Aquaponics!

Grow fish in a “barrel” and fertilize abundant produce with it. This is not costly to set up, is very low maintenance, takes very little space, and can save $100s on groceries every month. It is hands down more efficient than growing produce in the ground. So unless you hate fish … what’s not to like?

Pouring in the Fish

The greens are growing in gravel and the little black tube at the left is pumping nutrient-rich water up from the fish tank below into the gravel for the greens. They filter the water and it returns to the fish tank.

Growing Power has a good little walk-through of how a system might work.

First, you need a fish tank. Intermediate Bulk Containers (IBC) are good for this. When you search Craig’s List, search on “Totes”. You will find listings under that term.

Totes are approximately cubicle in shape, have a footprint of 40″ by 48″, and hold 275 gallons. In my area cattle ranchers and mulch manufacturers have used totes for sale. I had no luck looking for possibilities in the local yellow pages. No one had any idea…

Two totes can fit into a Mazda B3000 with the tailgate down. I bought two that had non-toxic dye in them. These take a lot of rinsing! Then you cut them open and wash them.

Here is one setup:

This is not what I’m doing. I am building two separate systems. You cut the top portion off of each tote to make a tray that then sits on the large bottom portion. The bottom portion of each tote is a fish tank; and the top portion, filled with gravel (shot rock with lots of surface area) or coir becomes a produce garden. Nutrient rich water is pumped from the fish tanks to the trays, where it gets filtered, and returns to the fish tanks.

And another system:

And now this, for your home or apartment! (If it comes to production … but if not, watch for someone else to do it!)

Imagine a closed-loop ecosystem that can fit anywhere… offering the freedom to grow food year round.

” … The Aqualibrium Garden can be used as an aquaponic or a hydroponic system. An aquaponic system is one where fish supply the nutrients that fertilize the grow bed. In a hydroponic system, fish are not required and all that is needed is the placement of nutrients into the water tank. …

“GROW FRESH ORGANIC FOOD ANYWHERE

“The fish in the self-cleaning aquarium in the bottom chamber of the Aqualibrium Garden provide the nutrients that feed the plants in the self-watering grow space in the upper chamber.  This cycle… like nature herself… is automatic …