Beyond Aquaponics - Growing Food with Bioponics at the Green Festival

[@Knight8365]

A fantastic episode John; the innovation never stops does it? I thought aquapoincs was a perfect system, then along comes another company that shakes all that up. So cool. Many thanks for this.

[@MagicDrawerWorkshop]

Nice to meet you John & thanks for spreading the word about Happy's Greenhouse. A bit of bad news though, the Frookee has a whopper of an upset stomach from eating all those GMO burgers at the festival. Whoa! I'll let you know when we are filming the veggie growing episodes this spring. All best, Charlie

[@frogsforsusan]

As I understand it: Hydroponics typically uses chemicals to balance Ph levels Aquaponics uses fish to organically nourish the plants. And now Bioponica has developed a vegan method of growing plants with other plants balancing Ph levels, although fish could still be used in their systems. Thanks again, John!

[@mikeburke262]

Yet another great video, John. Earlier today I attended the LA Green festival. Kind of a dissapointment compared to last year's.Less grass roots, non-profit groups and speakers and seemingly more commercialization. I wish you could have been one of the speakers.

[@tazno1]

More aquaponic vids please!

[@glockman1727ak47]

That system is pretty cool. I am liking it.

[@truepeacenik]

My Terrace Farmer, not Garden, uses red and blue spectrum bulbs to maximize the spectrum used by plants. As for comparing it to a night light, that lamp was used for eight weeks in a darkened basement as a test with kale and flowering geraniums. Both types of plants thrived on a light cycle synced to local sunrise and sunset. The walls are SolaWrap. Solar Greens does sell it on their web site.

[@TheFreelanceRadio]

Nothing like a Industries air conditioned big hall that shows how green we are

[@ScalerWave]

Interesting info about the LED grow lights. I'll have to check around for some DIY LED projects.

[@SilientShadow]

Hey John, I had a thought. Aquaponics and hydroponics enables you to grow a greater volume of plants because you are removing limiting factors, like competition for water, nutrients, and air. But you still have those plants competing for sunlight. SO, if you were to gather more sunlight and concentrate it on the growing space (for instance, with mirrors, leds, or other light collectors), could you then further increase the yield?

[@abeautifulhaze]

Excellent video.

[@ScalerWave]

Great episode !

[@shoopdeedoop]

I like the HDPE piping idea. The Solar power LED is completely illogical, unless you are going to charge the batteries all summer, then switch the LED on during the winter.... You would require a massive battery for that to work. If you have sunlight to feed the collector, just feed your plants the sunlight and cut out the expensive set up!

[@ryanpharr]

Happy New Year John. Very good video.

[@Kapow2323]

I didn't know that was possible. Neeeeeed to try!!!

[@danielallen8011]

This bioponica may be my answer for growing food without always having to buy inputs such as heavy metal laden fish feed ect.. Thanks for pointing this out!

[@Yanglike]

Thank you for this great episode John !

[@67kpg]

Awesome video

[@nereidapr1]

WOW. LOVED THE VIDEO. I NEVER HEARD OF INSTEAD OF FISH PLANTS AND IT HAD ME THINKING WHY NOT? COMPOST IS BASICALLY PLANTS. LOVE LEARNING WITH YOU.

[@BondedLiberty]

John. Have you ever thought of doing a growingyourgreens bloopers segment? Just for laughs. :P

[@RupertofOZ]

Firstly, let me make it clear that I don't have any problem with the concept of "vermiponics", or "organic hydroponics"... any method that enables people to grow their own healthy food is worthy. You're correct that fish wastes alone don't necessarily provide a complete nutrient profile for heavy feeding plants... but that's been known for years... and the same could be said for any other method of plant growing. The issue has been addressed in aquaponics, years ago... and is easily acheived

[@MegaPuertoRICO1]

Thanks John for this awesome info. PEACE!

[@bret354]

awesome teeser, more details to come hopefully!

[@heckyes]

That's like everything in gardening. Plants don't require much skill or knowledge to grow. You can basically leave things outside in the ground in spring time and nature will take care of it.

