Indoor aquaponics with LED growlights based on Chop

[luckyb1rd]

Hello,

Finally a full running system. I made some big changes sinds the last video more then a year ago. First thing I moved the aquaponics setup on the top floor of my house because the winter months are to cold in the garage where I had it first. In this new room there is also natural sunlight but i'm using some led grow lights as secondary light.

I also scaled it up and I'm running a so called chop system. http://www.aquaponics.net.au/Chops.html

Beause I,m starting this system up. I start using the AP with good old goldfish but in time I will using tilapia or catfish in this setup.

When this video was recorded, the system is running for 2 months and as you can see the fish and plants are very happy.

Follow my AP progress on twitter: Jeffdec

Setup:

560 liter fishtank (Chop I)
275 liter growbed (flood and drain)
2 x 90 liter floating raft container

See the video on youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wW0VbKUikeY

[Pugo]

Nice looking system, you can be proud of your effort.. Did I see Goldfish in you tank?

[luckyb1rd]

Thank you for watching, yes those are goldfish. In this beginning stage I'm using goldfish. But I will use Tilapia or catfish in the future.



More photos: https://picasaweb.google.com/1030391...eat=directlink

[Frydaze1]

That looks great!

[Pseudoreality]

Love your system. Would you be able to provide an estimate on how much in capital this system cost you? I want to build something bigger in my basement next winter and trying to decide how big to go. Also, do you get good growth from the LEDs? I pay about $0.25 CAN/kwh for power so I need to keep power costs down.

[cat2wisson]

I'd also like to know how well your led grow lights work, They looks\ like the same lights I have been using on one of my planted aquariums for over a year and I've had some nice results, but I wasn't sure if it would carry over to above ground plants.

[luckyb1rd]

Thank you, I clearly can't say the exact amount I spend on my AP system, because I don't know. I was collecting parts and materials within one and a half year. some bought new but most second hands. I think it comes around a 700 euro's. (Netherlands)

The LED are working but I have to say that the LED's in my setup are secondarily light I also getting sunlight true my window. If you want build something like this in the basement you need more powerful LED lights than I have. Those square panels are not that very good, but working for some sprout vegetables (very healty). De LED strips in the video are experimental because I don't know what light frequency they are but it seems the seeds are coming out.

The best LED are round UFO lights, they are very powerful and have an internal build coolingfan. I have an 90 watts version. But if you want to light up an basement you need a lot of these I guess.

My setup is consuming around 200 watts if everything is turned on. But I use timers for lights and pump to reduce the cost. (pump shutdown at night)

Good luck

[luckyb1rd]

I'd also like to know how well your led grow lights work, They looks\ like the same lights I have been using on one of my planted aquariums for over a year and I've had some nice results, but I wasn't sure if it would carry over to above ground plants.

Which one did you have? The LED Strips next to my NFT Tubes?

[cat2wisson]

I have the square led lights in your video. I want to try to use them as a supplemental lighting as well on a system I'm building on my porch. The plant beds will get direct sun through the windows in the afternoons, but is shaded most of the morning. I'm going to try to run them in the morning, then again after sunset for a couple hours. Hopefully the system will be built in a couple weeks, I still have to order the lights and do some plumbing.

[luckyb1rd]

I have the square led lights in your video. I want to try to use them as a supplemental lighting as well on a system I'm building on my porch. The plant beds will get direct sun through the windows in the afternoons, but is shaded most of the morning. I'm going to try to run them in the morning, then again after sunset for a couple hours. Hopefully the system will be built in a couple weeks, I still have to order the lights and do some plumbing.

If you gonna use those square LED lights make sure place them just a few centimeters of the plants max 10 to 15 cm. But this depends on the amount of watt and light strength the panels use/have. It can work but the results are not that good. Also I made a mistake I don't have 90 watt ufo grow light but a 50 watt version.

This is a good video about LED comparison: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fh9oG...eature=related

But if you have the same setup like me where there is also sunlight it might work for you. Its al a big experiment and I think it's fun to do