3 acres = fish and produce all year round

It’s fascinating what they have set up – definitely a different approach.

I do like this video better:
http://youtu.be/Ymlsxj8aNFw
because it shows how a aquaponic system is part of a larger question of how it fits into a different way of thinking and a different way of life, one that would have Keynesian economists spinning out of control trying to ‘revive’ the economy.

-- Disobedience is the true foundation of liberty. The obedient must be slaves. - Thoreau

Both videos are very thought producing. Oh, how I wish I had more land.

-- jroot ....... Southern Ontario .......... grow zone 5A ...................."Gardening is an exercise in optimism." ....... . . Author Unknown

makes me want to re-do my pond :D

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)

and so I ponder …

I have to re-do my “river” this year (I have an upper pond for filtration which is connected to the lower fish pond by a little “river” (a shallow trickle of water).

But… why can’t I (other than not really knowing how) change the river to be a hydroponic set-up with gravel?

The 3rd and 4th photos of my pond project show the current river set-up. I am thinking that if I make it deeper and wider, and fill it with small gravel, I could plant lettuce etc in the river.

A bonus of this idea would be that I wouldn’t need the fencing. My grandson will be walking by the time summer arrives and I have been buying fencing to prevent him from getting near the water. If the riverbed was filled with gravel and plants this wouldn’t be a concern.

What are your thoughts? Concerns? Red flags? etc.

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)

You should be able to do it. The main trick is to get the water balanced and keep it circulating.
I used to have pond lettuce growing like weeds in my fish tanks. Fun stuff.

I re-did the pond and I got rid of the riverbed – but I did leave space in the upper pond to put some edibles.

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)

Fascinating! His ability to acquire 3 acres was a Godsend. The more space, the easier it is to maintain. I have several planted aquariums (a favorite hobby) and just tore down a 40 gallon and two 55 gallons. I sold the 40, but I’m setting up a 125 gallon in it’s place. The two 55s will be set up in another room, and I also have two 30 gallons set up now. Two 10 gallon quarantine tanks for new fish, too. The whole concept behind low tech planted aquariums is to create a self-sustaining environment. The key to planted tanks is to get a balance between oxygen, carbon, light, and fertilizer, and beneficial bacteria. The ferts are provided by the fish, which produce ammonia through their waste. The ammonia is converted to nitrites by colonies of beneficial bacteria, but these bacteria colonies take time to establish in large enough quantities (you can’t see them, but they grow on any surface – rocks, plant leaves, the tank’s walls, in the filter mediums, etc.). Once you have colonies of beneficial bacteria that are large enough to consume the fish population’s waste, the fish ammonia becomes nitrites. Then a whole new type of beneficial bacteria colonizes to feed on the nitrites, converting them to nitrates. It’s the nitrates the plants feed off of. Then the healthy plants, consuming the nitrates, produce oxygen & Co2. Then you have a complete cycle. The plants like the Co2, the fish like the oxygen. Normally we can’t cram enough plants in an aquarium to produce enough oxygen for the fish, but by having a powerhead or some such thing angled to gently ripple the water surface, more oxygen is introduced to the tank. Too much surface agitation disperses the Co2 though, if you don’t have a ton of plants producing more. It’s a delicate balancing act in a small space. He has tons of plants so ample Co2, and the way his water cycles brings in plenty of O2. It looks great! He has so much space/room, that he can plant heavily. Typical old-style fish farms that don’t have the variety of plants and strong water flow often get diseased. Columnaris is a common, highly contagious and often fatal disease in fish hatcheries. He seems to have found a way to avoid that, avoiding the high doses of antibiotics used in commercial fish farming. Kudos! I’d love to see a whole new kind of community food bank grown like this and maintained by the community. If only people would get together and do something… (sorry for the long, boring ramble! lol)

-- ~ Cindy, Virginia Appalachians, UDSA Hardiness Zone 6 ~

good info

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)