How Many Fish For Aquaponic System | Fish to Grow Bed Ratio

[@amhedinger]

I would like to say that I really appreciate how you always give dimensions and volumes in both standards. It really helps us states weirdos.

[@RobsAquaponics]

Is no problem at all Adam. Cheers & happy growing mate. 👍🌱🌱

[@thegreatergood6648]

Hey USA weirdo's, switch over to metric its a lot easier. Even the dysfunctional UK has had a metric construction model since the 1970's !

[@trouncerrredits]

@@thegreatergood6648 another one of these guys. We actually don't have any trouble understanding metric for obvious reasons and where it matters, we're already metric (sciences n such). It's you that can't handle empirical. Keep up

[@outboard2006]

@@trouncerrredits except you have 2 different length miles (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mile#U.S._survey_mile), your legal length of an inch is described as a metric measurement, you mean imperial not empirical and neither are correct, you use US measurements not imperial which is why you pay for 55 gallons and it gets delivered in a 44 gallon drum, your claims that you don't have trouble understanding metric are not supported by you crashing a mars destined space mission into mars because you got the conversion wrong. The added complexity of a system that is not consistent within a measurement type, much less across measurement types leads to the majority of your population not knowing how much anything should be without spending great amounts of time studying it ( how many cubic inches in a gallon?) ,and then once they have learnt it, if they want to pursue any of the sciences they still have to learn the metric system, time better spent on learning something useful. So hold onto your antiquated system of measurements, it is your god given right under your constipation!!!

[@inactive67]

@@thegreatergood6648 No, we left the them for a reason. That wasnt it but we left them just the same

[@josephsnyder5713]

Finally someone willing to talk the numbers. So many youtubers doing DIY say "just copy me and all will work out fine". Anyone with half a brain should know better. Much thanks and g'day mate.

[@RobsAquaponics]

Hope it helps you out with your system Joseph👍

[@lisabooker6405]

Rob this was so kind of you to do all this figuring for your subs. Very generous of you to take that time. For me my head would explode! 🤯 LOL I don’t have aquaponics myself but love your channel and always watch. Plus one never knows what the future holds and having good information is never a bad thing. Thanks again. Take care, my best to your family & God Bless! ~Lisa

[@RobsAquaponics]

Hi Lisa & thanks. 🙂 Will help a few folks out I think & is more in depth than the cut & past explanation I normally forward on. Cheers & all the best.

[@jackieeastom8758]

Hey,thanks for the videos, I now have 2 ginger sprouts coming up to put in my first chop and flip barrel

[@RobsAquaponics]

Nice one Jackie. Have you harvested them yet? Sorry for taking so long to get back to you. Cheers.

[@jasminepainter1897]

Thanks for this video. I work in a shop selling aquaponics materials and we have been using reservoir size and warning customers that it was a generalized rule of thumb since it wasn't that exact. This is much more specific and makes sense.

[@RobsAquaponics]

Glad the clip has helped you out some Mike. 👍 Are you here in Australia? Cheers

[@scottanderson691]

Rob, you have some of the most thorough and best presented information on aquaponics out there. Thank you for your insight!

[@RobsAquaponics]

I'm glad the clips have helped some Scott. 👍 Are you building a system at the moment? Cheers.

[@scottanderson691]

@@RobsAquaponics unfortunately I currently have neither the time or the funds to build and maintain a system. However I find the subject very facinating and really appreciate the time and effort you (and creators like you) put into producing such wonderful informational videos. Hopefully someday soon I will be able to start my own. In the meantime, cheers right back at you!

[@shaunloone8360]

Just got my system plumbed up and cycling aiming to start adding fish and crops after Christmas. Big thanks for all your videos. They have been so helpful. Coffs Harbour

[@RobsAquaponics]

Nice one Shaun. 👍 What fish are you looking at stocking? Cheers

[@shaunloone8360]

Rob Bob's Backyard Farm & Aquaponics leaning towards silver Perch. Seems to be the good good all rounder that suits newbies like me.

[@silentgamer8139]

Oh ok by the way Thank you for explaining in detail.Your video was assigned to us by our school in an online task

[@RobsAquaponics]

Nope, just like to help folks out where I can. Cheers & have a top one SG.

[@sonofseven77]

Rob, Thanks so much for your videos! I wanna build my first aquaponics system and you are answering every question I have had so far! Subscribed and thank you again from the states. :-)

[@RobsAquaponics]

Is great to hear they've helped you out some. 👍 Happy growing 🌱🌱

[@user-xq9nt9mt4h]

Cool set up dude - from my Year 11 Aquaponics Studies class in WA. We watched your video and did some calculations for our setup. We love your videos and they have really helped us with the setup of our tank.

[@Johnny_Benson]

I love you brother man, THANK YOU for breaking it down to inches for us. You took a little extra time for those conversions. You are the best. great video.

