Aquaponics Newbie

[AquaponicsGuy]

Hello everyone,
I live on the North side of Atlanta, GA, and we're setting up an aquaponics system. We've got a greenhoused 500ish gal tilapia "pond" with a swirl filter for large particle settling which flows into a breeder tank then into a filter tank. We're in the last stages of planning for our grow beds which we will have up and running this spring. We're planning to pump water from the pond up to a 12' x 3' grow bed filled with hydroton clay growth media which will drain into an identical grow bed using an ebb and flow system. This will drain into a sump whose main goal is to minimize water level disturbance in the tilapia pond, and then the water goes right back to the pond. If all goes well, we'll be eating fish and fresh veggies like mad and selling/giving away the excess.
I've just joined here to ask questions and get advice from pond experts. Right now, I'm hoping to find a source of duckweed nearby b/c Tilapia really like eating the stuff. I'm looking forward to the interesting conversations we're all sure to have.
Thanks!

 

[sissy]

I saw something like it on a show on tv but I think it was in NC and they had a pond in the middle and pumped water from the pond to all there plants setting on tables and then it went back to the pond .They used the fish waste as fertilizer and in turn the fish got clean filtered water

 

[AquaponicsGuy]

Yup, that's exactly the idea. We're basically pumping water from our pond to a long table which flows into another table and back to the pond. The water gets filtered, the plants get tons of nutrients, and the fish are happy.

 

[sissy]

I think the show was garden smart .They had long metal tables and they had the pond in the middle .They were growing veggies .It was about 2 years ago I saw it and there are several video's on you tube of similar systems .

 

[Event Horizon]

Interesting, take lots of pictures! Would love to see them.

 

[sissy]

If you google aquaponic fish farm there is lots of info on the net .It talks alot about aeration to the plants to be just as important as the water with the fish waste

 

[sissy]

The aquaponic source even has a blog on farming that way you can shop there and they even have a face book sight .I just google aquaponic fish farms and theaquaponicsource.com was the first one I clicked on and plenty of info and dicussion groups on it there

 

[j.w]

AquaponicsGuy
Good luck on your venture and hope you can find lots of duckweed. It grows well here in containers w/ a nice thick layer of composted material on the bottom.

 

[AquaponicsGuy]

Thanks a lot for the website recommendations, sissy. I'll definitely take a look. That site looks pretty great. I don't know why I didn't think of that.

Goldies, that's good to know. Just throw some compost in there if it's not looking quite green enough. Thanks!