Aquaponics

Growing Fish and Plants Together

Tawnya Sawyer
tawnya@coloradoaquaponics.com
The integration of:
Aquaculture Farming
aquatic species in a
controlled environment
Hydroponics Growing
plants in soil-less media
Aquaponics is an integrated and balanced system
using the by-product of one species to grow another,
mimicking a natural ecosystem
How Aquaponics Works
1. Fish are raised in a tank
2. Water from the fish tank is
pumped to the plants
3. Bacteria convert ammonia and
nitrite to nitrate
4. Plants absorb the warm, nutrient
rich, oxygenated water
5. Filtered water is returned to the
fish tank, clean

Fish are Happy! Plants are Happy!

We get more to eat!
Looking to the Past for the Future
Sixth century China used duck pens over fish ponds connected
to rice paddies and fields of vegetables
Peruvian Inca created tiered fish and plant systems that feed
more people than an other method of farming including
present day methods
Between 8th and 10th century
Xochimilco (meaning garden
of flowers) in the Valley of
Mexico created canals and
floating gardens called
Chinampa that feed tens of
thousands of people
Benefits of Aquaponics
No petro-chemical fertilizer, pesticides or herbicides
Significantly reduced food transportation
Uses a fraction of the water, about 10% of soil growing and aqauculture
No soil-borne diseases (E-coli, Salmonella), no tilling, no weeds
Reduced concerns of fish contamination or species depletion
Grow two food products together, protein and produce
Greater crop yields, faster production, vertical planting methods
No waste byproducts, all waste is naturally reused
Food security, grow your own food, indoors, year-round
Works in draught, places with poor soil quality or challenging climates
Enhances the local economy and provides green job opportunities
The Fish
Aquarium Fish
Tilapia
Perch
Trout
Catfish
Bass
Bluegill
Carp
Koi
Goldfish
Freshwater Prawns

Photos from aquaponicscommunity.com

The Plants
Lettuces Peas & Beans
Squash Cooking Greens
Zucchini Most Herbs
Peppers Tomatoes
Cucumbers Melons
Strawberries Other plants
Important Considerations
Reasons for building the system, who will benefit?
Is the system for you or for others to use?
Is it for learning, food production, profit?
Is it temporary or permanent, seasonal or year-round?
Is it located indoors or outdoors?
Does the location have electricity, light, water source,
ventilation, is it protected from the elements, free
from pests, possibilities for pollination?
How will the system be monitored?
Aquaponics Basic Components
Fish Tank
Place to Grow Plants
Water Pump and
irrigation tubing
Air Pump, tubing
and air stone(s)
Water Heater
(Optional)
Grow light
(Optional)
Fish and Plants
Fish food
Water test kit
Small Fish Tanks
Aquarium
Stock Tank
Half Barrel
Rubber-
made Tub
Medium Sized Fish Tanks
Bath tubs

Plastic or Fiberglass
Stock Tanks

Build your own

IBC Containers
Intermediate Bulk
Container
275 Gallons full
175 with top cut
12 grow bed
Inexpensive
Plumbed for 2 PVC

Note: Not UV stable

Should be protected
from sun
Big Fish Tanks
Metal rings and liner
Large Stock Tanks
Fiberglass Tanks
Polytanks
Swimming pools and ponds
Covert to a food
production system
Leave open or cover with
greenhouse
Ponds are ecosystems
www.gardenpool.org
Safe Materials
Make sure all your system components are
fish and human safe
Polypropylene - labeled PP
High Density Polyethylene - labeled HDPE
High Impact ABS (Hydroponic Grow Trays)
EPDM or PVC (poly vinyl chloride) pond liner (make sure its UV
resistant and avoid fire retardant material)
Fiberglass tanks and grow beds
Rigid white PVC pipe and fittings, black flexible PVC tubing, some ABS
DO NOT use Copper Its toxic to the fish
Aquaponic System Designs
Media-Based Growbed
Growing Power System
Raft System
NFT (Nutrient Film Technique)
Towers
VertiGro and Wall Designs
Pools and Ponds
Media Growbeds
Pros
Work great for hobby aquaponics
Easy to find components, easy to build
Can be built small or expanded for larger production
You can grow lots of different plants in one system
Cons
Can build-up anaerobic zones
May need to be cleaned out occasionally (or use worms)
Test pH of media before use
Different Flood and Drain Types
Flood and Drain Fill the growbed for a period of time
and then let the water drain out (can also be called
Ebb and Flow)
Pump on a timer 15 minutes ON, 45 minutes OFF,
water needs to be distributed around the growbed
through pipes
Siphon Allows the growbed to fill to a specific depth,
siphon starts, drains growbed and repeats,
pump is always running
Check out www.aquaponicscommunity.com for a
wide variety of siphon plans and discussion
Grow Bed Depth ideal 12
Zone 1 - Surface or dry zone
The first 2 (50mm) is the light penetration
and dry zone
Zone 2 - Root zone 6 to 8
The water drains away completely,
allowing for efficient delivery of oxygen
rich air to the roots
Zone 3 - Solids collection
and Mineralization Zone
The bottom 2 of the grow bed. In this
zone fish waste solids and worm castings
are collected Image and copy credit: Murray Hallam
Practical Aquaponics
www.aquaponics.net.au
 Aquarium Systems

