How to build the cheapest and easiest setup for aquaponics! It will change the way we see aquaponics setups in the future. No longer will you need multiple pumps and reservoirs, the whole system is an enclosed system much like nature. The entire project cost only $35.
Materials you will need:
14 gallon fish tank – $14
1 air stone strip – $2
1 Air pump- $6
4 goldfish – $.75
2 (5lb.) bags of river rock – $5
1 – 1X12X24 foam board -$3
8 – 2 inch net cups – $2
3 OR 8 – 3 large multiple plant herb container *separated*, OR 8 small plants – $4
The sight of a marijuana grow attached to an aquarium may seem like some half-baked science experiment, but who knew that fish are actually amazing little helpers when it comes to growing large, healthy marijuana plants?
Most folks know about hydroponics, the process of growing plants indoors without soil.
Hydroponics requires growers to maintain an ideal balance of nutrients and pH while eliminating waste byproducts that can harm budding cannabis plants.
And that’s where fish come in. The plants give them clean, filtered water to swim around in, and in return, this fish poop out nutrients for the plants to absorb.
This eco-friendly grow solution combines hydroponics with aquaculture, with each natural system working in perfect harmony with the other.
Aquaponics is also a way more efficient use of your growing resources, instead of having to always dump soil or replace old water in the hydroponics system.
There’s many side-benefits to cultivating an “aquaponics” system.
It looks awesome to have an aquarium of exotic fish swimming around next to rows of bright green, flourishing marijuana plants.
And you could stack your revenue streams by breeding and selling the fish or even raising fish that are tasty to fry!
The science behind an aquaponics system is deceptively simple, and has been in use in other forms of agriculture for some time. Marijuana growers are only recently discovering its benefits for growing cannabis indoors.
Half of fish waste is ammonia-based urine. The solid fecal matter and uneaten food are also converted into ammonia.
The ammonia saturated water is pulled from the bottom of the fish tank, and filtered through a bacteria that converts the ammonia into nitrites, then into nitrates.
The resulting nitrates, food for your cannabis, are pumped to the plant growing tray, where the plants happily absorb them.
Since cannabis hydroponics systems require a pH balance between 5.5 and 6.5 depending on strain, fish tend to thrive in water that has a slightly higher pH. So it’s a good idea to get fish that are tough and can adjust to the more acidic water.
This process takes some time, so aquaponics are not for cannabis growers looking for the quickest solution.
It can take up to several months to get the system tweaked perfectly for both the fish and the plants, so if you want fast results, go for something simpler.