[@RobsAquaponics]

Cheers mate. 👍👍

[@AbuNaserRobii15]

just a Great instruction! Thank you Rob Bob!

[@RobsAquaponics]

Thanks Abu Naser 👍 Have a great one.

[@francislambert5189]

Very good information..I am planning to move to the state of Vermont and I would like to farm fish and vegetables and also herbs. The fish will be very welcomed for I love fish. I am glad to catch your video and I will be watching some more of then right now. Thank you again. Peace :)

[@McDowallManor]

Handy clip for new folks mate. Well done.

[@RobsAquaponics]

Am hoping it helps a few folks out Andy. Cheers mate & have a top week. 👍🙂

[@leonsteber]

Hi Rob, thanks so much for all your videos and all the questions you've been answering for me in them! Really appreciate all the good work and time you've put in to this channel. Just setting up my first IBC system here in the Philippines and your videos have made it easier. Thanks mate

[@RobsAquaponics]

Nice one Leon. Hope the build goes smoothly for you. 👍👍

[@ronniecatangay8802]

Hi Leon, I am Ronnie based in Manila with small farm in Batangas . What type your aquaponics setup and number of tilapia?

[@leonsteber]

@@ronniecatangay8802 hi Ronnie, mines 2 IBC containers. I got 100 tilapia to start in each so I expect a lot to die off before they reach maturity. My plant system isn’t doing too well, a bit too shaded

[@gideon256]

Thanks Rob so timely as always

[@RobsAquaponics]

No problem Michael. Hope it helped you out some. Cheers. 👍

[@Coltrabagar]

Excellent! Specific and simple. Thank you.

[@RobsAquaponics]

Thanks for your comments Travis. Am glad the clips have helped in some way. 👍 Cheers & happy growing. 🌱🌱🌱

[@inactive67]

Right. nailed it for simplicity

[@jackieeastom8758]

Thanks for the information 👍

[@RobsAquaponics]

No problem Jackie. Cheers & have a top one.

[@jasongladman8520]

Thanks for helping me with my class assessment!

[@RobsAquaponics]

Happy to have been able to help in some way Jason. Cheers & hope you get great marks for it.👍

[@tananatung1]

Beautifully explained.

[@RobsAquaponics]

Thanks Tana. Have a top one.

[@astraltraveler2725]

Thanks for the Imperial measurements. 👍👍

[@RobsAquaponics]

No problem 👍

[@LukasLiwandouw]

Like it that you provide dimension on both imperial and metric.

[@RobsAquaponics]

No problem mate. It saves answering all the questions I'd be getting later if I just include them. 😉 Cheers Lukas.

[@TheWinezen]

Great numbers and information shared sir. Thank you

[@RobsAquaponics]

Glad it was helpful!

[@willisseymour4207]

Awesome information, thanks

[@RobsAquaponics]

Glad it was helpful Willis 👍👍

[@MrGunningpeter]

Thanks, Clear and concise . Subbed

[@RobsAquaponics]

Cheers MrGunningPeter. Hope the clips help to give you a few useful ideas. 👍 Cheers & have a top one.

[@RobsAquaponics]

Thanks for watching folks & don't forget to click the subscribe button if you found the video to be helpful. Share the clip around with family & friends if you think they'll find it useful too. 🐟 🌱🍅 Cheers all & have a top one. 😊 Rob

[@jacobfurnish7450]

have you ever used daphnia magna to convert algae to fish food in your system?

[@shivansaith3993]

Rob Bob's Backyard Farm & Aquaponics good job

[@poeticskeptic7052]

Rob Bob's Aquaponics & Backyard Farm can you tell me a good way to set up the fish tank and pump system for vertical towers? How many fish per tank size and how often to pump water into the towers?

[@ayeayesoe3734]

Rob Bob's Aquaponics & Backyard Farm hi I would like to ask if I want to produce 2000 heads of lettuces every single day how much fishes I should take care.

[@baphometpresidente4637]

allohhaha hoo hoo bob rob. 🍆🍆🙏👍🥒🥒😁😁

[@leonardomartinez8553]

Nice intel man greatly appreciated ** 👍🏾👍🏾

[@RobsAquaponics]

No problem & happy growing Leonardo. 🌱🌱

[@Michelinespups]

Great video thanks!

[@RobsAquaponics]

Cheers MP 👍

[@francislambert5189]

Come to think of it?! i just took a peek at your list of videos and I am impressed. Ginger farming and how about; Ginseng, and Saffron. WOW! That would be pretty tricky , But I have faith in these videos. Peace :)

[@RobsAquaponics]

Thanks Francis. Not sure we have the best climate for saffron here but it would be a great plant to grow. Cheers.

[@abdullakhashabi]

great video, thanks a lot mate.