www.earthsolutions.com Farm in a Box

Built for in house food production

Put your fish to work
Year round salad greens and herbs
20 goldfish in a 20 gallon tank
Needs very little space
Great for school systems
IBC Systems
Repurpose materials
Be cautious about what was in
them before you received them

practicalaquaponics.com CHOP2
Barrel-Ponics Examples

Invented by Travis Hughey of

Faith and Sustainable Technologies (FAST)
Uses readily available, cheap 55 gallon barrels
Built around the world to bring food to
people in need www.fastonline.org
Colorado Aquaponics at Growhaus
Community Center in Food Desert

Farmers in training and seed to seed

program help community and youth

www.thegrowhaus.com
Growing Power Model
Non-profit based in Milwaukee, WI
Founded and run by Will Allen
Won the MacArther Genius Grant
Uses multiple tiers over trough fish tanks
Water acts as Thermal Mass
Raft Method
Pros
Great for commercial setups
Very high yield of both fish and plant crops
Small system 100 lbs of fish, 925 heads of lettuce
Big system 7,500 lbs of fish, 194,400 heads of lettuce
Typically installed inside a greenhouse
(although in tropical locations they are outside)

Cons
Requires more extensive filtration methods
Usually grows a specific crop like lettuce or basil
Small-Scale Raft Systems
Chicago High School for Agriculture
Science (CHAS)

Personal-sized raft systems

Raft Method
Method researched and developed
at University of Virgin Islands
www.uvi.edu
Research and commercialized by
Nelson and Pade, Montello, WI
www.aquaponics.com
Flourish Farms
UVI style raft system in old greenhouse
Grew lots of great food
Hybrid
Commercial
System at the
GrowHaus
 Filtered water trickles through tubes, troughs or runs along root zone
Commonly found in hydroponics
 Vertical Wall System

