Plant only filtration (why not popular in the hobby???)
- Thread starter JK47
- Start date
My fish room is my computer room/business office. Not a ounce of smell..
So I think the way I am gonna be headed is 6 mini cfl's. Minis appear to have 100more lumen per bulb than the regular size. Id like to find a 6' single strip shop light, but it seems I cant find any on home depot or lowes websites. Do they make such thing? I want to compare wattage and lumens between the 2.
So I think the way I am gonna be headed is 6 mini cfl's. Minis appear to have 100more lumen per bulb than the regular size. Id like to find a 6' single strip shop light, but it seems I cant find any on home depot or lowes websites. Do they make such thing? I want to compare wattage and lumens between the 2.
I am currently working on setting up a finished Aquaponics hood for my tank. I have a prototype that I made a few videos for that you all may find useful. I'm planning on posting a how to in the diy sections later.
Vid 1
[video=youtube;MlfdhXE9FSU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlfdhXE9FSU[/video]
Vid 2
[video=youtube;wNs1FE0QwZE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNs1FE0QwZE[/video]
Tell me what you think.. I'll gladly answer questions as well.
Vid 1
[video=youtube;MlfdhXE9FSU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlfdhXE9FSU[/video]
Vid 2
[video=youtube;wNs1FE0QwZE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNs1FE0QwZE[/video]
Tell me what you think.. I'll gladly answer questions as well.
Don't know if this has been mentioned here but..
You guys might want to check out bog filters.
It's what a lot of pond people do, the owner of the local pond supply store told me about it and does it with his pond.
It's basically pumping the water over a gravel bed filled with rooted and floating plants, then it pours back into the pond like a water fall.
You guys might want to check out bog filters.
It's what a lot of pond people do, the owner of the local pond supply store told me about it and does it with his pond.
It's basically pumping the water over a gravel bed filled with rooted and floating plants, then it pours back into the pond like a water fall.
Thats exactly what mine is. I don't have the bed filled with media or plants atm since it was only a prototype but the water fills the "bog" then gets drained via the ebb and flow drain pipe. The water thats returned to the tank gets the benefit of bio filtration and filtration from the plants, the plants grow from the waste. You can even add worms to the mix and they greatly help the plants and even the fish... not to mention free food for the fish as well.
Yeah, I would like to try it out on a tank eventually.
Put a bunch of duck weed, and other easy plants in the "bog" with lava rock.
Put a bunch of duck weed, and other easy plants in the "bog" with lava rock.
Thats basically what iv had since I started doing this. Canister pumps water into one end, and it dumps back into the tank at the other. Filled with lava rock. I just dont have floating plants.
River mud is that ur max water flow? Looks kinda low. Unless duckweed is your goal. Iv read 250-500gph is ideal for plants, to fast and the plants health will suffer. I could be wrong so who knows.
Im in the middle of making a better container, will be 3 parts (easier to move when I move again haha) So the big box will be the highest, the long middle will be in the middle, and where it dumps back into the tank will be sitting almost on top of the tank. I am even toying with the middle box having a viewing window so I can somehow see the roots. Gonna use some neoprene rubber paint to seal it. Maybe by january it will be done
The idea and concept are slightly different for each of our beds/filters.Thats basically what iv had since I started doing this. Canister pumps water into one end, and it dumps back into the tank at the other. Filled with lava rock. I just dont have floating plants.
River mud is that ur max water flow? Looks kinda low. Unless duckweed is your goal. Iv read 250-500gph is ideal for plants, to fast and the plants health will suffer. I could be wrong so who knows.
Im in the middle of making a better container, will be 3 parts (easier to move when I move again haha) So the big box will be the highest, the long middle will be in the middle, and where it dumps back into the tank will be sitting almost on top of the tank. I am even toying with the middle box having a viewing window so I can somehow see the roots. Gonna use some neoprene rubber paint to seal it. Maybe by january it will be done
Mine is what you would call a flood and drain system.
The idea is flood your grow medium (in this case filter medium) with nutrient rich fuel (poo filled fish water). In a natural pond, fish consume food and excrete waste. Bacteria convert the toxic ammonia in fish waste into nitrate; a nutrient for plants. This is what we put to work for us using this system. By flooding and draining we give the maximum benefit to both our fish and our plants by providing an oxygen rich environment for the plants roots as well as for the beneficial bacteria that help break down ammonia.
Beneficial bacteria in the gravel and on the roots have a key role by recycling the wasted nutrients into food absorbed by the plants, while cleansing and purifying the water. Wthout these microorganisms the whole system would stop functioning. Uneaten food is also recycled back into the system. Earthworms metabolize the fish waste solids and food waste while also providing benefits such as growth hormones which the plants use as well basic food for the plants. All of this in combination provide for a very healthy ecosystem for the plants, fish, and worms.
So, I don't need to have the large flow to achieve results even with heavily stocked tanks. They use this exact method for backyard tilapia aquaponics and very heavily stock tanks and they thrive. My entire hood will be a grow bed. I currently run somewhere around 80gph which is plenty.
Did you watch both videos? This will be supporting plants such as lettuce, carrots, and even tomatoes. I will not be growing any of your standard aquarium plants.
