Setting up an aquaponics farming system, while not a difficult task, requires some basic knowledge of aquaponics. If you have decided to install such a system in your house, “Aquaponics 4 You” will give you a lot of this basic background information. However, you may still have several questions in mind or have missed some key points. So before starting to go ‘full hog’ with your new hobby, here are some essentials you need to be aware of in order to obtain the best results possible.
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Location
The place where you put your aquaponic system is highly important for plant and fish development. In order to obtain good results you should make sure that the temperature is not too high, nor too low, that there is enough light for the plants to develop properly and that no wind or extreme weather will reach them. (Folks living in cooler climates usually end up placing their aquaponic system in a green house for best protection of plants and fish).
Also, make sure that no dangerous chemical substances can get to the water of your aquaponic system as that means death for both your fish and your plants.
Oxygenating the water
The happier your fish are, the better your system will work! This is why you need to oxygenate the water on a daily basis and make sure your fish have all the “comfort” they need.
Choosing your fish accordingly
Aquaponic systems work well with almost all types of fish. Yet, there are states in which you are not allowed to grow particular types of fish. You will want to see what types of fish you are allowed to have before starting your aquaponic farm as you do not want any problems with the law.
Placing the pots
In order to make harvesting much easier, you should place the grow bed so that the pots are at waist level. This way you will not have to bend over, while performing daily maintenance tasks.
Adding Supplements
There are cases, that are quite common with any method of aquaponic gardening, in which your fish may not provide all the nutrients needed for your plants. And if those quantities are lower than what the plants need, then you will have to supply them with the proper nutrients. In most cases you will need to add iron, calcium carbonate or potassium carbonate.
Planting Seeds
Planting the seeds for your aquaponic garden is much easier than putting them in the ground. You just have to put them in a netting pot and then you wait for them to start sprouting. But there is a little aspect you must know of before starting your seeds. That is – the ideal moment when the seeds should be planted.
Many people purchase their fish, place them in their tank and at the same time they plant their seeds in the pots. This approach is the worst way of starting your aquaponic farm. The seeds; even though they will grow and develop to a certain point; will die in a matter of days after they consume their own nutrients. This is because to start, there are no nutrients in the water for your plants to consume. These nutrients take time to produce.
The best time to plant your seeds is when the fish excrement has turned into nutrients. Try the following process. It will help you obtain nutrients for your plants and is quite simple to do:
After you place the fish in the tanks, they will start depositing excrement into the water. Because the excrement contains ammonia, it is highly toxic for the fish. However, it’s not a big problem just yet as the ammonia will be removed by nature itself, with time. There are bacteria which transform the ammonia into nitrites and then into nitrates. In order for your plants to grow you need nitrates, so once the natural process of decomposing and transforming ammonia is over, the water will be ready to support your plant seeds.
Unless kick started, this natural process can take up to 3 months, time in which you should not place any seeds in your pots as they will die off in a few days. Kick starting is a way to speed up the decomposing process by adding the bacteria that create nitrates in the water before the fish excrement can transform. However, many people do not like to interfere in nature’s way. No matter which way you choose to go, it is recommended to monitor the amount of ammonia, nitrites and nitrates in the water so that you know if the quality of your water is suitable for both your fish and your vegetables.
Please consider the tips mentioned above. They will help you to increase your success in your efforts to grow organic food with an aquaponics system.
?This is a review site. Click here to visit the official “Aquaponics 4 You” website