Dutch Bucket Aquaponics

Dutch Bucket Aquaponics/Hydroponics is a great concept for two reasons/purposes:
#1: For containing the roots of individual plants, especially for larger plants.  First, we know that a lot of plants' roots like to grow crazy due to how Aquaponics works with the ready flow of saturated nutrients. Second, because of that ready flow of saturated nutrients, larger plants and even small trees can grow in a container smaller than they might require if they were planted in open ground or a larger container of soil.
#2: For serious conservation and control of water, and preventing as much evaporation as possible, which very much appeals to me, as I plan my next and permanent system to be in the desert with limited water available.

Rather than explain, I will just post a youtube video or two.
This is for a Hydroponic system, but it should also work with an Aquaponic system. I especially like that he kept the lids on the buckets and cut holes for the plants, which for me would further reduce evaporation:

I have a standard KOY pond in my back yard, with many gold fish as my aquaponic system.
I use a modified Earthbox system for growing my veggies.
I say modified, because I use the water reservoir at the bottom of each box as my pond filter.
Each box then becomes a wicking box.  Water and filter on the bottom, then a plastic divider, then landscape fabric,
then a mixture of coir, soil, worm castings, and charcoal, then a 6 mil plastic cover.
I will attempt to add some photos of the system.
I use a 3200 galph Harbor Freight pond fountain pump, circulating H2O 24./7 through the growbox filters.

Things I have found:
Algae is Your biggest challenge, especially if Your system is out doors.
It will clog Your supply hoses.  I use compressed air to blow my system monthly.

I have found that I have to supplement my soil with fertilizer the same way Earthbox recommends.
I have found that I get better and more consistent veggies.

Roots will become a problem once the plants get a certain size.  The roots grow and clog the drain port.

Joe, I followed MHPGardener's youyube channel regularly. Ton's of good information. But after a couple of political videos during the presidential campaign he vanished. I've been doing some dutch buckets with hydroponic nutrient but have been contemplating doing another bucket system using aquaponics. I'll attach pics when I get the system finished. My system utilizes gravity feed nutrient with bottom wicking instead of  pump feed. Got the idea from Brent      He started out with wicking buckets but switched to pump feed later. I like my wicking system just fine.

Jeffrey Sullivan wrote:Joe, I followed MHPGardener's youyube channel regularly. Ton's of good information. But after a couple of political videos during the presidential campaign he vanished. I've been doing some dutch buckets with hydroponic nutrient but have been contemplating doing another bucket system using aquaponics. I'll attach pics when I get the system finished. My system utilizes gravity feed nutrient with bottom wicking instead of  pump feed. Got the idea from Brent    

 He started out with wicking buckets but switched to pump feed later. I like my wicking system just fine.

Hi Jeff any updates or pics to share?

I'm with you on the wicking. I had 60 buckets this year but I'm going to cut back  to about 40 next year to allow more room for some plants. Learned a lesson too on planting bell peppers and banana type peppers close together, you get some long bell peppers I think from cross pollinating. Check out the video of my bucket system on my Facebook page  Fish House Gardening.