New and updated Aquaponic system.

[Vodin]

This was my first attempt at an indoor system.
http://i1279.photobucket.com/albums/y534/Vodin136/001_zps44537bb6.jpg (http://s1279.photobucket.com/user/Vodin136/media/001_zps44537bb6.jpg.html)

It grew me out of my office.

I moved to the basement and started there mid Oct.
http://i1279.photobucket.com/albums/y534/Vodin136/3BAPGB091213a_zps9117d0be.jpg (http://s1279.photobucket.com/user/Vodin136/media/3BAPGB091213a_zps9117d0be.jpg.html)

Now it is just starting to kick into gear.
http://i1279.photobucket.com/albums/y534/Vodin136/IMG_0915_zpse22fe818.jpg (http://s1279.photobucket.com/user/Vodin136/media/IMG_0915_zpse22fe818.jpg.html)

http://i1279.photobucket.com/albums/y534/Vodin136/IMG_0906_zpsd5887949.jpg (http://s1279.photobucket.com/user/Vodin136/media/IMG_0906_zpsd5887949.jpg.html)

Granted it is not like Helo's but it is working well in a pinch. Hopefully this year the back yard setup will be finished.

[helomech]

Looking good buddy. It may be years before my big system is up and running.

[Metrocruiser]

Hey nice job there. Whatcha running for lights? Cfl only? ive been wanting to try these indoor led grow lights.

[Vodin]

Yes the CFL lights are a minimum of 300 watts out put after the conversion. And they are a certain Kelvin rating. I dont have the numbers in front of me but one rating is for stalk/stem growth and the other is for flowers and fruiting. I run the lights 12 hours a day all year. That comes out to about a total of $75 a year just for the lights. Then you need to add Heater, Water Pump(s) and Air pump so you will need to calculate it. And again I dont have the numbers in front of my face but it will pay for itself with canning the fruits/herbs produced.

I am looking into the newly released LED lights and am researching those. They will reduce the cost but 2/3 if I am correct.

[Metrocruiser]

Yes, lower the cost by using the colors of the spectrum the plants prefer for veg and flowering. Thereby creating less heat output compared to a full spectrum light. I cant wait to start up a garden.

Would love to see more pics of yours.

[Vodin]

Soon to be a meal.

http://i1279.photobucket.com/albums/y534/Vodin136/IMG_0962_zps9c4b5cfb.jpg (http://s1279.photobucket.com/user/Vodin136/media/IMG_0962_zps9c4b5cfb.jpg.html)

http://i1279.photobucket.com/albums/y534/Vodin136/IMG_0965_zpsa9dee8cf.jpg (http://s1279.photobucket.com/user/Vodin136/media/IMG_0965_zpsa9dee8cf.jpg.html)

And this is about a mile away from my house.

http://i1279.photobucket.com/albums/y534/Vodin136/IMG_0952_zpse288ad59.jpg (http://s1279.photobucket.com/user/Vodin136/media/IMG_0952_zpse288ad59.jpg.html)

They were crossing the road as I was driving home.

[Metrocruiser]

What are your outdoor temps during summer and winter?

[Vodin]

What are your outdoor temps during summer and winter?


The temps vary like any location in the US. What Colorado has better than any other state is sunshine. Of all the states I have read we get the most in sun and sunny days.

Right now it's sunny and 43F.

Coldest this year was with windchill around -25F hottest was ~99F.

It is the fact we have one of the shortest growing seasons. Frost hits a few weeks before Halloween. And it still snows till April.

[Metrocruiser]

How will.you keep the outdoor fish tank warm?

[Vodin]

I have 2 ponds. 1 is running the other I am rebuilding. It will be 12'x10'x5' for the water and then an additional 2' perimeter will be grow bed for outdoor aquaponics. The fish in the 1700 gallon pond will be channel catfish. No heat needed they will be just like the wild catfish. I just need to create the appropriate environment current, oxygenated water and etc.


http://i1279.photobucket.com/albums/y534/Vodin136/IPSS041313003_zps2913b255.jpg (http://s1279.photobucket.com/user/Vodin136/media/IPSS041313003_zps2913b255.jpg.html)

It has been accented more since this pic. I will be building a pond frame to contain the water this year.

[helomech]

I have 2 ponds. 1 is running the other I am rebuilding. It will be 12'x10'x5' for the water and then an additional 2' perimeter will be grow bed for outdoor aquaponics. The fish in the 1700 gallon pond will be channel catfish. No heat needed they will be just like the wild catfish. I just need to create the appropriate environment current, oxygenated water and etc.


http://i1279.photobucket.com/albums/y534/Vodin136/IPSS041313003_zps2913b255.jpg (http://s1279.photobucket.com/user/Vodin136/media/IPSS041313003_zps2913b255.jpg.html)

It has been accented more since this pic. I will be building a pond frame to contain the water this year.

Don't forget the bacteria growth stops somewhere below 55 I think. So even if the fish stay alive, there will be no bacteria moving to break down the nutrients.

[Vodin]

The pond that I am rebuilding had 40 gold fish, 5 Koi, 2 Slider Turtles and a bunch of crawdads. It ran like that for 9 years until a raccoon jumped over the fence. When the water gets to 55F stop feeding the pond, all goes into a type of hibernation. I remove the water pump tubing and keep it running so a part of the surface is not frozen. This allows the air to interact with the water so the fish have oxygen in the water.

It is currently warming up to warm 48.6F so there is not much ice on the small pond.

You can see the pump in the top left corner. It will keep the water from freezing most of the winter.

http://i1279.photobucket.com/albums/y534/Vodin136/IMG_1039_zps08f3deda.jpg (http://s1279.photobucket.com/user/Vodin136/media/IMG_1039_zps08f3deda.jpg.html)