[@RobsAquaponics]

No problem Abdulla. 👍 Cheers mate.

[@jessegoucher8813]

Great work

[@RobsAquaponics]

Thanks 🙂

[@ryanmichel4481]

Thank you.

[@rauhaanxgaming4193]

Nice man thankyou

[@RobsAquaponics]

No problem 👍 Happy growing.

[@shaunohara3613]

yr videos are very clear. I live in gran canaria

[@RobsAquaponics]

I hope they've helped you out some as well Shaun. 👍 Cheers mate & have a top one.

[@KylesWildWorld]

Awesome vid, what are your target nitrate levels , for healthy fish and optimal plant growth?

[@F13TUN]

Subscribe from Tunisia. Thank you for this superb explanation.

[@RobsAquaponics]

Glad you enjoyed it Farhat. 👍 Cheers & happy growing. 🐟🌱🥦

[@chakkram2012]

Thanku

[@RobsAquaponics]

Cheers. 👍🙂

[@golammostofa9255]

Very nice lecture as well as your hat.

[@RobsAquaponics]

Thanks Golam. Cheers & happy growing. 🌱

[@SouthpawDavey]

Great explanation.;-)

[@RobsAquaponics]

Thanks Dave. Hope all's well with you & your crew. Cheers sir. 🙂

[@o.o1163]

You share so much and I thank you,, sincerely Lisa

[@RobsAquaponics]

Cheers Lisa :)

[@johnsilvia4564]

Hi Rob, First, let me say a big Thank You for making this so much easier to understand, and second, if my numbers are correct, then trying to figure the nutrient input/feed ratio for say a species like trout, which has a FCR { feed conversion ratio } of 1.5%, would I be in the ball park of 24 oz's of feed per day for 36 1 lb fish in your example?

[@RobsAquaponics]

Hi John. Feeding rates for Rainbow trout is 1.5% when the water temp is between 64-63°F & the fish weigh 1lb each. For 36lb of fish that works out to be 0.54lb or 8.64 oz. The PDF from SRAC will help you out some. aqua.ucdavis.edu/DatabaseRoot/pdf/223FS.PDF Cheers mate.

[@stuffbywoody5497]

Here I was thinking about ten or so fish for what I plan to build (it's slightly smaller grow bed than you've used as a demo in this video) would be pushing it, but now I realise I can easily double that number. Thanks for the info.

[@RobsAquaponics]

As long as you stick by the 25L of grow media per 500g of fully grown fish you should be hunky dory Woody. 👍👍

[@stuffbywoody5497]

@@RobsAquaponics , thanks mate.

[@AbsGodwin]

Idk why but I really like you.

[@RobsAquaponics]

Thanks Abs. Have a top one.

[@JacobsBackyardGardening]

Great video mate, super informative! Cheers Rob

[@RobsAquaponics]

Thanks Jacob. Hope you had a top weekend mate. Cheers.

[@OddBall1958]

How do you get iron into the system? Most plants need a little iron in there somewhere! Also how is your PH? Do you make adjustments or is it balanced out naturally? Keep up the great work! Excellent!

[@RobsAquaponics]

Hey OddBall1958. I add in iron to our system using DTPA iron chelate. 👍 Posted a clip a while back about testing for & adding iron if that helps some. kzbin.info/www/bejne/gZTPpGppl65onMk Hope that helps some. Cheers.

[@jsunshinejull]

All great information. I really appreciate the work and experience that went into making this video. How would this translate to an NFT system? Or do I need to implement a biofilter bed even for that?

[@BenjasUberHobby]

All looks good! It is neat to see how all this works out :) Thanks for sharing :)

[@yeaaboi6784]

This is awesome idea, I didn't under stand the math but that's me I'm the kid in the class throwing pens in the fan, well done to you sir

[@RobsAquaponics]

No problem Shannon. Is fairly basic maths so wouldn't take long for you to pick it up. 😉 Cheers & all the best.

[@michelledavis7132]

Great videos, thank you very much!! I do have a question though, does the addition of the solids filter change the ratio of fish to growbed?

[@RobsAquaponics]

Solids filtration won't but bio filtration will Michelle. 👍👍 Sorry it took a while to get back to you.

[@michaeloyangoren1730]

Hi Sir!!! Good day..thank you for your video I learn a lot..my question is how about the floating raft calculation regarding the amount of fish.because in this video you talk about the grow beds..thank you sir

[@RobsAquaponics]

Hi Michael. Generally speaking you need a separate biofilter to run a floating raft to process the ammonia & nitrites. The calculations for the amount of media needed there are based on % of protein in the feed, amount of fish in the system, water temperature through the season, type of bio media used & a few other factors. Might get around to do a clip on that one day after I set up my raft system. Cheers

[@corwinwhitehorn7759]

5:56 If you put it in decimeters, it's 12*10*2.5, so 300 cubic decimeters or 300 liters (I find it easier that way)

[@supermarkgeder4452]

You look like liam neeson without the beard, I mean it in a good way, Good video, thanks

[@user-py9ow5fg7k]

Excellent

[@RobsAquaponics]

Thanks. 🙂 Cheers & all the best

[@user-py9ow5fg7k]

Rob Bob's Backyard Farm & Aquaponics Ok

[@michaelwoodard8221]

I really like your hat. Keep the hat.

