Full Tour - Aquaponic Greenhouse

Let's take a full tour of our commercial scale aquaponic greenhouse!
Infusinator Aeration nozzles: infusinator.com
PATREON: / bigelowbrook
DISCORD: / discord
TOP CONTRIBUTORS:
www.GlassBottleOutlet.com
www.TrueAquaponics.com/store
www.GroPockets.com
www.Aquaponics.ai
MORE ABOUT THE FARM
www.BigelowBrook.com
0:00 intro
0:45 Greenhouse frame and cover
1:30 Evaporative cooler
2:29 Fish Tank
4:19 Filtration
5:16 media bed and plants
7:06 Beto/Dutch buckets
7:58 Deep water culture bed
14:32 pump and power requirements
15:25 outro

[@RobsAquaponics]

Thanks for the tour Rob. 👍👍 Looking forward to possibly seeing it in person one day. 😁

[@samcollura8034]

Thanks for the tour. Why not sundry your UN-sold basil and sell it as gourmet herbs to supermarkets.very long shelf life

[@dalewolver8739]

been following you for years. Nice to see some of the results

[@ozzypunk1]

Thanks for the tour. Keep up the good work. Can’t wait to get my infusionators in the mail.

[@Bigelowbrook]

Hopefully you see them soon! Of course who knows how long it takes to get to AU! ;-)

[@JebGardener]

The plants are looking great, given the heat we've seen this year.

[@Bigelowbrook]

except for these cukes! I might try moving them to the cool end next year!

[@Gozelis]

amazing video, thanks for the tour, your greenhouse is inspirational. As i understood the more air circulates in the system the better? you have infusionators installed almost every aspect of your system.

[@middleway1885]

Woooh!! Jam packed full of yummy info!! Cheers! To a more abundantly fulfilling experiences (especially yummy fruits and veggies...)

[@cls2230]

I just got a new life goal thank you

[@johnwall259]

Thanks for the tour!

[@gafrers]

Great tour

[@sbmiller3699]

Nice setup.

[@willkrummeck]

vvery good video, you covered so many good points. i would recommend buying seeds from more high temp areas.

[@Bigelowbrook]

thanks. I try to get heirloom seeds but they haven't been engineered to greenhouse production. However, my customers enjoy the flavor better.

[@germansurvivaloutdoorsoul4421]

nice cooling system...would liketo have mor infos about that! Great Video👍

[@MichaelDavis-uu9zh]

I think the tomato leaf curling is due to the heat. In North Carolina they would curl in the daytime and fold back out at dusk. Not sure if that’s the only reason but from my experience that might be the reason.

[@madbotanist1135]

I would spray paint the tops of blue drums black if you want to control the algae :) it works very well, the algae will take up the nitrogen which would otherwise go to the plants

[@Bigelowbrook]

They are blue to minimize the light. It's very difficult to paint HDPE, next to nothing will adhere to it.

[@redeye1773]

nice set up ..tip add a led light on timer to your lettuce area .and its normal for heirloom tamotes to have different leaf structure. heirloom breeds are for flavor not looks

[@matthewg4956]

It sure has come a long way Mr Rob. Impressive. I’m guessing your overhead project is still in the think process.

[@Bigelowbrook]

long term think process. ;-)

[@ovniologo321]

Nice setup tks

[@edengardeningtowers4923]

I like this set up good job.

[@edwarddarst4358]

You need to go thermal energy you'd be better off😊 I need the pipe underground to cool off and you need to pipe too heated in winter 🤪

[@bendrover]

Good job mate 👍

[@patrickschooley3503]

WOW, so cool.

[@NedBerndt]

hey Rob, you are my AP hero!! Coming to NE this, would love to swing by again. Will email you

[@Bigelowbrook]

awesome!

[@ETennScott]

Thanks for posting this Rob! I really wanna get back to my DWC hydroponics project and you help keep the fire burnin'! :-)

[@Bigelowbrook]

Sorry, LOL. ;-)

[@cherrytreepermaculture756]

Epic.

[@marcussloss6937]

I watch these type of videos a lot and almost always see Tilapia. I always thought goldfish and koi would sell better for fishermen and collectors respectively. Do you have a video that explains your fish choice, if so can I get a link? If you don't can you make one or provide a simple answer as to why you don't raise Tilapia?

[@cobre7717]

Talipia are a tropical fish that need warm water.. Goldfish like cold water. Climate dictate the choice of fish.

[@Bigelowbrook]

Just like @cobre said, it's mainly because of the climate. I shut down the system during the winter and the koi can just sit in the bottom of the tank and wait for spring. Also I can sell a good sized koi for a hundred bucks with no problem. Pound for pound, the koi are more profitable than food fish.

[@michigannative2951]

Very nice setup. Would the fish be able to grow in the plant beds? Have wondered if you can or would that effect the fish. Great job.

[@Bigelowbrook]

They tend to eat the roots

[@zoebraden-garrison9928]

Thanks for the tour! What are your average summertime temperatures on the warm and cool sides of the greenhouse?

