i.e. no more water spilling all over the place and some growth. Not a lot, and the smaller sprouts seem to just give up hope, but others (peas and tomatoes) are growing nicely.
Seeing as I had nothing to do one Saturday morning I decided to try and make things complicated. A lot more complicated! So I bought three cheapo buckets (1$ each) and some pvc pipes and elbows (20$ worth) and set out to have some fun.
And so I've made the following 'hanging gardens of Copenhagen' - which for some reason amde my wife shake her head multiple times. In silence. Not sure if that was a good sign?
I'll be adding a new long hose that will transport the water from the fishtank, up the wooden stick and into the pvc pipe at the top. From there it should spill (in a controlled manner) into the buckets, and then progress into the growbed. I hope. So many things can go wrong with this. It is so much fun!
I've got to silicone the connections, wash more medium, and install the hose (8$), but apart from that it should be ready soon. Stay tuned for disaster updates :-).
I was a bit nervous that the flimsy sides of the cheap buckets would crack, but the hole-saw-thing made the job very easy.
And the entire pvc-experience was very fun - so easy to work with.
I also needed some cheap standpipes for the buckets and decided these bottles would do the trick.
Meanwhile my son was up to no good - going "boooiiiiiing ..... boooooiiiiiing" for some reason :-).
Total costs skyrocketed this week, from 11$ to 42$! :-/.
For those not yet privy to the fascinating world of Aquaponics here is what information Wikipedia provides:
Aquaponicsis a sustainable food production system that combines a traditional aquaculture (raising aquatic animals such as snails, fish, crayfish or prawns in tanks) with hydroponics (cultivating plants in water) in a symbiotic environment. In aquaculture, effluents accumulate in the water, increasing toxicity for the fish. This water is led to a hydroponic system where the by-products from the aquaculture are filtered out by the plants as vital nutrients, after which the cleansed water is recirculated back to the animals. The term aquaponics is a portmanteau of the terms aquaculture and hydroponic.
Aquaponic systems vary in size from small indoor or outdoor units to large commercial units, using the same technology. The systems usually contain fresh water, but salt water systems are plausible depending on the type of aquatic animal and which plants. Aquaponic science may still be considered to be at an early stage, relative to other sciences.
Basicly, this translates into let the fish shit, let the plants grow on the shit and clean the water, and then eat all the plants yourself... more or less....
All the best,
Kasper
So, the Aquaponic system had worked so far, i.e. no more water spilling all over the place and some growth. Not a lot, and the smaller sprouts seem to just give up hope, but others (peas and tomatoes) are growing nicely.
Seeing as I had nothing to do one Saturday morning I decided to try and make things complicated. A lot more complicated! So I bought three cheapo buckets (1$ each) and some pvc pipes and elbows (20$ worth) and set out to have some fun.
And so I've made the following 'hanging gardens of Copenhagen' - which for some reason amde my wife shake her head multiple times. In silence. Not sure if that was a good sign?
I'll be adding a new long hose that will transport the water from the fishtank, up the wooden stick and into the pvc pipe at the top. From there it should spill (in a controlled manner) into the buckets, and then progress into the growbed. I hope. So many things can go wrong with this. It is so much fun!
 |
| Aquaponic system - I'll use the entire windowsill yet! |
 |
| Drilling holes is fun, when it works! |
 |
| Is it an elephant? No its a cheap growbed! |
 |
| Cheap Standpipes |
 |
| A DIY 'Das Boot'! |
Total costs skyrocketed this week, from 11$ to 42$! :-/.
For those not yet privy to the fascinating world of Aquaponics here is what information Wikipedia provides:
Aquaponicsis a sustainable food production system that combines a traditional aquaculture (raising aquatic animals such as snails, fish, crayfish or prawns in tanks) with hydroponics (cultivating plants in water) in a symbiotic environment. In aquaculture, effluents accumulate in the water, increasing toxicity for the fish. This water is led to a hydroponic system where the by-products from the aquaculture are filtered out by the plants as vital nutrients, after which the cleansed water is recirculated back to the animals. The term aquaponics is a portmanteau of the terms aquaculture and hydroponic.
Aquaponic systems vary in size from small indoor or outdoor units to large commercial units, using the same technology. The systems usually contain fresh water, but salt water systems are plausible depending on the type of aquatic animal and which plants. Aquaponic science may still be considered to be at an early stage, relative to other sciences.
Basicly, this translates into let the fish shit, let the plants grow on the shit and clean the water, and then eat all the plants yourself... more or less....
All the best,
Kasper
Glad to know that your aquaphonic system worked well. Perhaps those gardening enthusiasts who can come across this blog can get ideas from your project.
SvarSlet