Why and what I’m doing.

I’m building an aquaponics system as a hobby. I am very open to constructive feedback and suggestions on everything I’m doing. The purpose is to learn more about biodiversity, nutrition (soil and human), as well as sustainability. The project will be separated out into phases and is an adaptation of Japan Aquaponics’ Indoor System. A running list of the materials can be found here.

Phase 1 for the project is to build a functioning hydroponic system. Hydroponics means growing plants without soil whereas an aquaponics system uses the waste from an aquaculture system, which is supplied as nutrients to the plants hydroponically.

The hydroponic system’s structure will be comprised of 4 tiers: the light, the grow area, the grow bed, and the sump tank. The two laundry hamper frames will be stacked on top of one another. The light will hang on wire pulleys from the crossbars of the top hamper, starting low during the plants’ infancy and rising with the plants. The grow area will fall beneath that, followed by the grow bed, and the sump. The grow bed and sump tank will be made with the two storage containers. The difference between the two will be that the grow bed will house the 6 pots in 2 rows of three.

Water will be pumped up into the pots and then divided into 6 drip lines using the drip manifold, which will rise above the pots and into the grow area. Water will flow out of the pots and collect in the grow bed. Water will finally leave the grow bed through a bell siphon, flowing into the sump tank below.

During this phase nutrients will be supplied by a nutrient concentrate, Dyna-Gro 7-9-5, which is a blend that promotes general growth (verses fruiting/flowering or a specific breed of plant), and the pH will be controlled using General Hydroponics’ pH UP and pH DOWN products. Balancing the concentration of these three additives will happen in the sump.

Once I have a balanced, functioning hydroponic system with happy plants, I can add in additional layers of complexity to the system, such as an aquarium for the fish (phase 2), bacteria (phase 3), and other symbiotic organisms like aquarium plants, algae, snails, shellfish, etc. (phase 4). Once I begin these phases, I will update this page with more information. If you’re interested in updates, please refer to the blog on the home page.