This pipe will run out of the growing tray and into the tank below.

Next, connect your pipe to the bulkheads beneath the growing media. If your bulkheads aren’t watertight after installation, use rubber cement to prevent leaks. So, follow these steps to ensure a successful setup: Install the Bulkheadsīulkheads are seals in pipes that allow you to quickly drain water from or fill water into your tank or your growing tray. Aquaponics grows to require plenty of aeration and prime water conditions for best results. This stone ensures that the air flows from the bottom of the tank up to the top, which is hugely beneficial for aquatic plants.Īfter you’ve assembled your tank and included your growing media, it’s time to set up your pipes and pumps for the best plant growth. You should add an air stone to the air pump. Doing so will oxygenate and circulate the water, making ideal fish and plants flourish.

Once filled with water, you should add the water pump inside the tank and the air pump to the outside. You can add some water to your tank at this stage of the process to get you started. Other animals may need sandier or rockier sediment. For example, shrimp usually need a substrate that helps keep the tank’s pH slightly acidic. Depending on the aquatic creatures you want to put in, you might need a different substrate. If you want, you can add a substrate to the bottom of the tank. Once you’ve decided on which tank to use, you should clean it and get ready to decorate it. The tank itself isn’t as important as what goes inside it. It can be a large store-bought fish tank or just a larger clean food container or plastic storage bin.

Modern aquaponic tank