[@RobsAquaponics]

Still have it, although it looks a bit more battered now. Cheers.

[@icedee6951]

Hi Rob Thank you for your videos, they are amazing. I have long wanted to set up an aquaponic system, but we didn't have the courage. Only after watching your videos did I start building. What kinds of fish are suitable for aquapony?

[@RobsAquaponics]

That depends on where you live as climate & govenment regulations can restrict what species you can use.

[@RobsAquaponics]

Goldfish are a good option for smaller systems with larger table fish like tilapia, catfish, bass & trout being popular table fish in the USA. Here in Australia, folks will use native perch (Jade & Silver) barramundi (AKA Asian sea bass), rainbow trout, red fin, & a couple of different cod species (Murray & Sleepy). Crystal & European carp have been used by folks I know in Europe. Hope that helps some.

[@keiko2087]

Thank you for sharing the measurements in inches. After watching the math, I wish we used the metric system in the US.

[@RobsAquaponics]

No Problem Kei Ko. Cheers. 👍

[@mohamedmansi2812]

hi Rob, I appreciate your efforts to help people world wide, i am following you from Egypt. can we use worms at grow bed to eat fish waste and did routs to give elements (NPK) to fresh plant .

[@RobsAquaponics]

Hey Mohammed. Worms will eats most of the organic waste in the grow beds. They can't reduce it all into plant available nutrients though so there will always be some solids left in the beds. You're better off removing the solids with a filter and using the worms to process any old roots/organic matter in the beds. The removed solids can be used in the veggie garden or mineralised & added back into the system. Hope that helps some.

[@kristineoppenheim1163]

Hi Rob, Greetings from Austin, Texas! Thanks so much for posting these videos; they’re great! I’m in the process of learning as much as possible and as soon as we move into our new house, I’ll be setting up shop. In the meantime, a couple questions...How many plants can I cram into a grow bed (about the size in this video)? Can I use the same pool of fish and add a verticals tower also? And how do you work harvesting your fish? Do you trickle smaller fish in as you harvest the bigger ones? Thanks again for sharing

[@RobsAquaponics]

Hi Kristine & sorry it's taken so long to get to your post. The amount of feed that the fish get really dictates the number of plants you can grow. There are a few different ratios given but I like to _* roughly*_ work on 30-60g of feed per 1m² for greens & 60-100g of feed per m² for fruiting plants. That works out to be about 1-2 oz of feed per 10½ft² (about the size of an IBC bed) for greens & 2-3½ oz of feed per 10½ft² for fruiting plants if that helps you any. Protein level of feed will also come into play as well so that why I said _* roughly*_ above. 😉 You can use verticals as well as long as here's enough nutrient in the system to service them. We tend to batch harvest & add more fingerings in once the last of the fish are in the freezer. I find we have more than enough nutrient built up in the beds to service the plants until the new batch pick up the slack. Another way to go is to have a smaller tank on the side just for the fingerlings & move them over once the main tank is harvested. Hope that helps you out some & the move to your new home went well. Cheers.

[@kristineoppenheim1163]

@@RobsAquaponics just bought your guide! Love the videos

[@RobsAquaponics]

@@kristineoppenheim1163 Thanks Kristine. 😁 Don't forget that you can ask questions via the guide. I check through them a few times a day to make sure I don't miss any. 👍

[@claywhitenack]

Great video. My 12 year old son wants to start a system for a project he is doing, and we have learned a lot from your channel. Since we are starting small, we will probably start with goldfish that won't grow to the size you are talking about here. How do we adjust the formula to account for smaller fish?

[@RobsAquaponics]

Hi Clay. Sorry I missed this this. It all goes on total bio/body mass of the fish. Basically 500g of bio mass per 25L of wet clay will is what you'd use. 👍 Hope that helps mate & the build goes / went well. Rob. .

[@ghmichel72]

Great info ✊🏾 Does this mean if you’ve added a bio filtration to this setup, you can increase the number of fish?

[@RobsAquaponics]

It does but at the same time you need to have more plants to help remove the nitrates as well. 👍

[@konichiwatanabi]

G'Day, Rob! Can you recommend a low maintenance fish for growers that want to focus on vigorous plant growth and not necessarily the meat? Thanks, mate!