Ecolicious.com.au Farm Philly Greensgrow Project

Zip Grow Towers
Built by Nate Storey
www.brightagrotech.com
 Vertigro System

Strawberry orchard
in Florida

Adapted for either

hydroponic or
aquaponic use
www.vertigro.com
Fodder/Forage Solutions

Farmtek Growersupply.com www.foddersolutions.org

Wicking Beds
Bottom half gravel with fill pipe
Top half soil media, wicks up moisture
Dead end system water added, not recirculated
Primarily used for root crops in aquaponics
Aquaponics Fundamentals
System startup and cycling
Keeping your fish healthy
Being a bacteria farmer
Managing pH
Water testing and safe levels
Plants to grow and not to grow
The future of food production
Starting the Nitrification Process
Fish cycle
Run the fish tank with chlorine and chloramine-free water
for a few days to ensure all components work properly
Add fish at 20% of stocking density
Aquarium stocking density is commonly 1 per gallon)
Food fish is about 1lb grow out weight to 5 gallons of water
Keep fish food to a minimum for the first 10 days
Monitor water quality and fish behavior
Add 20% more fish every 4-6 weeks for best outcome
Starting the Nitrification Process
Fishless cycle
Use pure ammonia with no additives
Use worm tea made from worm castings
Use pond or stream water (with caution)
Use the filter pad or water from other aquarium
Use feeder goldfish (they may bring disease)
Use humonus (urine) Its natural and sterile
Keeping Fish Healthy
pH Most fish like pH between 6-8
Ammonia and nitrites are very toxic to fish
Nitrates are fairly safe for fish (and great for plants)
Fish need oxygen (they can die in 30 min. without it)
Battery based aerators are available for power outages
Drastic temp changes cause health issues and death
Sensitive to light (avoid direct light)
Feed 2-3 times per day
The Bacteria
50% of fish waste is in the form of ammonia released
through urine, fecal matter and gills
Bacteria consume fish waste, decaying plant matter and
uneaten food
Bacteria nitrosomonas converts Ammonia (NH3 or NH4+)
to Nitrite (NO2-) Both are toxic to fish
Bacteria nitrobacter/nitrosipra converts Nitrite (NO2-) to
Nitrate (NO3-) Nitrate is primary source of plant nutrition
Nitrogen is the good stuff it is relatively safe for fish and
great for growing plants
Bacteria (Nitrification) Cycle
Rising Ammonia for 10 days
Then Nitrite levels
rise and Ammonia
levels fall
Another 10 days,
Nitrate levels rise,
Nitrite levels fall
Total 20-30 days to
stabilize
Bacteria Maintenance
Bacteria will start growing on their own, but
systems can be inoculated with bacteria for
faster startup and cycling
Proper pH 7 8
Best temperature 72 - 75* (ideal 77*)
No pesticides, algaecides, chlorine,
chlorimine, cleaning agents or chemicals
Started with a fishless or fish cycling
pH Information
pH is a measure of the amount hydrogen ions in your water and
the acidic or basic characteristics
Ideal pH is 7.0. Above 7 and plants may not absorb all nutrients
properly. Below 7 and nitrification can slow. Fish are happiest
between 6 and 8.
Mature aquaponics systems will have naturally declining pH and
must be buffered using new water additions and calcium or
potassium (being careful not to adjust pH too dramatically)
The water capacity to buffer will prevent drastic pH swings.
Otherwise you can try to increase or decrease pH only to have it
return very quickly to its original state.
Adjusting pH
Test your water both out of the tap (low) and after out gassing
(higher). Test the pH of the gravel media you want to use
To help buffer pH use shell grit which will dissolve slowly. Place a
bag of shell grit (chicken scratch) at the water inlet or in the
growbed. Remove or replace as necessary to maintain a buffer.
pH Up
Hydrated lime or limestone chips (calcium hydroxide)
Calcium carbonate, potassium bi-carbonate
No sodium bi-carbonate (baking soda). Plants cannot tolerate salts
pH Down
Nitric or phosphoric acid
Water Testing
Safe levels
pH 6 to 8 ideally between 6.6 and 7.0
Ammonia < 1.0 ppm
Should stay less than .50 ppm in mature system
If ammonia is high, stop feeding, look for dead fish
Nitrite < 1.0 ppm
Should stay less the .50 ppm in mature system
May be caused by too cold or too hot temperatures
Nitrate Relatively safe at high levels and is primary
source of nutrition for plants
Greens
Leaf Lettuces
Chards
Kales
Mustard
Collards
Bok/Pok Choi
Tatsoi
Cabbage
Arugula
Head Lettuce
Herbs
Basil
Mint
Thyme
Cilantro
Sage
Watercress
Oregano
Parsley
Sorel
Rosemary
Stevia
Flowering/Fruiting
Vegetables
Tomatoes
Peas
Beans
Squash
Zucchini
Broccoli
Peppers
Eggplant
Cucumber
Root Vegetables
Grow in pots or wicking beds
Water from bottom, dont soak
Using coir/potting soil mix
Carrots
Turnips
Radishes
Onion
Potatoes
Parsnips
Beets
Courtesy of Murry Hallam Practical Aquaponics
Grasses, Shoots and Microgreens
Highly nutrient dense, use for juicing, garnish, etc.
Quick growth rates, less than 2 weeks
Keep moist, dont overwater
Direct seed or use matting
Wheatgrass Corn
Barleygrass Beets
Alfalfa Herbs
Kamut Mustard
Oatgrass Pea shoots
Sunflower
Stuff You Cant Grow (Well)
Corn (to maturity)
Grains (to maturity)
Blueberries
Raspberries
Tree fruits
Tree nuts
Peanuts
Getting Plants into the System
Start seedlings from seed
Take cuttings from mother
plants (cloning)
Buy plants (remove soil)
Plant Pests
Pest Remedies
Always ensure it is fish and bacteria safe first
Worm tea
Vinegar and water
Olive oil, peppermint oil
Dr. Brommers Castille soap
Neem oil
Botaniguard
Sucrasheild
Hydrated Lime (slugs)
Lighting Considerations
Plants need different light spectrums during lifecycle
Light is measured in various (confusing) ways
foot candles, photons, par watts, kelvin temperature,
correlated color temperature, color rendering index
Position light appropriate to what you are growing
Challenges growing mixed crops in single bed system
Photoperiod is important to proper plant growth
Heat, ventilation and energy consumption
Greenhouse vs indoor growing trade offs
Seasonal vs controlled lighting photoperiods
Lighting
Vegetative Growth
Blue spectrum
T5, Metal Halide, LEDs
Use 18/6 lighting scheme