[@liquidxskin19]

Aquaponics is a subsidiary of hydroponics just like aeroponics, deep water culture, and NFT (to name a few of the more popular) are all hydroponic systems.

[@thehittmann1981]

Peeponics is a way to cycle an Aquaponics system without fish. You can use urea, fish emulsion, cleaning ammonia (without anything else in it) or your own pee (aged for a few days).

[@heckyes]

I've experimented with it. I think it would be an excellent way for a home or a small community to grow algae for bio-oil and all of the many products that can be made from bio-oil which will not be consumed by humans. But if it was your own home and you knew your own urine was safe to use a nutrient you could grow food with it as well. I still think it would be respectful though to let any guests know what is the feed source for your food.

[@fishlaw1]

Just amazing!!! I luv affordable Aquaponics.....

[@1gotgoodz]

You should watch Bobby at mhpgardener if you think hydroponics is pointless. His greenhouse and the work he has put into it is remarkable.

[@bioponics]

yes, plants are miners that extract the nutrients for other plants. when supplied in abundance healthy plant roots grow densely and with less competition, so greater yield. with a submersion decomposition process as biooponics is doing with grass and food waste recycling, there are no nutrients lost. All goes directly into the water. No more composting labor. This is all thanks to aquatic anaerobes and aerobic decomposer organisms that naturally populate.

[@bioponics]

Maybe so, our goal is to show we don't have to rely on manufactured fish feed nor fertilizers, organic or otherwise. Meanwhile we're making a fertilizers from food and grass waste. Haven't found anything, including organic hydro or aquaponics that compares to that. Especially since supporting heavy feeding plants are important to expanding utility of aquaponics. Urine is a great supplement to plant extracts, even when putting aside a bit for personal use ; ). We're research this extensively.

[@homegrownfunfamily]

Interesting - are there any bioponic or hydroponic contraptions out there geared for home farmers that don't look like contraptions?

[@catfishlee1952]

So, John.... when are you going to setup a Bioponics system in your backyard? FYI: I've got an indoor Bioponics system (and it's November in Wyoming) using just 6 hours of supplemental LED lights per day and I've got Cilantro, Jalapenos(kinda slow to grow), green onions, mint and basil all doing really well .....give it a go and make a video for all us interested! Jake

[@shoopdeedoop]

I think it should be called Organic Hydroponics!

[@RooftopVegetables]

nice!

[@bioponics]

No and long before "permaculture" Asian cultures have submerged alfalfa and lined ponds with mulberry trees to bloom algae and a food web to ultimately grow fish. Permaculture is more ideal for permascapes. Bioponics soilless is more closed loop and so conserves water more efficiently than in ground permaculture. Bioponics is better for high value and high turnover produce and fish farming. The potato sack was used to demonstrate whats inside.

[@seahorsecowboys]

whats the brand name of the bubble wrap solar panels made in europe ? and what episode did you do a story about them thank you for your help

[@srugel44]

I want to hear a lot more about dandelions.

[@JohnStraussmusic]

Yep i know Ive seen many you-tube videos on this. I was asking what Johns thoughts were on this idea. Many people actually do this. I can not get past the Use of Urine as fertilizer in my Veggies.

[@SilientShadow]

Yeah, the fish may be optional.... But why would you NOT want the fish? Lol, that's where all the fun is!

[@Hines57K]

That BioPonics looks neat but how much will they try and charge for what basically is some corrugated pipe cut in half with some plastic screwed on the ends. You could probably run to lowes or home depot and build your own cheaper lol.

[@jleste01]

Before someone slams me I have actually done all those methods of cultivan in my past and more. And if a plant is not able to NATURALLY GROW IN THE ENVIROMENT THAT YOU LIVE IN then it is VERY EXTREMLEY!!! HARD to get that plant to grow and produce whatever crop that you hope to harvest. I hoipe this will help some and warn others .

[@elldwinia]

Nice

[@smoothpeople33]

9 watts LED...What are you going to grow with that...i have night light that runs at 10 watts....It seams almost pointless?

