Aquaponicals (Black)

Is it perfect, no. No system is. BUT with these modifications, it's perfect for me. I added LED lights to the bottom of the top bin (some carving out of notches with a Dremel did the trick with cords coming up through the feeing tube). I added a heater to the bottom bin because I just think room temperature is not pleasant for fish. Then I added a betta, shrimp, snails and live plants to the middle tank. I keep a mirror handy to rile up Hairold (the betta) and a jug of pretreated water to top off the tank when the floater is getting low. I also have a plastic baggie taped to the back overflow cutout to catch any overflow if I overfill. For topping off the tank, I just add it directly to the top bin and I've gotten pretty good at knowing how much is enough. To keep the shrimp and snails out of the downflow tube, I cut a piece of pourous sponge and inserted it in the top of the tube. I did have to replace the pump after a year but other than that, it's all working like a charm. Still struggling with plants on top but it's not been a priority. I've got two plants growing there now and added a grow light for them since the tank is not by a window.

voice of dissent: This growing bed gets dirty fast, and I have all kind of mold growing on the rocks above the fish tank, cleaning off the rocks is an exercise in futility. Further those rocks should have been sieved because every other day a small one gets sucked into the bell where water goes back into the sump preventing water flow. Every plant I have put in there have died, it gets over watered for sure. adding water to the tank in the sump is hard because it requires moving the top heavy parts off which are connected to the water tube and good luck getting that out. The fish (1 betta and one bottom feeding cory catfish seem to be doing fine) For the price this tank should have come with less growing rocks and gravel instead for the actual fish tank. The pump is pretty noisy and the tubing connected to it came bent! That means it often stops pumping water due to the pinched hose. The plastic looks pretty cheap but the set up was fine. I am concerned about needing a filter as a lot of detritus is accumulating in the tank. I haven't had any problem with algae growth, inside the fish tank, just sludge where the plants grow. One should be able to control the levels to which the water rises because unless you are growing rice there is no need to have your plants in 4 inches of water 24/7. They grow fine to a point then start to wilt. Further every time it floods and drains (which is like every 30 minutes) the rocks shift and resettle which damages the roots and stalk of the plant. So far I have killed my cilantro and my green onions. I should have stuck with the aquafarm I was just concerned about the growing space which this one has more surface area to theoretically grow more things with.P.S. I might just be getting paranoid and it is a weird coincidence, but I have mosquitos buzzing around my apt. IN JANUARY! and I fear that the frequently pooling water up top might theoretically be a breeding ground for them. I haven't seen any larvae in the fish tank, i'm sure they would like that treat, but the rocks in the growing bed would hide the suckers well!