[@Bigelowbrook]

On a sunny day, it can usually be 20 degrees (F) warmer from one side to the other. This video might help: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jpO7kp1qas2cq8U

[@jenniferreid-mcdonald4458]

Thanks for the tour i like it how much will cost to run this farm per month

[@Bigelowbrook]

Basically it's the electricity to run the fans during the summer. Not including labor it's less than $300/month during the growing season.

[@drmosfet]

Thanks It's always nice to get a new video form your KZbin channel. Just out of curiosity is your fruit stand fridge solar powered or did you managed to get a electrical cable to it?

[@Bigelowbrook]

I just run an extension cord to it. I ran over it yesterday with the mower. 😬

[@drmosfet]

@@Bigelowbrook Ouch

[@aquaponicscanada-noadditiv8471]

❤very nice 👍

[@jaksmith6465]

how did you plant onions in DWC

[@Bigelowbrook]

I start them from seed in a tray filled with gravel (or put onion sets in the tray) and when there are enough roots on them, pinch them in a 1" GrowGrip and stick them in the bed. I'm still perfecting it since they tend to tip over when the greens get too tall.

[@thedude7319]

07:53 a sense of humour

[@mimis1314]

1st time seeing grow clips used like that in Aquaponic. can you tell me more about them? like what timp thay are how well thay work and what are the good and bad for using them in your sistim?

[@Bigelowbrook]

www.growgrip.com

[@AaronsTube100]

I have an idea that might work to help cool down your greenhouse, if you can dig a hole and put a tank underground, or use a well water system, run a line that circulates the water from your tank into your fan system with some copper lines and it should help cool the air down that passes though it.

[@darrelljacobjr2120]

Or...heat rises, so... Put some servo-controlled vents in the ceiling and let the hot air rise up and out, which will draw in cooler fresh air from the vents along the bottom sides. I was impressed the pump and aerator system draws so little watts, but didn't hear any mention of how much it takes to power two 48" exhaust fans and an evaporative cooler. Other than that, he has an extremely nice system and made a good video.

[@busterfoxx]

Shade netting will help keep your temperatures down on hot days. I would try to set it up so that it's retractable and you can pull the netting in to place on the hot sunny days and draw it back in the winter. Think of it as curtains; one over the top and then one on each side. I'll leave you to figure out the mechanics... :-)

[@mattsstuff2892]

Thanks for the tour. I'm new to aquaponics but it seems like you have a lot of plants compared to fish. How many fish do you have/how big are they? The tomato plants look great! Mine struggle to produce fruit in my system. Any tips?

[@Bigelowbrook]

There are about 200 koi & goldfish ranging from 6-20 inches. I test the the water each month and supplement with various nutrients.

[@icarus901]

Rob, curious about the greenhouse orientation. Why north-south and not east-west, shape of the field/slope or trying to even out the light on both sides?

[@Bigelowbrook]

It is to even out the light. This style is not energy efficient so the orientation is best to deal with lighting. If I didn't an efficient model, like a Chinese style, then it would run east-west and have the light come in through the south.

[@sleepdepot9790]

What's the DO in your DWC and @ what water temp? Nice looking greenhouse and walk through of it. Cheers!

[@Bigelowbrook]

It's usually around 7ppm. More details: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qICthWlrhLiZjJI

[@JeffsAquaponics]

Great tour Rob. I have a quick question. Do you have a problem with your fish reproducing and getting into your DWC bed, and if yes, how do you deal with it. I have a decent sized system with a really good RFF and media filter, but it doesn't have media beds on the front end. I'm trying to decide if adding media beds would make a difference in keeping fish out of the DWC bed.

[@Bigelowbrook]

I've had it happen in my old greenhouse and this one. The eggs can eventually wash through the media beds. I did a video this past spring where I cleaned out this DWC bed (replacing the liner) and I caught several fish in there. They are a huge nuisance because they love the lettuce roots. If I tried to add a filter sock to the inlet, it would probably clog too fast...even with the beds, there are still some solids that get through.

[@JeffsAquaponics]

@@Bigelowbrook yeah, eating the roots is the same problem I’m dealing with. I have goldfish, and I’m in Texas. It seems like they breed year around and every few months I’m cleaning out fish.

[@EmptyHammock]

I wouldn't be allowed in your supervisors station.. :p

[@Bigelowbrook]

I'm not allowed either. ;-)

[@prizonfrost123]

Hey Rob, whats your PH at, and any additives besides Iron chelate...Thanks for the tour

[@Bigelowbrook]

pH is usually around 6.8-7. I add whatever is deficient in the system. I send out a water test each month and make the necessary adjustments.

[@branchingoutpermaculturewi4766]

how much does your electricity run ya for just the greenhouse

[@Bigelowbrook]

The bulk of the expense is running the fans. August is highest and is about $250. Jan and Feb it's about $30

[@kermitfrog271]

Can you elaborate on "shutting down the system" in the winter. What do you do with the fish?

[@Bigelowbrook]

I remove all the plants and stop feeding the fish. There's a small heater for the water to keep it from freezing and I leave the pump running to circulate the water.

