Disclaimer: Please note and abide by copyright laws. Some items contained in these presentations are taken from copyrighted material without express permission of redistribution. These slides are archived here for your use in educational activities. Although an educational use exemption would apply the presentations are catalogued here for educational purposes only. Unit 2.4 System Start Up

Aquaponics System Start Up

System Start Up There are a number of steps and biological processes that must take place before you establish a flourishing system at equilibrium System reaches maximum potential at 6-9 months Production should be continuous Starting and stopping production throws the system off balance

Water Source Once the system is constructed it will need to be filled with fresh water Sources: Well Can contain natural sources of trace elements such as calcium or iron which can be beneficial Municipal May contain chlorine/chloramine which is harmful to fish, plants, and bacteria Should be removed from water Chemical water conditioner Safe level is less than 1mg/L of chlorine Rain Excellent choice for aquaponics Free of chlorine and other sanitizing agents pH neutral H2O purified by reverse osmosis or ozone Recommended last due to its lack of anything beneficial to plants Ideal pH of water is 7.0 - within 6.0-8.0 is acceptable Once system is filled, circulate water for 24 to 48 hours to allow the release of gasses This also allows for the operator to make sure everything in the system is running smoothly before the addition of fish Once system is full, water lost over time will need to be replaced

Fish Stocking Plants can’t grow without nutrients Fish are first step in establishment of a system Ammonia will start to rise 7-10 days ammonia will fall and nitrite will rise Ammonia and nitrite toxic to fish 7-10 days nitrite will fall and nitrate will rise Natural microbial process Initial stocking <20% of the total bio-mass system can support Reduces mortality as bacteria population grows When adding fish to an already stocked tank do so when ammonia and nitrite levels are low, test water first System must be functioning when fish are added Grow bed and filtration units act as biofilters

Fish Stocking 2 methods Ideally a grower has four or more tanks Batch culture Stock with fingerlings and allow for them to grow at same time Good for large aquaculture and aquaponics Results in fastest growth of fish Poor choice for aquaponics with one or two tanks because single harvest means a substantial decrease in nutrient availability for plants Staggered Multiple sizes of fish in each tank Good for small aquaponics (one or two tanks) Increased handling and sorting of fish will cause stress and lower weight gain Reduction in overall efficiency and production when stunted fish are allowed to remain in the system Ideally a grower has four or more tanks Stock each one every six weeks for steady plant production

Fish Stocking

Fish Stocking Modified Stocking 2 tank system Each tank treated as two tanks Stock tank at half capacity and when those fish are halfway to harvest stock the other half of capacity Will provide most consistent nutrient levels for plants Start up: Stock ½ of total population in tank one 6.5 weeks later Stock ½ of total population in tank two Harvest mature fish from tank one Restock 1/2 of total population in tank one Continue this cycle

Fish Stocking Reduce stocking mortality by gentle introduction of fish When fish arrive, siphon water from the system into the container the fish arrive in (generally a plastic bag filled with water and oxygen). Do this slow flushing for 15 minutes until water fish arrived in is replaced with system water Helps fish adjust to system water Keeps potential contaminated water out of the system Wait a few hours before trying to feed fish Generally fish are anaesthetized for shipping and won’t readily eat When fish are ready to eat, feed them at the same times each day and only give fish what they will eat in a 30 minute period (for large systems)

Planting the Grow Bed Germination of own seeds allows control over: Seed selection Environmental conditions Cleanliness Insect control Bringing in plants from the outside risks: Infection of plants by disease and insects Seeds need the following to germinate: Moisture Proper temperature Proper humidity Germination time between one day to one month depending on type of plant

Planting the Grow Bed Recommend separate germination table over planting directly into grow bed Recommend simple flood and drain Plants need a small space for germination Grow bed is large; germination not efficient use of the space Seedling 2-3” tall transplant into grow bed Transplanting is more laborious but a more efficient use of space Materials used for germination: Peat moss Peat moss and vermiculite mix Coconut coir (shredded husk) Perlite Rockwool Ideal mediums are chemically inert, porous, clean, and drain freely

Planting the Grow Bed Peat moss, perlite, vermiculite, and coconut coir Loose materials Plants tipped out of container (plant and media) to be placed into grow bed Rockwool Derived from basalt rock Heated and spun into fibers Fibers formed into cubes Entire cube transplanted into grow bed

Planting the Grow Bed Each seed variety has ideal temperature and humidity for germination Average temperature 75°-78°F Average humidity 75-85% Growing medium should be kept moist but not wet and not submerged for extended periods of time Heating plants from the bottom is good for propagation Seed Type Optimum temperature of germination Carrot 86°F Cucumber 76°F Lettuce Melon 90°F Parsley 77°F Pea Radish Tomato 78°F

Planting the Grow Bed Initial stages of germination happen within seed coat Seed absorbs water pH should be 6.0 for germination In the presence of water stored reserves within the seed are converted chemically to substances used in the growing process Growth begins with cell enlargement Seed coat breaks Radical root emerges Seedling draws moisture and nutrients from media Several days after root emerges the shoot begins to grow In the presence of light the seed leaves (cotyledons) open Foliage leaves open Some seeds will not germinate and some seeds will germinate more slowly than others Always over-seed by 15% Select largest, healthiest seedlings for transplant Most potential for growing into strong, healthy plants

Reference Nelson, R. L. Aquaponic Food Production Raising Fish and Plants for Food and Profit. 2008. Nelson and Pade, Inc. Montello, WI. Pgs. 103-112. With contributions from John S. Pade