[@RupertofOZ]

The use of urine, referred to as "peeponics" in the aquaponics realm, is fine if the source is healthy, un-mediated and for personal consumption. I'm curious though as to how you determine and/or control your nutrient profile just using food and grass wastes. And how potentially you might exclude "yucky" inputs such as GMO based plant sources. Isn't the use of urine, which basically forms an ammonia source for nitrification, exactly the same premise as fish based aquaponics?

[@KmanWn]

Sounds like a god idea up till the wireless part. Check out the Documentary "Smarty Plants" by David Sizuki and "Resonance - Beings of Frequency" :)

[@peppernickelly]

I need more info on growing plants from dead plants, bioponics. I can't find anything on the internet about it. I guess my searching skills aren't as good as I thought they where. I'm growing a lot of tomato plants in my garden this year and at the end of it I want to use the plants in a bioponics system to grow tomato plants from dead tomato plants.

[@JohnStraussmusic]

Whats your thought on this term going around the internet -> Peeponics ?

[@bioponics]

some are squeemish with human or fish urine for that matter. but it's important to consider. urine is the greatest source of nutrients lost to the environment on a daily basis. how much fertilizer would that replace? how much energy? how much water?

[@JahOneSun]

How sustainable is the bioponics systen without fish??? Won't the nutrients diminish over time and become less effective?

[@th3400ded]

Ah forgot about that haha ive seen this guy dunk WHOLE seed trays into worm compst tea!

[@RupertofOZ]

So how does this have any less external inputs... or more "closed loop" than aquaponics.... huh??? And how often do you have to change the water.. considering it's an anaerobic decomposition process.... that de-oxygenates the water... Beyond aquaponics.... nah....

[@gardenhaus313]

Anyone else notice the ESD sticker on his right shirt pocket?

[@1gotgoodz]

Not if you use worm casting tea, you can have organic hydroponics.

[@nissarana2012]

Can feeding plants other plants result in mad plant syndrome?

[@P4nikStudios]

"Beyond Aquaponics" BioPonics unless the title has changed since he uploaded it/

[@truepeacenik]

@truepeacenik it's the company name and a net address.

[@heckyes]

I've heard of people doing organic hydroponics.

[@thehittmann1981]

The whole point of aquaponics is that you grow fish and vegetables to eat at the same time. This just looks like over complicated hydroponics.

[@liquidxskin19]

9 watts don't help the plants at all the led is just for looks maybe to up the price a bit.

[@heckyes]

Not really no. You could tailor them to not look like they are made out of plastic and such but they would still need to be. When you grow things with out soil you end up using plastic and steel somewhere.

[@heckyes]

What is your definition of being "green"?

[@DustyWiyrick]

Thanks John , can you offer that tomatoe seeds from that wierd plant in your last video? from Selah,Wa.98942

[@RupertofOZ]

As to the use of "yucky" manufactured feed... again this issue in aquaponics, or even aquaculture has been addressed and "organic" feeds are being produced both here in Australia (about 4-5 years ago).. and more recently in the UK, Europe and US. Managing nutrient profiles in aquaponics is no more dificult... than in any other "system". Sorry, but I've yet to see any real "improvement" in aquaponics coming out of the US over the last couple of years.

[@DustyWiyrick]

John can you offer some seeds of that leechie tomato plant from your last video????-Selah,Wa.98942

[@almirzimic4124]

I recently visited Simply Love Gardening (just google it). I learned a lot there.

[@bmarsh011]

I'd rather grow with real soil like in my fall vegetable garden less equipment like nature

[@bioponics]

No farm animal waste is used, including chickens or manures.

[@bioponics]

Not quite. Hydroponics does not distinguish between living and dead systems. Much of the chemistry used in is toxic to living organism. Salt fertilizers inhibit biological activity and healthy rhizosphere. Organic Hydroponics is not enough because we're talking about self producing fertilizers and building living ecosystems. Bioponics better defines this. Hydro has been polluted. Plus it doesn't have designs in place to facilitate this process. From grow media to worms bioponics is different.

[@bioponics]

The Aussies may have started the trend in aquaponics but some of us folks on this side of the sea have found that it needs some improving. Fish don't give all the nutrients heavy feeding plants require. Plus they're a pain in the arse when trying to manage for the purpose of fertilizer. They're good for cohabitating in a diverse biologically environment but should not be relied upon as a fertilizer source. Plus if you're like most in aquaponics you're buying manfuactured fish feed. Yuck.

