Troubleshooting Your Aquaponics System

Missteps in the garden should be expected regardless of whether you’re growing in soil or hydroponics. In aquaponics, those missteps become a little bit scarier. As a grower, you’ll do everything you can to ensure a fruitful harvest of fish and veggies, but like most things, this comes down to the basics. One often overlooked aquaponics basic is water circulation. 

In today’s newsletter, we will talk about why proper circulation is so important and how to troubleshoot circulation problems as they pop up. Let’s dive in. 

Water circulation in aquaponics is non-negotiable. 

Circulating your water distributes oxygen, nutrient and beneficial bacteria through your system to ensure your fish and plants get enough of all that good stuff.

More than that, water circulation prevents the build-up of nitrates and ammonia, two things that can kill your fish and ruin the veggies you’ve worked so hard to grow.

Now that you understand why water circulation is so important, let’s talk about a few common reasons your system might not be getting the job done correctly.

The first is when filters and/or plumbing become clogged, which can happen as algae and fish waste build up in your system. 

The second is when your water pump is not powerful enough to do the job. This happens either because your pump is positioned incorrectly or is too small for your tank. 

Luckily for you, each of these problems comes with a fix. 

If your system is clogged, it needs to be cleaned. 

We recommend checking that your pumps and plumbing are properly connected daily and cleaning your system every 3-4 weeks. It’s worth noting that the number of plants and fish you have will impact how often your system should be cleaned. 

If you’d like more information on properly cleaning your system, see the video at the end of this newsletter for our step-by-step tutorial. If you’re local to Perth, book your ticket to our next beginners aquaponics course so we can demonstrate the process in person.

At just $72 a ticket, we’ll teach you how to set up your first aquaponics system from start to finish and how to maintain it as well. Over two hours, we’ll guide you through water quality, fish selection and more. We’ll leave the link below, so secure your spot before places sell out. 

If your system is clean but water circulation still poses an issue for you, it’s likely that your pump is too small or has been positioned incorrectly. 

When installing your pump, read the manufacturer’s instructions carefully to ensure your pump is placed correctly and will work efficiently. 

To ensure your system cycles appropriately, you’ll want to recirculate the water through your system twice every hour. That means you’ll need to look for a pump with a flow rate that is at least double the literage of your tank. 

For example, if you have a 525L tank, you’ll need a pump with a flow rate of at least 1050Lph. 

With these basics in tow, your system should be circulating water like a dream, and your plants and fish will be happier, bigger and more flavourful as a result. 

If you have questions about water quality, circulation, setting up or maintaining your aquaponics system, give us a call at 1800 640 222 so our friendly team can help you. 

As always, thank you for tuning in to another edition of our newsletter and for the first time this year, happy growing!

We often write our monthly newsletter blast around our wonderful hydroponic customers. This month, we’re switching it up with a newsletter tailored for growers using aquaponics. If you’re a beginner, it gets even better because this month, we’re taking it back to basics by discussing the ins and outs of water circulation. 

We’re talking about why it’s important, what might go wrong, and how to fix it. Subscribe now so you don’t miss out. Link in bio.