Comments on: VermiPonics

By: AG

AG — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 22:52:01 +0000

To landtrees i am in panama and am looking for a place to buy vermicompost worms right now…anysuggestions?

By: LandTrees

LandTrees — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 09:52:13 +0000

Hello Bentley,
Congratulations to your article. You have spoken out of my heart (and mind). We operate a 6000 square facility red worm farm in Panama and for some time we have been researching how to adapt a vermiculture with aquaculture and/or as a stand-a-lone vermiponics. I do have one present concern though that I have not seen addressed or have missed.

The worms produce Humus Fertilizer and Humus Liquid.
What do you have in mind to try and separate both? An accumulation of humus in your growbeds will eventually provoke to clean out the system or your media. Have you tried using a system where you only drain the liquid (humus liquid) which you feed then via the waterflow to your plants and keep the humus away from the GB’s? Maybe some system with laundry bags where underneath you collect the liquid for such purpose?

Would like to know your comments about this. Again, congratulations to all what you have shared with us here. People like you and Jim Joyner will make this a better world!

By: Cheryl Huskins

Cheryl Huskins — Thu, 19 May 2011 00:33:20 +0000

Just found this site today and sounds interesting, surprised that no one has thought of this concept before this. Possibly might be a good plan once up and running for someone handicapped or elderly . Will be watching to see what develops.

By: paul smith

paul smith — Mon, 16 May 2011 01:44:25 +0000

I take weeds from the garden, (roots, dirt and all,) and other scraps from the kitchen, then I steam them for about 20 minutes, to kill seeds and to open the plant fibers. I blend the scraps to a thick slurry and add some EM, “Essential Micro-nutrients,” to sweeten the mix and let the whole thinig sit for a week to meld. Then I feed a cup at a time.
My Question is: When feeing worms in the vermponic system, when you feed the worms while flooding the worm bed, wouldn’t you just wash the worm food out?

By: Allan Smith

Allan Smith — Fri, 13 May 2011 11:13:34 +0000

I need someone to tell me where to go …
Point me toward any PDF’s or other documentation about how to size my grow beds in comparison to the size of my volume of worms. I ordered and received 3 lbs of red wigglers and have, just this week, ordered another 5 lbs of same. What size grow bed can I nurture with that volume of worms ? I’m the proud owner of 4 300 gallon IBC totes, 4 55 gallon plastic barrels and a couple wooden box-style rectangular grow beds that I’ve just begun setting up here in the central part of northern New York, USA ( near Canada ). So as not to take up any more of your time than necessary, I’m hoping someone can point me to already-established systems / documentation.

By: J Pizzle

J Pizzle — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 20:25:37 +0000

Hey folks, good read. Just so you know, worms are no strangers to aquaponic GB’s. Many including myself use them in 12″ deep beds, twice the volume of GB to fishtank size. Worms effectively reduce the solid portion of fish waste into water soluble plant nutrients. Without them, we would have a hard time fruiting our produce. Aquaponics is great for greens and veging, but weak on flowering/fruiting. That’s where worms finish the job. Another thing to consider is ph. Fish tend to favor 8, whereas many plants tend to favor 6. No matter how I abuse my system, and note that my well water is 8.1, my AP/vermi system stays glued to neutral ph of 7, which is acceptable for both fish and plants. I am building another wing to the growhouse right now to supplement the heavy nutrient drinkers like tomatoes and ‘herbs’. This final fruiting chamber will take plants veged in aquaponics,bl but moved to a similar system without the fish for fruiting. This final stage will be ph adjusted to 6, to improve nutrient uptake, and will be fertilized with chicken and rabbit poo too rich for the survival of fish. I assume the worms, which will already be present from the AP portion of the grow, will thrive. I assume this because I have seen pictures online of redworms by the kajillions in aerated septic tanks. I’m not sure how the low ph will treat them, though. Any thoughts?

By: Greg

Greg — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 16:07:40 +0000

Maximus, I just installed some prototype GrowFrames in India using some vermiponics and aquaponics. I think it is best now described as Ecoponics…when you have an entire ecosystem. Some worms to feed the fish, fish waste with gravel bed producing nitrogen as well as the worms adding their castings to the mix. I even make floating fly traps on the fish tank to help feed the fish for free. Check out Ecoponics Wave GrowFrame on Facebook to see more.

My thought for you is that the temps in the summer are similar to the temps in India I was challenged by (not to mention a cold winter). My GrowFrame concept doesn’t use any electricity, which is important in my mind in conditions where power can be hit or miss. Don’t know about Egypt. Water temps are something to be concerned about. I’m having to put tanks into the ground so as to use the earth’s natural cooling to help keep water temps at a point where you won’t cook the worms.

By: maximus

maximus — Sat, 08 Jan 2011 05:08:32 +0000

I will start an aquaponic pilot project in egypt in a desert area where there is no soil, but luckely available water.
The profitability of raising fish is marginal and the main gain will be growing veggies, so I would like to try vermiponics as well. Because we will be in an hotel premesis we can get veggies left over from the kitchen for free and we could then fully recycling it. I understand this is not the same as soy protein meal, but I rather go for a low cost solution. Additionally it is my intention to discharge the sludge from the fish solid settling tank into the same vermi tank. The tank will use a flood and drain cycle (can you suggest the dry and wet period, since we have in summer 42C°, 107F°).
Now in aquaponic the fish grow bed area is quite well documented But I have no idea on how big the vermi tanks need to be and how mush feed needs to be provided for let say 10m2 grow bed. Can you help out ?

Cheers

Maximus

By: Cianoy

Cianoy — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 13:37:15 +0000

I’ve been wondering if vermicast can be used as a nutrient substitute for hydroponic plants. I found this site again (like when I was looking for mushrooms growing in worm bins).

Anyway, I’m thinking of just spraying the worm bin with water then allow the leachate to flow into the hydroponic reservoir (I’m not sure what it’s called). I keep thinking the worms might catch a cold if I submerge them several times a day in water.

By: Roger Pilon

Roger Pilon — Sun, 12 Sep 2010 23:39:17 +0000

One angle that we should not forget is the third world one. Aquaponics is one key element to solve hunger worldwide BUT with one Achilles heel. In Africa for example, what would hungry people lacking protein, do with the fishmeal? Eat it to survive or give it to fish? The idea to use worms in certain aquaponics systems rather than fish is just simply fantastic! Feed the world with worms and aquaponics! Eh Eh Eh! Why not!

Roger Pilon, Editor
Hydroponics Aquaponics Monster Directoy