Demo Aquaponics Built For 2013 Maui Body and Soil Conferences at Home

(I previously thought I lost this post and published a shorter version. Well, blogger did save it and here it is.)

After working in short bursts, utilizing almost all left over material, with my brother Randy's help. I then proceeded to work from Midnight to 4:30am to finish my, I'm thinking hybrid, demo Aquarium Aquaponics to display at the 2013 Maui Body and Soil Farm-Health Conference held at the Maui Tropical Plantations, April 11th to 13th.

With just enough time to load the Aquarium Aquaponics and all the internet modem & router (mahalo AKAKU), two away radios, (Mahalo Vision Enterprises) and projection equipment with screen, squeeze in a shower and be on-site with all the other volunteers. I did manage to have it run successfully for 3 days and nights at the event.

I managed to get 10 Tilapia of various breeds and junior sized, so as not to eat my 10 various colored goldfish carp in the aquarium. Planted Taro, Royal Oak Lettuce, Beets, Stir Fry Greens, Chinese Cabbage "Won Bok", with yellow Marigold and violet Torenia for color.

The hybrid Aquarium Aquaponics was basically a planter I drilled 6 small weep holes in the bottom, a layer of Ricky Apana and Vince Mina's (IMO) Indigenous Micro Organism infused BioChar to hold water and then a bio-active layer of cider from my mature grow beds with plenty of worms populating it and an over all main overflow, in case holes plug or I the water flow was too much.

All run with a air driven water pump from a ECO AIR 2 air pump. Specs: 4.5 liters per minute, 1.7 pressure, 4 watts energy moving the water. Some tricky air/water pumping adapted from Glenn Martinez of Olomana Gardens and past State President of the Hawaii Farmers Union United, (he passed the baton to Vincent Mina as the new acting, then officially elected State President of HFUU and member of the Maui Farmers Union United.

The 2013 Maui Body and Soil Farm Health Conference was a big hit and my Aquarium Aquaponics is still running at home on top of my Jacuzzi Aquaponics system. Minus one Tilapia, travel shock I think and unfortunately all the goldfish koi. Apparently the Tilapia thought they were there for dinner, their dinner. At least the Tilapia had the courtesy to wait until after the event to feast.