Aquaponics Digest - Sat 12/25/99
Message 1: Re: speraneo system
from Raul Vergueiro Martins
Message 2: Re: speraneo system
from Raul Vergueiro Martins
Message 3: Expanded clay
from Raul Vergueiro Martins
Message 4: Aeration
from Raul Vergueiro Martins
Message 5: Re: Expanded clay
from Vik Olliver
Message 6: Re: Expanded clay
from Raul Vergueiro Martins
Message 7: Re: speraneo system (biodigester)
from "KevinLReed"
Message 8: Re: Expanded clay
from Vik Olliver
Message 9: Re: Expanded clay
from Bagelhole1
Message 10: Re: about feeding catfish
from Jim Sealy Jr
Message 11: Irrigation grid, was Re: Aeration
from S & S Aqua Farm
Message 12: (no subject)
from James Butaud
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| Message 1 |
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Subject: Re: speraneo system
From: Raul Vergueiro Martins
Date: Sat, 25 Dec 1999 13:44:19 +1300
Jacky Foo wrote:
> To Raul Vergueiro Martins
>
> Raul Vergueiro Martins
> >Have you considered the high potential of anaerobic bio-digestors?
> >You can get methane, and this means heat.
> >Besides this, you have a high grade nutrient solution, and a nutrient slurry to
> >use in soils.
>
> I responded
> >this could be an option for an aquaponics greenhouse system. An example of
> >such a system is at Stensund (Sweden) where an anaerobic filter is used.
>
> RalphMcl wrote:
> >Would only like to say, why continue to look a gift horse in the mouth? The
> >system has been proven to work and why not accept it at face value and grow
> >instead of picking everything apart.
>
> I dont understand what you meant by "to look a gift horse in the mouth"
>
> when you wrote:
> >The system has been proven to work.....
>
> do you mean an aquaponics greenhouse system with bio-digestors and the use of methane for
heating ?
>
> I woudl appreciate more information on this.
>
> regards
> jacky
Hello Jakie Foo:
Excuse my retard in answering you. Things that happen in Christmas time;
Anaerobic biodigestors, as you probably know, can proporcionate us with a rich nutrient
solution, and a
rich nutrient slurry, and these two shoul be separeted before use.
The nutrient solution is ready to be used in a hydroponic organic system. pH between 6,7 and
7,1 can
be corrected if you need.
The high density slurry, can be used as a soil nutrient, both for plants and for the
maintenance of
earthworms population.
The biogas, is a mix of gases, with the predominance of methane, about 95 to 98 % when the
digestor is
well operated.
This gas can be used for heating greenhouses, for cooking, as a combustible for motors, etc..
To be used in motors, sulphur and carbonic gas must be removed. Sulphur can corrode some
motor
parts. Eliminating CO2, we improve gas efficiency.
Some time ago, someboby in the list asked about the possibility of eliminating metals,
specially heavy
ones, in the anaerobic biodigestor.
This is impossible. What happens, is that these metals become high diluted diluted in the
digestor
solution, in concentrations needed or supported by plants.
You always need to verify the econonomical balance of your digestor, and the principal thing,
verify if
you have sufficient organic residues to feed it.
You can use practically any organic waste to feed your digestor. Not only fish wastes, as in
the case
of aquaponics.
One thing you must bear in mind: Methanogenic bacteria need acetates to survive.
So, any organic residues that you can change into acetates, can be used.
The old Chinese type of biodigestor should be avoided.
During the energy crises, we built many biodigesters here in Brazil, so we have some
experience with
them.
I must remember you, that the principal product of the biodigester, is the nutrient solution
and
slurry. The biogas, is a byproduct.
I remember, during the energy crises, that many inescrupulous people wanting to sell
biodigestors,
always showed a small tube with the gas burnig at its tip, as this gas being a solutin to
substitute
gasoline or diesel oil. At the "washing of the baskets", people who bought those digestors,
not even
had sufficient wastes to feed it. It was a disaster.
Hope this can inform you better, and don't hesitate in contactig us if yiu need more.
Best regards
Raul Vergueiro Martins
rvm@sti.com.br
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| Message 2 |
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Subject: Re: speraneo system
From: Raul Vergueiro Martins
Date: Sat, 25 Dec 1999 13:57:15 +1300
Shyloah wrote:
> Hello Raul Martins
>
> Thanks for the insights
>
> I don't believe I have figured out what aquaponics system you are associated
> with
>
> Again thanks
> Lee
Hello Lee:
Yes, I didn't figure about my system, because I'm setting it now. Hope it will
ready for operation next March.
It is being built as a pilot one, and includes a fish tank, a centrifugal waste
separator, a biofilter similar to the Speraneo's one, a biodigester, two NFT
channels, two DFT tubes, and a raft tank sistem.