[@RobsAquaponics]

Hi Mate. Sorry I haven't replied here yet. I did use your question in a recent live stream Q&A video & it will be used in tomorrow's main video for the week as well. 👍 If you want a larger system with IBC sized grow beds I'd go with some sort of carp like goldfish or koi if you can keep them in your area. If you decide to breed them you may even recoup some of your running costs. 👍 If you want to run a smaller glass fish tank style system, I'd ask at the local aquarium store to see what fish they would recommend for your climate. Hope that helps a little.

[@arifulhaque631]

Rob how can we calculated bio sarfaced area for aquaponic or RAS system.

[@bretternde6510]

Hey. Ya, know this definitely helped. Not only did I learn about the art of aquaponics, which I practice and adore, but I learned why the metric system exists (yup... American 😉) his metric numbers worked out to be rounded perfectly once added their final sums. This fella is legit and I will definitely be checking out his other videos. Keep it up.

[@RobsAquaponics]

Cheers Brett. Have a top one mate.

[@johntexan4165]

Great video! I cringe every time I see people saying to go by water volume. This method is sound, so if you want to raise a larger quantity of fish, purchase a hydro-pure system or you'll be replacing fish constantly... OR grow more green stuff! LOL

[@RobsAquaponics]

Cheers John. 👍👍

[@constancelovejoy7308]

Can & should u add nutrients in your aquaponics systems if the plants are showing signs of nutrient deficiencies? If so, how? 😊

[@mrwilson4909]

how do you clean the fish waste at the bottom of the fish tank? great video.

[@RobsAquaponics]

Hi AV13. The solids are taken out by a Solids Lifting Outlet/Overflow or SLO for short. I run through how they work in this section of a recent clip, kzbin.info/www/bejne/p4nXp5-geb6enKsm44s Hope that helps some. Cheers.

[@dadstation4424]

Hi rob, do you think it is possible to run an nft style hydroponic table I presume you would be aware of the Gt 901 - but would love to discus further

[@RobsAquaponics]

I've seen hydro folks do it but must aquaponics growers will just run DWC in large troughs. If they want to use NFT they use the tubes. Cheers Jude.

[@abhinavkumar3155]

Allo, if I have a biofilter, through which the ammonium water goes through, and then that water goes to the plant beds can I still use these rules of thumb? Will they change since the dedicated biofilter converts most of the bad stuff into the good and the plant beds don't do as much work? Would I have to stock a bit more fish? Pls help

[@elmonik]

Thanks mate this has been really handy, I had someone comment on one of my videos recently wondering if I had enough BSA to support my plants, this equation will definitely give me a better idea on that 👍

[@RobsAquaponics]

How did you go working out the BSA mate? Cheers.

[@elmonik]

Hey mate. I figured it out to be only half of what I needed for my 17 silver perch, since then I've been busy completely redesigning my system and I've added a 300mm deep IBC media bed much like yours so I'm more than covered 👍 I'm starting to see results already in my brassicaese.

[@nihatceylan4127]

5.50 Excuse me mr Rob Bob there is a round ball in the shape of the material of what I was wondering if you give information would be grateful.👏👏

[@brichey2563]

Awesome videos. I subscribed a while back. Your video shows fairly mature fish in the tank. How does it work when the fish are first introduced as fingerlings, like the video that shows a clear plastic bag of fish? Even a large number of those little ones won't weigh very much and won't produce much nutrients for the plants. In my mind I can envision a system with more than one fish tank: one for tiny fish, one (or more) for small-to-medium, and one (or more) for larger fish. Then as you harvest the larger fish, the fish are moved according to their size, or the now-empty tank gets a new batch of fingerlings. Any thoughts? Thanks.

[@RobsAquaponics]

Hi mate. It does take a while for the fish to increase in size & as a result for there to be enough nutrient in the water to be able to feed a fully [planted out system. That's where I think testing comes in so you know when there is excess nitrate in the system so you can start to add in more plants to take it up. 👍 We planed to do the 2 tank system here with ours so we could keep some fish on the grow at all times with smaller fish taking over from the harvested fish. Unfortunately, I never got the timing right. Cheers

[@71160000]

Normally you use a non toxic seaweed extract to get the plants growing while the fish catch up on providing nutrients needed.

[@freddievdberg6639]

Hi there Rob Thank you very much for the great vids on Aquaponics I've been watching some of your vids and it's very informative I'm starting out with Aquaponics and using a 210lt container for my fish with a 30lt biofilter and a 30lt air + biofilter to supply 3 X Dia 110mm tubes that are 2m long each for dwc I need to ask you how many fish I can use and how many plants I can harvest successfully with this system please Thanks in advance Freddie vd Berg South Africa

[@RobsAquaponics]

Hi Freddie & sorry for taking so long to get to your question. Have you found an answer to it yet? If so how's the system going? As a very rough guide based on my old system, I found that for a 500g fish eating 1.5% body weight of 32% protein required 1L of biomedia with a protected surface area of 500m²/m³ to process the waste. Hope that helps a little. Cheers.

