There is often discussion about whether an outdoor aquaponics operation makes sense at all in our latitudes. Perhaps you are one of those who are currently asking yourself the following question:
Is it even worth having an aquaponics system in my garden?
You have probably already come across one or two arguments that speak against it:
- The optimal temperatures are only reached during the summer months.
- The fish do not reach eating size in such a short time.
- The effort can't be worth it.
I have looked into the above question intensively over the last few years and can now say: Yes, it is worth it, as long as you pay attention to a few points. Because, as with conventional gardening, preparation and timing play a crucial role. Let's take a closer look at these points now.
Make sure that you are really interested in the topic and are willing to invest time
Actually, you are already prepared to invest time, otherwise you wouldn't have landed on this blog and would be reading this article now. That's great and also one of the most important basic requirements.
It would be a lie to say that aquaponics is a complete no-brainer and that you don't have to invest any time in it. But you can rest assured. A garden project like this isn't a full-time job and aquaponics is also easily scalable. And honestly, what could be better than discovering a new hobby for yourself? As the saying goes: If you like doing something, you do it well. And you're happy to take the time to do it.
Especially at the beginning, it is advisable to familiarize yourself with the "basics" regularly, try things out and learn as you go. There are then many ways to automate and optimize the operation. With tools such as automatic feeders, timers, thermostats, etc., you can still go on vacation with peace of mind. That's what I do too; several times a year!
Just keep browsing my website and blog and keep yourself informed. I am constantly trying to gather valuable information and share it with you. Become part of the cycle farming community and get access to exclusive content, videos, tips and other benefits. You can also find various videos about my work on YouTube . Believe me: once things get going, you will be fascinated.
Use the cold winter months to plan your project
It's winter now. It gets dark early and it's cold outside. You're probably sitting on the sofa with your notebook, tablet or smartphone, browsing the internet and your thoughts are already drifting into the coming gardening season. Only this time it will be something special. You're already thinking about your new aquaponics project, which will provide you with fish as well as vegetables in the summer.
Such a project naturally needs to be carefully thought through. The planning and selection of your aquaponics system, as well as its components, ultimately determine the success of your project. It's good that you can use this time now to start your project and prepare yourself well. First of all, ask yourself the following questions:
- How much space do I have in the garden, terrace or balcony?
- Should the system be operated outdoors or in a greenhouse?
- Do I already have an area such as a greenhouse that I can convert or use?
- Do I have suitable components, parts or objects that I can possibly use or convert? (e.g. a garden pond, large basins, barrels or containers)
- How much fish and vegetable output do I expect?
- How much budget do I have for the realization of my project?
- Do I want to build everything myself or do I use functioning individual modules or even complete systems?
With your answers to these questions, you can narrow down the time, space and cost framework for your project during your research and planning work. You can also target your research work more precisely. I hope that my blog and website will help you with this. Otherwise, the answers above will also help you formulate follow-up questions on the Internet. I also recommend that you work through one or two books, such as Aquaponic Gardening by Sylvia Bernstein.
One of my first systems for a seasonal test operation on my balcony: Two OFERA Grow Beds BASIC with automatic Bell Siphon drainage and a fish tank with around 350l for tilapia fish. When planning the project, the building's statics and the sunlight were the main challenges.
If you want to save time and avoid beginner mistakes, I can of course help you with that too. I am available at any time for individual workshops and consultations as well as with my products for aquaponics, vegetable gardening and insect breeding. The modular design of the OFERA Cycle-Garden components also allows you to easily combine them with your own idea and design. Or you can opt for completely finished system kits in different sizes.
Think about young fish in good time
When you start your system in spring, the fish should be a bit bigger. On the one hand, so that they can produce enough nutrients for your plants. On the other hand, you naturally want to harvest fish that are the size of food in the autumn. That's why you should use the winter months to raise your young fish. This can be done either in smaller aquaponics systems in the garage, in the basement, or in the living room with conventional aquariums. Which and how many fish you need to organize will become clear during the planning phase, depending on the planned system size. You should then choose a number of fish that is around 25-50% higher than the planned stocking density. (Food size) The fish do not grow evenly anyway.
Here you can see how my Tilapia fry develop from winter to the start of the season
For example, from autumn to spring I concentrate on raising young fish for the coming season. Specifically warm-water fish such as tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) and predatory catfish (Clarias gariepinus). These fish are ideally suited to the warm temperatures in summer and, if kept correctly, reach eating size within a few months. In winter, the young fish grow to the right size in my aquariums. In spring, at the start of the gardening season, from around May, I then put the systems into operation with the partially half-grown fish. This means that the harvest of eating fish works out wonderfully well until autumn.
What do you want to feed your fish?
In my opinion, this is one of the most exciting and important questions. Because if you know what you are feeding your fish, you also know how healthy your food is in the end. In any case, I recommend breeding feeder insects and cycle farming. That way, you leave nothing unused and use your kitchen waste in a sensible way. For both tilapia and predatory catfish, insects such as mealworms, BSF larvae or compost worms are a natural and high-quality source of fat and protein.
If, like me, you want to feed your fish with your own insects, you should definitely start breeding the insects early enough. It takes a few weeks until you have built up an efficient insect breeding colony. It is nice to see how kitchen waste is put to good use with an insect farm and high-quality fish food is produced at the same time.
Here you can see how I breed mealworms for my fish
You won't be able to do without industrial fish food completely. It is therefore all the more important that you pay attention to the quality of the food. There is a large selection of industrial fish food that differs significantly in quality and origin. In the OFERA online shop you will find sustainable, high-quality and ethoxyquin-free food for tilapia and predatory catfish.
Think about young plants in good time
Because you are running your system over the summer months, summer vegetables that need warmth, such as tomatoes, peppers, zucchini and cucumbers, are of course the most sensible. But pay particular attention to the location, whether there is sunlight all day or whether shade is also to be expected. You should then choose your plants accordingly. Salads and brassicas can also be useful. Get enough seeds for your young plants early enough. Depending on the type of vegetable, you can start germinating the young plants from around March or April. The best way to do this is to let the seeds germinate in rockwool blocks. Once the young plants are strong enough, you can plant them together with the rockwool in the aquaponics grow bed or NFT pipe system.
Summarized
Aquaponics during the summer months makes sense because we make optimal use of natural resources such as light and heat. And not just for the plants but also for the fish. Warm water fish such as tilapia and predatory catfish prefer high temperatures of >25°C and develop their full growth potential in warm water temperatures. In addition, solar energy can also be used for photovoltaic-powered pumps to operate the system completely self-sufficiently. As we have seen, the winter season break can be used optimally for preparations and the rearing of young fish and plants.
Are you ready for seasonal aquaponics next summer? Share your motivation, your impressions and your opinion with us. You can find the comment box below.
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