ADMIN NOTE:
LIKE MOST THINGS IN LIFE THERE ARE SILVER LININGS TO BE FOUND.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO VISIT http://www.backyardaquaponics.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=9124 THERE MAY BE A RE-CAP OF PEOPLES FINDINGS AND REASONINGS ON THE BENEFITS OF KEEPING SOLID FISH WASES BOTH IN THE SYSTEM AND SPECIFICALLY IN THE GROWBEDS WITH THE PLANTSIn my studies, most systems setups or theories suggest "removing" solid fash waste or using it for fertilizer on soil-based plantings or composting.
From what I understand, boiled down, plants don't want fish waste, they want worm waste;
and worms don't want fish waste, they want the bacteria feeding on the fish waste.
Therefore, I would think that the fish waste solids, indirectly, are an important and integral, and in fact, key part of the system. (obviously in general, but still often discarded)
Personally, I would use some particular filter or chamber ("Waste Bacrifier"?) to keep recycling the fish waste and producing the bacteria that the worms want, with protein/particulate scrubbers/fractionators there and in one or more other parts of the system to remove fish wastes and reintroduce them back into the "Waste Bactrifier" to make the best use of the fish waste.
I have two questions:
#1: Why isn't this already a common key component of aquaponics systems? (Or have I missed something?)
#2: What would be the best filter/chamber for doing this?
- I know that especially in simple (media grow beds, etc) systems, that the fish waste incorporates into the growth media where worms feed on it, but I think there must be a more refined way to do things...
I have been toying around with a couple ideas, one being a two-stage perlite filter system, one one side acting as an anaerobic system, and on the other side, cycled with bubbler(s) for aerobic action, then through a Protein/Particulate scrubber/Fractionator to send the water to grow beds while keeping any solids which have gotten through the system back into the "Waste Bactrifier".
What I still van't keep straight in my head is: Should I first do anaerobic to feed the aerobic, or visa-versa???
Any thoughts/ideas on how nest to do this would be much appreciated...