Prototyping Aquaponics | Update 4
After getting successively cloudier, my tank transformed over night to become quite clear. The increased cloudiness was the increase in nitrate fixing bacteria, while the sudden snap to clarity indicates the rapid drop in nitrites caused by the spike in new bacteria.
We’ve now reached the “cycling completed phase” This tank has reached a relative level of self reliance, only now requiring occasional PH checks and feedings. I’m now beginning to think through my next steps for my next prototype. I’m thinking of using cardboard to get something physical in my hands without worrying about dimensions, and using my cardboard prototype’s dimensions as a frame of reference for the final plexiglass project. In addition, I’m thinking of adding in a vermicompost farm to further enrich the aquaponics water, as well as duckweed as a source of nutrients for the fish to make the need for manual feeding obsolete.