It is beeing built to operate each system as separate units or in conjunction,
for research purposes.
Regards
Raul Vergueiro Martins
rvm@sti.com.br
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| Message 3 |
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Subject: Expanded clay
From: Raul Vergueiro Martins
Date: Sat, 25 Dec 1999 14:02:52 +1300
Hello everybody:
Anybody in the list had experience with expanded clay instead of pea
gravel in the Speraneo System?
Would like detailed information about that.
Best regards:
Raul Vergueiro Martins
rvm@sti.com.br
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| Message 4 |
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Subject: Aeration
From: Raul Vergueiro Martins
Date: Sat, 25 Dec 1999 14:10:01 +1300
Hello:
In Paula and Tom system, there is one only tube discharging water from
the fisk tank to one end of the biofilter/culture bench.
Coul we use that tube divided into two or more tubes runing in the
entire lengh of the bench, provided with some kind of showers or simple
holes, to evenly distribute the water along the media?
Best regards
Raul Vergueiro Martins
rvm@sti.com.br
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| Message 5 |
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Subject: Re: Expanded clay
From: Vik Olliver
Date: Sun, 26 Dec 1999 11:01:51 +1200
Raul Vergueiro Martins wrote:
> Anybody in the list had experience with expanded clay instead of pea
> gravel in the Speraneo System?
I've used it as a support medium for NFT hydroponics and small agregate
tubs - I'm happy to share my findings with you if you like. I've not
used the Speraneo System though.
Vik :v)
--
A member of The Olliver Family http://olliver.penguinpowered.com
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| Message 6 |
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Subject: Re: Expanded clay
From: Raul Vergueiro Martins
Date: Sat, 25 Dec 1999 20:15:17 +1300
Vik Olliver wrote:
> Raul Vergueiro Martins wrote:
> > Anybody in the list had experience with expanded clay instead of pea
> > gravel in the Speraneo System?
>
> I've used it as a support medium for NFT hydroponics and small agregate
> tubs - I'm happy to share my findings with you if you like. I've not
> used the Speraneo System though.
>
> Vik :v)
> --
> A member of The Olliver Family http://olliver.penguinpowered.com
Hello Vick:
Merry Christmas.
Thanks to your answer.
Would like to know your results about expanded clay in aquaponics.
Looking in hearing from you briefly,
Raul Vergueiro Martins
rvm@sti.com.br
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| Message 7 |
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Subject: Re: speraneo system (biodigester)
From: "KevinLReed"
Date: Sat, 25 Dec 1999 12:25:19 -1000
There are some plans for a very inexpensive biodigestor system ( about $10
to $50 US) and thought on how to maximize the system impact as directly
contributing to the food source of the Sperano system with out altering the
Sperano set up. This just decreases the " input " cost to increase the "
output cash margin.
Kevin
----- Original Message -----
From: "Raul Vergueiro Martins"
To:
Sent: Friday, December 24, 1999 2:57 PM
Subject: Re: speraneo system
>
>
> Shyloah wrote:
>
> > Hello Raul Martins
> >
> > Thanks for the insights
> >
> > I don't believe I have figured out what aquaponics system you are
associated
> > with
> >
> > Again thanks
> > Lee
>
> Hello Lee:
>
> Yes, I didn't figure about my system, because I'm setting it now. Hope
it will
> ready for operation next March.
> It is being built as a pilot one, and includes a fish tank, a centrifugal
waste
> separator, a biofilter similar to the Speraneo's one, a biodigester, two
NFT
> channels, two DFT tubes, and a raft tank sistem.
> It is beeing built to operate each system as separate units or in
conjunction,
> for research purposes.
>
> Regards
>
> Raul Vergueiro Martins
> rvm@sti.com.br
>
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| Message 8 |
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Subject: Re: Expanded clay
From: Vik Olliver
Date: Sun, 26 Dec 1999 11:29:07 +1200
Raul Vergueiro Martins wrote:
> Would like to know your results about expanded clay in aquaponics.
> Looking in hearing from you briefly,
OK, briefly.
I've used them in 30x35cm tubs which are 12cm deep. Nutrient solution is
trickled through a series of 2mm pipes, which end just below the
surface. A drip-tray below catches the nutrient which is then
recirculated (images of one tub are on my website in the "Launchpad"
section).
They are expensive, but do not clog up with algal growth to anything
like the extent of volcanic chip or vermiculite.
Basil grows particularly well in them.
I reuse them by baking them and blowing away the bits of root. This also
sterilizes them, and I am experimenting with a solar-powered oven to
bake them in to reduce costs.