[@Future_starts_now]

Hi..Sir..YOU make me start with aquaponic..and it became a passion.. make me so happy.!!! Thank you so much for doing all this informative and helpfull videos.. i live in switzerland and grow indoors, some trouts and river perch..but i want to start a better system (DWC) with tilapia.. but this big thing with the filter..Do You know how much BSA the hydroton in m2 got?? i am searching for the best and effektifst low-cost medium for the external filter..(please excuse my bad english..=) have a nice time.. S!mon B.

[@jclv30]

Mate, how many goldfish you reckon might be safe for an IBC system. I've got an aquaponic system with Duckweed at the bottom with rocks and watercress growing on top? Thanks mate, love your videos.

[@RobsAquaponics]

Hey mate & sorry for taking so long to respond. You'd still work on weight with goldfish. Some varieties can get up to 2lb/1kg given the right circumstances so I probably wouldn't add more than 12-15 in a chop & flip to start off. If the variety you get don't put on a lot of weight, you could probably add in a few more at a time until you're happy with the level of nutrients you're getting. I'd also add on some sort of solids filtration to keep the bed as clean as possible. Cheers.

[@jlovlogs2438]

I am loving your videos! I'm researching a Hydro/Aquaponic system at home here in Slovakia so I can grow my own Veggies and maybe fish! But I want to know, for the Grow bed size you mentioned in this vid - 300L per grow bed. What size Tank would you suggest for the fish (I plan on having a separate Sump Tank to maintain a constant water level in Fish tank! Thanks man appreciate your vids!

[@RobsAquaponics]

I would stock no more than 1 fish per 25 litres of water James. So would stay around 40 fish for the standard 1000L IBC tank. Hope that helps mate.

[@jlovlogs2438]

Awesome thanks for your help! I got the materials I think I need! Looking forward to setting up after winter here! Bring on Feb!

[@danielteo6300]

Hi Rob,i just got some new uniseal/gormet. how to get the right measurment for the holeto put the uniseal in the grow bed? And how to get the pipe into the uniseal? please advise

[@RobsAquaponics]

Hey Daniel. Sorry I missed this. Dud you get the uniseal fitted in OK? I have the hole saw sizes listed on the price list on this page if it helps any in the future, ► bitsouttheback.com/uniseals/ Cheers.

[@conradpfalzgraf3964]

Hey Rob what do you feed your fish? What is your recommendation on pellet food rather than food you can grow yourself for your fish?

[@RobsAquaponics]

I use a locally made feed from Ridleys that I buy from Primo. www.primo.net.au/shop/Ridley-AquaFeed/marine-float-range Supplementing their feed with home grown is OK as well. I'm looking at doing meal worms & cricks for ours once I get a few other jobbies sorted out here. Cheers.

[@DadePomsouvan]

Thank you for converting the Metric system to the Imperial system so we American can understand it. By the way, what kind of fish are those?

[@RobsAquaponics]

I think I showed both the Silver & Jade perch in this clip Dade. The Jades are the ones with the black patches on their skin. 👍 Cheers & have a top one mate.

[@RomskieL]

Good day Rob! First of all, I would like to thank you for your very informative video! I am just wondering if it would be the same formula if I will use Deep Water Culture(DWC) ?

[@RobsAquaponics]

Hi & Thanks Romskie. You would need a stand alone biofilter to process the waste from the fish if you're not using media beds. The amount needed will vary between different types, the amount of food that needs to be processed & the climate you're growing in. 👍 Cheers.

[@OneMansWorld]

Thanks rob Yet another great vid mate really useful clip for me as I am about to add some jades to the system and did not know how many to add Can’t wait for your next clip great work

[@AbhishekVerma13]

Thanks for making a nice video. I am a newbie and have a question, possibly a silly one. How much time fish take to make this water dirty and ready to circulate to plants and What is a cycle of fish water take out and same water back in. Also once water taken out , is it filled in beds and then drain out straight to fish tank? I saw few of your old videos on how to make a system and I understood that once water fill in plant bed , and once bell siphon kics in , all water will drain out back to fish tank. is that good enough for water to get celan.

[@RobsAquaponics]

The fish are releasing ammonia all the time so there will always be a very small amount of it in the system. I have measured the ammonia levels 30 minutes after feeding & have found only trace amounts in there so as long as the media beds are sized right it will be converted very quickly. Hope that helps some.

[@davidharding8328]

I'm having trouble keeping my water temp from plunging 23c to 11c. The problem is that my grow beds and float beds are in the green house which stays cooler in these cooler months. I do not have enough power available to heat each bed. Any suggestions?