[@pbase36]

@@Bigelowbrook Could you elaborate a bit? The fish don't need to eat for the entire winter? Are they in hibernation?

[@richardmiller6930]

I have asked before, but can you point me to the supplier and model of the low wattage water pumps please

[@Bigelowbrook]

Jebao DCT or DCS series

[@karimhayes3134]

what is the life span for the green house cover? great work

[@Bigelowbrook]

I've found some people that have used it for over 20 years

[@rafam4617]

how do you overwinter the system? I am considering doing aquaponics, but here in Poland the winters get very chilly, so it would be quite the challenge to keep things running in winter.

[@Bigelowbrook]

I remove all the plants and stop feeding the fish. There's a small heater for the water to keep it from freezing and I leave the pump running to circulate the water.

[@rafam4617]

@@Bigelowbrook thank you very much

[@jchao777]

@@Bigelowbrook Great Video!!! May I know the brand and model of the small heater that you are using? It seems like a good idea to heat the water during winter. Thank you so much!

[@Bigelowbrook]

@@jchao777 It uses a LOT of electricity so it's not cheap to run. kzbin.info/www/bejne/kH_IfHx-nbyjqZI

[@PPEOPLE1]

Hi, I was watching your tour. I noticed you had a seem to have a lot of space in your greenhouse. Did you think of it trying a row crap in there?

[@Bigelowbrook]

I haven't finished putting beds in there. And watch your spelling. ;-)

[@PPEOPLE1]

@@Bigelowbrook yeah I was wondering if you could put a media bed in there and plan something like rice, or a Midwest crop of corn/soybean. But you really wouldn’t have to alternate the corn soy beans because you’re getting the nutrients from the fish.

[@PPEOPLE1]

You’re doing gods work, keep going man.

[@martylynchian8628]

Fish can provide Nitrogen but what about micro nutriments, trace elements,etc?

[@Bigelowbrook]

they are added based on testing the water

[@Jandau2]

Make pesto with the extra basil.

[@kevinmussack2782]

Rob, no shade cloth?

[@Bigelowbrook]

I have some but didn't feel like using it this year. you can see it hanging at around 0:45

[@seanray3333]

Hey rob Id like to buy some of your Venturi, do you ship to Mexico? Let me know because either way I will buy them and ship them myself or order them to be shipped to Mexico. Please give me details on where to order and price

[@Bigelowbrook]

Hi, You can order from shop.bigelowbrook.com or use the design tool at infusinator.com and it can add the parts to your shopping cart. It can calculate the shipping costs to Mexico. Thanks!

[@josephlarsen]

do you offer 3d files for the infusinator? I'd love to buy them

[@Bigelowbrook]

sorry, no STL files. Besides the 3D printing usually isn't accurate enough to make them work properly. shop.bigelowbrook.com/Item.aspx?ItemID=292

[@josephlarsen]

@@Bigelowbrook too bad. I'd be looking to use a resin printer which should be pretty accurate and strong enough but it's fair if you don't want to sell them :)

[@richardmiller6930]

Hi, what is the name and source of your circulation pumps please?

[@Bigelowbrook]

Jebao DCT series pumps

[@tonycampbell-wd3cp]

@@Bigelowbrook . Are you running on solar?

[@Bigelowbrook]

@@tonycampbell-wd3cp No

[@Vaul_The_Merchant]

Can someone make a living running a system like this in southern New England zones?

[@Bigelowbrook]

Since I'm CT, if you work it just right, you probably could. You certainly would get rich!

[@joleylight300]

Do you make an income from this set up and if so, is your main income? I would like to have a good sized green house one day but see no way of making a decent income from I though.

[@Bigelowbrook]

I run an IT department full time. I sell the produce on the weekends at the honor-system farm stand which pays for the electricity and property taxes. The general rule of thumb is you need about 10,000 sq ft to make a living.

[@joleylight300]

@@Bigelowbrook that’s makes sense! After watching some of your earlier videos where you use CAD and 3d printing. Figured you had some sort of tech job lol. Good work on the system!

[@Cyklonus]

👍👍

[@ramoneoliveira5851]

Like

[@OrganicGreens]

Seems like you would use a lot less water if you just planted in your soil and watered the plants in the ground or a raised bed tho. 300 gallons a day just for cooling seem very wasteful. I only water each of my plants maybe a half gallon a day 300 gallons could water 600 large 7 foot tall plants for me.

[@Bigelowbrook]

If I had a same size garden of 3800 sq ft, it would consume far more water than that each day, plus yield far less veggies due to pest and disease.

[@nsta6408]

Who clicked coz they saw Joe Rogan on the thumbnail

[@AsttoScott]

This system looks very energy inefficient. All of that solid waste processing can be avoided simply by choosing a different species of fish. For example Talapia in warmer climates or Perch in colder climates because their waste is in liquid form unlike gold fish and koi because their waste is always solid.

[@Bigelowbrook]

I have a friend that raises perch....their poo is no different than a Koi. Even if that wasn't the case, I am able to sell the Koi at a far higher profit so spending a few bucks to process the waste is an easy investment.

[@celestialbeeing]

You waste a lot of water for that small amount.