Greenhouse aquaponics

[mort]

Hi, Just after people thoughts on this really. The plan is for next year to tie an aquaponic bed in my greenhouse to the outside pond but I'd like to experiment a little first with a simple in greenhouse tub pond version first. I haven't bought anything yet but seen a tub that's about 140l full which I think is a fair trial size but wondering if people think this is going to be stable enough to keep the fish happy? If you do what fish would you add in there? Would prefer something I could overwinter in the unheated greenhouse really but that means they'd have to put up with a massive swing.

TIA

 

[tam]

Have you seen Rachel O'Leary's youtube series on it? https://www.youtube.com/user/msjinkzd/playlists?view=50&sort=dd&shelf_id=2 she's got greenhouse tubs although doesn't overwinter outside. I would say the more difficult issue is keeping the temperature down in summer. You might be better starting outside and then moving inside as it gets cooler.

Cherry shrimp could be an option - I accidentally kept one outside in a bucket (filled with tank water must have gone as a teeny shrimplet) all last summer and brought it in last autumn. I deliberately put some out in a 40L tub about 6 weeks ago and they seem to be still about - that's outside rather than undercover.

For fish, I'd say white clouds would be the one's I'd try first.

 

[mort]

Thanks. I know of her videos but haven't watched them.

I have a water butt in there thats slightly smaller in volume and have measured the temp and it never got above 25c in the hot spell we just had, so with added shading for more prolonged periods I think it should be ok. I had considered smaller fish but not sure they would pump out enough poo to get things growing well. At the present time I'm thinking a couple of black moors might be an idea as I've seen them and other fancy goldies in very hot water ponds throughout the Mediterranean and I know I won't end up with 10,000 at the end of the summer. If worst comes to the worst I can bring them inside as the weather cools. I'm not ruling out smaller fish as they could be the best option and have wanted to try ricefish for years which I know will survive in ponds with an ice covering.

 

[zozo]

As long as it is frost free the fish will not have any trouble. If it can freeze solid obviously they will be in trouble. Gold fish is a carp and carp in general are absolute survivors for extremes, they do not mind periodicaly high temperatures. I only notice them getting more active in the lates 39 °C heatwave and thats it. Tho i didn't measure the water temp but i guess it was around 29°C at least.


For the rest aqauponic works a treat.. There are several ways to do it. To do it all at same level than an vacuum overflow system is the easiest way to go. Than you do not need to give in on space with different building levels. As in many other designs is the case, the plant container above the water tub. That would need quite a sturdy constructio to hold the weight.





It's from Mission Bathtub 2018 🙂

If a few fish can feed the plants is highly depended on what plants you tend to grow.. Fast growing fert hogs can be problematic without adding extra ferts.