[@peterdraper4987]

Hi Rob... Big question after watching this clip. I had a bunch of 5mm-8mm rounded river gravel available which I used in my gravel bed. Have I buggered up??

[@RobsAquaponics]

Hey again Peter. Being lazy & going to cut & paste my reply from the email if you don't mind. 😉 I've seen folks use the finer rock/pebbles & it will still do the job of converting ammonia through to nitrate + give the roots something to hold on to. It can cause slight flow issues & also collect more solids than the larger stone though. Might just be a case of keeping an eye on it to see how it goes. Cheers mate. "

[@Chris-ji4iu]

Rob - great videos, thank you!

[@RobsAquaponics]

Hope they give you a few useful ideas to play with Chris. Cheers & happy growing 🌱🌱

[@ferdinandpe4528]

I like fish... 😉

[@RobsAquaponics]

🐟🐟

[@Henrythegreat115]

Very knowledgeable and prominent presentation always from you. :-) Thank you.

[@RobsAquaponics]

Cheers Henry. Have a top one. 👍

[@bencain4093]

You rock. All of your videos have been such a help. Thank you so much!

[@RobsAquaponics]

Glad you like them Benjamin & hope they've helped you come up with some useful ideas mate. Cheers.

[@user-mx9xy9yb2y]

استمر يامبدع

[@RobsAquaponics]

Cheers. 🙂👍

[@usvplaylist8758]

Hi just subscribed today, how do you get these filter bacteria in your growth beds? Are they the result of those rocks you mention in the vid?

[@RobsAquaponics]

Sorry I missed this & thanks👍 for the sub. The bacteria are in the air all around us so it's a case of build it & they will come. Cheers & have a top one.

[@aj6187]

If i want to use a raft system, and not wet media, how will i now know how much fish im supposed to have?

[@randomguider6555]

Thank you for this information, would you kindly tell me the 100g of feed im supposed to give the fishies should it be at once or in 3 times during the day?(morning-noon-night) and the fish i'm putting in, you said that 12 fish but what are their masses? do you put them as babies? or as full grown up when you said the biofilter can cleanse that much. And the thing im most confused about is how many plants should i put in the growbed?

[@RobsAquaponics]

It's best to check with the hatchery where you got the fish for feeding rates at different stages of growth. 👍 1 fish you want to grow out to 500G/1lb from fingerling size per 25L of water is what I mentioned in the clip & still stand by that. As for plants per bed, that can vary depending on feed rates, types of plats as well as who you ask online. 😉 I stick to the 60-100G of feed per 1m² for fruiting plants & between 15-30g per 1m² for greens & herbs. Hope that helps some.

[@GautamKumar-sb7qg]

Can i grow in rainy season openly on terrace without shade?

[@simonac688.]

exellent description...did sub and liked...:)

[@RobsAquaponics]

Cheers Beez.

[@GrowingDreams]

How many plants can you put in a grow bed? I know it probably depends on the size of the plant. But for example, how many heads of lettuce could you grow in the bed you used in this example?

[@RobsAquaponics]

I would plant them out at the recommended density Laura. I've seen smaller varieties planted out at 24+ in a 1 X 1M² IBC style bed. Larger varieties may need a bit more room so the density will drop a bit. Hope that helps.

[@spetersen3308]

Rob, I'm building a second system and need some help. I will be using 2 ibcs for 60 fish and 2 55gal drums one for a moving bio filter and the other for a filter. System consists of a 15 dutch buckets

[@spetersen3308]

My first was/is a nft system with iavs

[@RobsAquaponics]

Haven't had much experience with Dutch buckets in aquaponics sorry. I'd say that you'll have WAY more nitrates than you need for 15 buckets with 60 fish so it might pay for you to scale back the fish side or add in some extra beds. Hope that helps some.

[@abecoulter18]

So 12 fish for on IBC bed. What breed of fish. I. In the south island NZ and planning to grow in my garage. Would I need to heat as well?

[@RobsAquaponics]

It is based on biomass more than anything as the feed rates & therefore the amount of food/protein used to feed the fish is calculated on their total weight. So that makes it 12 x 500g fish or 6kg of biomass if that helps you any Abe. Most folks grow table fish so that's what the rule of thumb is based around. Hope that helps. 👍

[@torjones1701]

Good video, but a bit complex... I forget which university came up with it, but it was one of the big agri-uni's here in the USA that figured out that you can have as many fish in a system as will eat 60-100g of food in 2 minutes per square meter of grow bed. and that 60-100g of food is a daily amount, so if you half it and feed twice a day, you need to take that into account as well. Thinking of things in this way makes it easier to plan your grow beds.

