Aquaponics for filtering.

[skynoch]

Is anyone using aquaponics or plants for filtering in there tanks?
I'm just starting to look at doing some aquaponics and alagae scrubbers to see how much it will help and was hoping to get some input from others

 

[hondas3000]

I was doing research in it as well as hydroponics, since i want to get the max out of water quality and low cost filter and with hydroponics I can get veggie out of it as well. I just not sure how good it filter the water as most of the video and online research they seem to focus on plant more then fish and we are opposite . But yeah it is another project for me this summer as well and I will be using lava rock or with sponge and a drip system.

 

[bcarlos]

I've played around with it a little bit. I've always had a bit of a green thumb, and I've been using my tank water to water my plants for years with great success. I had a nice big Pothos growing in my ray sump (it was actually Chen who pointed me to an MFK article on the aquaponic value of Pothos), but I was finding the increased light needed for the ivy was actually causing an algae bloom in my pond.

I have thought about growing some leafy greens and zuchini using a standard stacked tank aquaponic set up, especially since I feed alot of my plecos with these same foods. I guess I'm just lazy as I've never got around to it lol

If you're really interested in it, Scott, there's a guy on GTAAquaria who's right into it. Forget his name, but search aquaponics and you'll see a slew of his threads pop up.

 

[Joey]

I found it took more work/time and more equipment then a simply water change.

We need top much of everything to house rays and arowana.

 

[skynoch]

I've read a few people who use the pothos and have had some success. I do think it will be alot more work than just water changes but I think it may provide me with a little bit of a new hobby and may also be more benificial than just waterchanges. Does anybody know if plants will remove heavy metals from water?
Thanks for the inputs and I'll check out gta aquaira, I've also looked at backyard aquapoincs for ideas.