So my family and I have made one step closer to being self sustainable...
this picture is of our “test” aquaponics system we just made and set up to grow organic herbs and veggies inside 24/7 365.... if this test goes well we will expand from this small 180gal set up to well over 4000gal, the fish will not be eaten tho they will be bred and sold to expand our “aquagarden” more...
The system is currently up and cycling and will be fishless till the nitrogen cycle is finished, if your unfamiliar with what the nitrogen cycle is Check this article out, the reason I’m doin fishless is my tap water already has ammonia in it so no need for fish
https://www.thespruce.com/aquarium-nitrogen-cycle-1378370
The aquarium is a 55gal tank which will house L134 plecos that will be bred and sold
The grow bed is a 3ftx4ftx12in dwc “deep water culture” bed this should be able to grow 25-30 heads of broccoli or cauliflower for us, they should be able to be on a cycle of every 3-5 weeks ready to eat from seed to full head, so one week we will start 5-10 seeds then again the following week and then again till we have around 25-30 total
The sump is 40gal and will have pond filter mat and lava rock in it for filtration, it also houses the 500gph pump that feeds the bed, the bed overflows into the pvc pipe goes to the tank then the tank overflows through a homemade overflow back into the sump,
All that’s left to do is wait for the tank to finish cycling, purchase the L134 plecos and get the styrofoam for the raft for the plants, if anyone has any questions feel free to ask