I have used them as a "top layer" on some volcanic chip beds to cut down
algal growth, and this seems to work. However, I have not tried to
recycle them from this situation. I might just mix them in to improve
the quality of my medium.
Vik :v)
--
A member of The Olliver Family http://olliver.penguinpowered.com
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| Message 9 |
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Subject: Re: Expanded clay
From: Bagelhole1
Date: Sat, 25 Dec 1999 17:49:13 EST
In a message dated 12/25/99 4:59:35 PM, rvm@sti.com.br writes:
<>
I'm using expanded clay balls to hold the roots in my vertical (2 liter
plastic bottles) setup with 3 plants in each bottle, suspended in a series of
bottles from the top of the greenhouse over the trenches. The fish water is
pumped up into 1/2" tubing over the bottles where their are openings for the
water to go thru the bottles and back into the water. After a few months its
only working pretty good, the plants are a live but don't seem to grow much,
I get some yellowing of leaves. I may need more nutrients in the water
(eco-system). I have water hyacinthe and water peppermint, watercress,
duckweed?, freshwater clams (alive and dead), ramshead snails, and 7 - 2lb
catfish.
Tom O
http://bagelhole.org
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| Message 10 |
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Subject: Re: about feeding catfish
From: Jim Sealy Jr
Date: Sat, 25 Dec 1999 17:17:27 -0600
Tom,
The water temps have reached winter balance here and we've stopped
feeding, but the catfish are living on stored energy. When the temps
rise, we'll resume feeding. Still curious about the answers to my
questions below. Catfish are pretty hard to kill by starvation. They'll
surprise you how much weight they can lose before they finally give up
the ghost. If your water temp is above 50F they're probably pretty close
to gone now.
Your hay might be supporting enough microbial growth to support them for
a little while, but a handful of feed would go a long way. You fish
probably taste like mudcats now.
Bagelhole1 wrote:
>
> Thanks Jim and Brian for your kind suggestions. Now it is Dec. 21, the
> catfish are alive and well, subsisting on what they find in the raceway so
> far. It is a mystery to me what they are eating, but I have not been feeding
> them. Slowly, I will add more.
> Best Fishes,
> Tom O
> http://bagelhole.org
>
> In a message dated 11/28/99 2:48:36 AM, bgracia@rtripp.com writes:
>
> < >Question: I have added 7 - 2 lb catfish to my raceway, along with water
> >hyacinth, watercress, and a few other plants, a long roll of hay in mesh,
> >some clams and clamshells. Do I need to feed them something or will they
> find
> >enough in the raceway? So far they have existed about a week with no
> feeding.
> >They hide under the roll of hay. Any ideas?
> > Thanks,
> >Tom O
> >http://bagelhole.org
> >
>
> Tom,
>
> You will need to feed them. Unless your raceway sports insects, tadpols
> and other small fish/animals, the catfish will starve. I have seen catfish
> eat algea, but I doubt that your raceway is loaded with the stuff.
>
> Just want to acknowledge you efforts in making the world a better place!
>
> Brian Gracia
> __________
> Tom,
> Where did you get the catfish? Were they farm raised or wild? How large
> is your raceway? How much hay did you add? Are there any clams left or
> have the catfish eaten them already? what sort of substrate is there
> in your raceway? What sort of filter do you have now? Are these meant
> for pets or table fare?
>
> Off the cuff, if they're farm raised channel cats, I'd say feed the fish
> a good handful (~3/4 cup) of floating 30% protein catfish feed, a little
> at a time, morning and night and then increase the ration until there's
> some left after 15 minutes.
> If they're wild caught, try to get them to eat some liver and a little
> processed feed until they're used to the pellets alone.
>
> Jim Sealy
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| Message 11 |
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Subject: Irrigation grid, was Re: Aeration
From: S & S Aqua Farm
Date: Sat, 25 Dec 1999 19:32:51 -0600
At 02:10 PM 12/25/1999 +1300, Raul Vergueiro Martins wrote:
>Hello:
>
>In Paula and Tom system, there is one only tube discharging water from
>the fisk tank to one end of the biofilter/culture bench.
>Coul we use that tube divided into two or more tubes runing in the
>entire lengh of the bench, provided with some kind of showers or simple
>holes, to evenly distribute the water along the media?
Actually, we have one pipe transporting the water to the head of the bed,
but that pipe empties into a ladder-shaped irrigation grid with evenly
spaced holes that covers the entire surface area of the grow beds.
Paula
S&S Aqua Farm, 8386 County Road 8820, West Plains, MO 65775 417-256-5124
Web page http://www.townsqr.com/snsaqua/
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| Message 12 |
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Subject: (no subject)
From: James Butaud
Date: Sat, 25 Dec 1999 19:22:32 -0600
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