[@RobsAquaponics]

Hi mate. What depth are they talking about when it comes to the media as that with have a huge impact on the amount of BSA for the bacteria to colonise. Have seen folks say use m² as well but then give no account for the depth & total volume which most likely will cause issues if there's not enough media volume. I dare say they are doing fairly much the same as I mentioned here after doing the feed rate calculation on the bed I covered in this clip. I'm just making folks work it out for themselves to hopefully give them a better understanding. 😉 Cheers.

[@torjones1701]

For the "How Many Fish" question, the volume is far less important than the area. Most of the time, as long as you've got the area, you're going to have sufficient volume. I mean, you can't do a 4" deep bed, but anything from about 6" to 18" is going to be fine. I'm all for making people figure stuff out, within reason of course, but I also figure that when a PHD college professor says "Yeah, that's too complicated, use this simple formula instead" that's likely the better way to go... :)

[@RobsAquaponics]

It's the media & it's total volume that provides the BSA for the bacteria to process the waste. 4" of grow bed will have a lot less bio filtration than a 12" deep one. I think you'll find folks like Dr Leonard Wilson recommends surface area to feed ratios but also stipulates the depth of the bed in his explanation. www.aquaponic.com.au/calculators.htm Cheers.

[@torjones1701]

I'll definitely be looking at that tool later, but I think that the point that the guy I was listening was making was that as long as your beds aren't too shallow, they will naturally provide enough volume for the bacterial colonies to do their thing and convert the fish byproducts into plant nutrients. IIRC, anything over about 8" (6" of cycled media with a 2" cap to prevent algae and mosquitoes) is going to provide all the volume you need. More isn't going to hurt anything, and can be useful in some situations, but the minimum filtration necessary was hit at about that 8" depth. Of course, there are plenty of other things that can be done to improve the system's filtration, from fluidized media to just a tub full of green scratchies and sponges. but if you have the 60-100g of food per day per sq.m. of growing area, you'll naturally have enough volume due to needing enough depth for roots to grow. You'll never go deeper than that because growing media is expensive. You can't go shallower than that because the plants need that depth for their roots. Makes total volume a non-consideration, only thing that matters is the area and how much you're feeding your fish each day which is what determines their output. Input determines output which determines bed volume, but depth is determined by the realities of the plants, so area is what is determined by that output value. May the Force be with you, always. :)

[@RobsAquaponics]

I'm not trying to be a picky dick but comments like "you can have as many fish in a system as will eat 60-100g of food in 2 minutes per square meter of grow bed" is one reason some systems fail. As you said in the last comment "anything over about 8" (6" of cycled media with a 2" cap to prevent algae and mosquitoes) is going to provide all the volume you need." which is the bit some folks will leave out when talking to new comers. You need enough biological surface area for the bacteria to colonise to act as a biofilter, so that 60-100g of feed worth of TAN can be processed. If not it is quite likely you will run into problems down the line. The 1 fish per 25L of wet media rule of thumb is tried & true one that allows for stuff ups that's why I have recommended it in this clip. Some beginners have no knowledge other than what they watch on KZbin & I'd rather them have a positive experience with aquaponics & not end up with a bumper crop of fish emulsion for the lawn. By laying it out in steps & explaining the reason behind the calculations will help deepen their understanding in how the aquaponic ecosystem works. May the schwartz be with you. 😃😉

[@RoshanSingh-pg3ho]

Welcome to Nepal.

[@RobsAquaponics]

Cheers Roshan. Hope the clips help some. Rob. 👍

[@RoshanSingh-pg3ho]

@@RobsAquaponics I am also doing aquaponics how can I send my setup design to you personally .

[@RobsAquaponics]

@@RoshanSingh-pg3ho I'm sorry but I've had to stop taking plans from folks. I'm busy trying to set up my KZbin & web pages so it can make enough money so I can continue to do this full time. I do have an option on SubscribeStar where I will help folks in a 45 minute hangout if that is something you'd think about doing. Keep in mind, I don't do commercial aquaponics systems. 😉www.subscribestar.com/RobBob At some point in the future I will be hosting this service on the new website. Cheers

[@vwbeetle5578]

Great video! You have made it simple to understand. Greetings from zambia.

[@arifulhaque631]

Rob which system is best of aquaponic media based or dwc of the backyard?

[@RobsAquaponics]

Both work well but extra filtration is needed tor deep water culture beds. Not on'y biological but also solids to help the roots & base of the bed stay clean. Cheers.

[@arnolddelacruz7822]

Hello again Rob i’ve been following your videos via youtube which are all informative. Quick question, suppose i have 1 grow bed and a raft bed, how to compute (in simple term) the number of fish with for example 10 gallons in fish tank? Thanks

[@RobsAquaponics]

Hey Arnold. I'd still base the amount of fish on the amount of media in the grow bed as laid out in this clip. 👍 Cheers mate.

[@arnolddelacruz7822]

Hey Rob can you please give example? Thanks in advance