Fruiting/Flowering
Red spectrum
T5, High Pressure
Sodium (HPS), LEDs
Use 12/12 lighting scheme
Aquaponics Energy Inputs
Water and air pumps
Water heater (depending upon fish stocked)
Building heat, ventilation and cooling systems
Supplemental or full time grow lights
Fish food
Making Aquaponics Sustainable
Solar powered pumps with battery backup
Building heat and cooling through passive solar
construction, geothermal, thermal mass, water walls
Use sun for growing plants whenever possible
Use T5 or LED growlights when supplement is needed
Plant low light, cold tolerant crops and fish in winter
Choose fish feeds with alternative protein sources
Locate aquaponics system close to the consumers
System Startup Checklist
1. Decide on type and size of system to build
2. Draw designs, research where to get parts, plan
3. Buy and assemble components
4. Start plants from seed or find source for seedlings
5. Fill system with water and circulate (at least a week)
6. Add plants to system and nutrient supplement
7. If using a fishless cycle, begin nitrification process
8. Add fish when water is safe at 20% of stocking density
9. Monitor water quality, partial water changes as needed
Media system calculations
Ideal Grow bed volume to fish tank volume ratio
typically 2:1
Can go up to 3:1 or as low as 1:1
Ideal grow bed depth is 12
How do you calculate the volume?
Determine cubic feet of the grow beds and fish tank
(Length x width x height)
Convert to Gallons by multiplying cubic feet x 7.48
1 cubic foot = 7.48 Gallons
Fish Stocking Density
.25lb fish per gallon (conservative) to .5lb per gl
(moderate)
Important to know final grow out weight of fish to
determine appropriate stocking density
Tilapia avg harvest size = 1.5lb (from UVI data)
Example:
Tank size = 300 gallon
Total fish weight = 300 x .25lb = 75 lbs
Number of fish = 75lb/1.5lb = 50 fish
Startup fish at 20% total capacity (50 x 20%) = 10 fish
Pump sizing
Pump should cycle total
volume of tank water once
each hour
If pump is on a 15 minute
timer, it should be sized to
pump total tank volume in
15 mins (4x)
Consider the both the total
GPM (gallons per minute)
AND the head height when
purchasing a pump
System Maintenance
1. Feed the fish daily, monitor fish health
2. Test water quality (every other day for the first
month, then about once a week, then as needed)
3. As needed clean out filter screens, filter tanks (if
using), tubing, water pump, growbed media, etc.
4. Check plant health, trim back, harvest or take
cuttings
5. Check plants for bugs or nutrient deficiencies
Other Handy Tips and Tricks
Always wash your gravel media before putting in the system
otherwise you will get very cloudy dirty water
Make sure pump screen prevents small fish from getting in
Use worms (red wigglers) in media beds to breakdown
solids and reduce anaerobic zones
Never use cleaning products, pesticides, algaecides,
fertilizers or like substances in fish tanks or grow beds
Maintain your pump and proper water flow by cleaning the
pump hosing and tubing at least monthly
More Handy Tips and Tricks
If you get aphides on your plants spray with diluted
vinegar and water solution
Avoid direct sunlight on fish tanks, cover the top to avoid
algae and make fish happy
Never change more than 1/3 of water at a time. More than
that will destroy the good bacteria in the system.
Cover outdoor plants during a frost, and shade from the
scorching summer sun.
Make sure you have backup power available for
pumps and aerators
Creating the future of local food
Schools
Residents
Office buildings
Retirement homes
Medical hospitals
Places of worship
Community centers
Homeless shelters
Food deserts
Restaurants
Prison and detention centers
www.verticalfarms.com
 So what will you
do with Aquaponics?

And what will

Aquaponics do with you?
You never change things by
fighting the existing reality.

To change things
build a model that makes
the existing model obsolete.

Buckminster Fuller
Create, Innovate, Educate,
Integrate, Connect, Evolve

www.coloradoaquaponics.com
Tawnya@coloradoaquaponics.com