[@JohnStraussmusic]

and why did my comment get so many negative votes? I wasn't trying to be funny or jerky. this is an actual thing many gardeners do now. search peeponics on You-Tube and see for yourself.

[@jleste01]

I live in a city in the south that fortunately has great growing seasons.And I have a garden with many fruit trees and vegetables . But to seriously think that you can set up a hydroponic system with aUSB PORT and still be green? It just boogles my mind. SERIOUSLY? Hydroponics is usually resrved for illegal crops not a few herbs/greens that will save the planet. Get real when you want to grow something. If it is not native or naturalized to your area then it probably is not worth attemting to gr

[@Adam2050]

Huh aquaponics without fish is hydroponics surely.

[@venicestu]

Beyond aquaponics??? NOT, That's just sales hype and adding natural ingredients to your hydroponic system, so there was just 3 interesting booths? I'm going to the LA Green festival, maybe it will be better.

[@ygermino]

i don't know, but i'd rather use vermiponics than the urine thing... something personal..heheheh

[@P4nikStudios]

It also grows the greens i your wallet!!

[@frogsforsusan]

LOL!

[@th3400ded]

Hydroponics isn't organic. No soil media. And Chemicals are necessary for the "solution" ;)

[@necrokittie2291]

ahh hells yeah! i want to know more about feeding plants to plants aquaponically too. this i can set up and do.. fish... i just killed all my practice fish... i suck at fish... decaying plant matter and worms? yes please. =^-^= now to research!

[@cool2t]

"i killed all my practice fish" hahaha, fish are a pain in the ass, thats why i was always scared of aquaponics, how far did you get on that research? i've started today, any useful informations, articles, books, youtube videos?

[@necrokittie2291]

***** pretty much what i found are just little hints and clues... and the main website for this method... it forces all of it's customers into some type of non disclosure agreement so there really isn't alot of information out there on this subject without buying it. i don't like that because where is the help when something goes wrong in the system if everyone has to be hush hush about it? i did figure out what killed my original fish... apparently my tank needed more then 1.5 months to cycle.. i currently have a second set of practice fish again and the buggers aren't dying... i got extra just in case they started to die on me.. and well.. they refuse to.. which i guess is a good thing. as for what hints i gleamed mixed with my understanding of composting.. i suspect this method is very similar to creating good compost except it is in a bag in the water and the water is well oxygenated... i had already been doing something similar to this without knowing. I eat alot of pineapples so i have a large metal tub in my backyard i always keep about 2 to 4 inchs of water in and every time i eat a pineapple i place the pineapple into the water.... the bottom dry leaves and bit of pineapple left on the top just slowly rots into the water feeding the older pineapple plants.. and if the top doesn't make it i usually don't remove it and it just feeds the ones that did.... with the amount of surface area the water has it is probably breeding both aerobic and anaerobic bacteria to compost done the pineapple tops.. i know people say you can just plant pineapple tops in the ground and they will grow.. but not here... I'm in a subtropical desert.. the soil is too dry for that.. and i know this can sustain a plant for a long time as a couple of the tops in my tub are over a year old and 4 times the original size... a tad yellow though so i probably need more nitrogen in the mix... but i know that just means to add stuff with a higher nitrogen to carbon ratio.. and there are tons of free information out there explaining and listing compostable materials with higher amounts of nitrogen in them. good luck =^-^=

[@jimmitaiju9945]

@@necrokittie2291 great to hear ur experience n thanks alot for the info u gave.i was in the same situation here n m too trying for bioponics..

[@paulpellicci]

aquaponics without fish...using plants to feed plants is like cutting out the composter...

[@tippieyui]

LOL IT'S THE EGO CANNIBALISM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@DarlyFofa]

Composting cat feces might be a horrible idea, specially for pregnant women because of risk of getting toxoplasmosis. Not everything that is doable should be done.

[@peterharris8506]

Darly Souza I think it may be OK for flowers but not food, I won't eat that food.