Fish tank water? . Can I use it for teas/watering?

  • Thread starter Greenthumbsucker
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Greenthumbsucker

Greenthumbsucker

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So I was glancing and didn't see anything like this so here goes. I'm sure there's some people out there that also have a fish tank hobby. Is there anything u can do with the water and or waste? I started wondering this cause I'm starting a soil tea and was curious if I could throw some fresh water fish crap/water in there haba. I know I'v watered plants before with tank water before but I'm hesitant throwing it on my ganja.

So can I use some tank water in my tea? Or can I just water my plants with it? Does anyone understand the perimeters of avg fish tank water, mixed with weed? Thanks and sorry if this post is jumbled.
 
Moe.Red

Moe.Red

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So there is a whole thing out there called aquaponics where you use fish and plants together in a semi-closed loop. Fish feed the plants via the nitrogen cycle, plants feed the fish...

In general it is not something that is economically feasible at scale, but hobbyists do it all over.

I see no reason why fresh water fish poop would be a problem. My concerns would be PH, hardness, and not knowing exactly how much NPK the fish water is adding to your other nutrient supplementation. You will want to really watch your plants closely for any sign of stress or nute lockouts. But I have never done this, so I don't really know for sure.
 
Aqua Man

Aqua Man

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Yeah its already done... the issue with trying to use this for cannabis is that I does not contain nearly enough nutrients to support cannabis. Often total nitrogen is kept below 20ppm in a healthy tank.

The benefit would be if using a well cycled healthy tank and doing weekly water changes there is a small amount of beneficial bacteria that will be in the water. Most however is on media such as substrate, glass, decorations, plastics, filter etc.

If it healthy we'll cycled tank using it for teas or source water is not at all an issue but as a stand alone its not adequate.

I spent 20 yrs breeding fish and propagating aquatic plants for sale to pet stores and private sales before getting out. Did a few small display tanks at home just for a yr or 2 before dropping it all together.

My last small tank with some shrimp, rasbora and nerites. All the plants are live and took me about 8 month to get it all filled in. Co2 injection with a homemade co2 reactor. Built the recirculating sandfall out of PVC and Styrofoam that I coated in cement painted and sealed.... its run off a simple airstone.
 
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Aqua Man

Aqua Man

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If your going to do aquaponics you need hearty fish like tilapia that can survive in a high nitrate environment. And plants with low nutrient demands.. in a small scale microgreens are perfect... the more you feed the fish the more nutrients in the water so you basically just adjust the nutrients with fish food based on testing nitrates. There should not be ammonia or nitrite present I these systems or you have a problem with you bacteria.
 
Moe.Red

Moe.Red

5,044
313
Yeah its already done... the issue with trying to use this for cannabis is that I does not contain nearly enough nutrients to support cannabis. Often total nitrogen is kept below 20ppm in a healthy tank.

The benefit would be if using a well cycled healthy tank and doing weekly water changes there is a small amount of beneficial bacteria that will be in the water. Most however is on media such as substrate, glass, decorations, plastics, filter etc.

If it healthy we'll cycled tank using it for teas or source water is not at all an issue but as a stand alone its not adequate.

I spent 20 yrs breeding fish and propagating aquatic plants for sale to pet stores and private sales before getting out. Did a few small display tanks at home just for a yr or 2 before dropping it all together.

My last small tank with some shrimp, rasbora and nerites. All the plants are live and took me about 8 month to get it all filled in. Co2 injection with a homemade co2 reactor. Built the recirculating sandfall out of PVC and Styrofoam that I coated in cement painted and sealed.... its run off a simple airstone.
That sand waterfall is so bad ass
 
Moe.Red

Moe.Red

5,044
313
If your going to do aquaponics you need hearty fish like tilapia that can survive in a high nitrate environment. And plants with low nutrient demands.. in a small scale microgreens are perfect... the more you feed the fish the more nutrients in the water so you basically just adjust the nutrients with fish food based on testing nitrates. There should not be ammonia or nitrite present I these systems or you have a problem with you bacteria.
From what I have read you still need to feed the fish because the inputs and outputs do not balance. In that system the plants are the filters taking up heavy metals and such that are in cheap fish food. Fish get a lot too. Don’t eat too much Chinese tilapia.

If you have heavy metals or other contaminants in your food / system it will get in your weed. Doubtful but worth mentioning
 
Aqua Man

Aqua Man

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That sand waterfall is so bad ass
I was happy with it. Very easy to do... like very very easy. Growing out that carpet of dwarf hair grass and dealing with the finicky Alternanthera Reineckii (red plants) was the longest part. The Christmas moss I used for the tree was another thing I was pretty pleased with. Just glued some sponge to the wood and then tied the moss to until it took hold. After that just a whole lot of weekly trimming lol... ever cut your lawn with scissors? Lol that what it felt like. About 2 solid hrs a week trimming alone lol.
 
Aqua Man

Aqua Man

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638
From what I have read you still need to feed the fish because the inputs and outputs do not balance. In that system the plants are the filters taking up heavy metals and such that are in cheap fish food. Fish get a lot too. Don’t eat too much Chinese tilapia.

If you have heavy metals or other contaminants in your food / system it will get in your weed. Doubtful but worth mentioning
I should have mentioned I made my own fish food... also cheap af and much healthier... it makes a really difference in colorful fish. Like not a little but massive in how much they pop.
 
Ghosttrainx

Ghosttrainx

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Smelly stinky fish sauce plants in room pewww🤣😜👻🚂💯♻️🐟🐠🐟🐠🐟 in a German house for lettuce yeah not indoors where temps can cause more bad bactia and bring in the bugs so I would yes it out side on garden not inside stinking and breed bad nasty shit inside 👻🚂💯
 
Growjamaica

Growjamaica

4
3
So I was glancing and didn't see anything like this so here goes. I'm sure there's some people out there that also have a fish tank hobby. Is there anything u can do with the water and or waste? I started wondering this cause I'm starting a soil tea and was curious if I could throw some fresh water fish crap/water in there haba. I know I'v watered plants before with tank water before but I'm hesitant throwing it on my ganja.

So can I use some tank water in my tea? Or can I just water my plants with it? Does anyone understand the perimeters of avg fish tank water, mixed with weed? Thanks and sorry if this post is jumbled.
To be honest, if I had a fish tank I would probably be wondering the same thing 😂

The taste of the buds would be my first concern, however, that would probably depend on how often you use that water. Additionally, I also think that you would also need to determine the PH value as well as the amount of nutrients involved to proper assess it…Or you could just experiment with it and observe the plant closely and record your end results.
 
Aqua Man

Aqua Man

26,480
638
Smelly stinky fish sauce plants in room pewww🤣😜👻🚂💯♻️🐟🐠🐟🐠🐟 in a German house for lettuce yeah not indoors where temps can cause more bad bactia and bring in the bugs so I would yes it out side on garden not inside stinking and breed bad nasty shit inside 👻🚂💯
Only smells when not healthy... if it healthy it actually smells just like soil.
 
Aqua Man

Aqua Man

26,480
638
To be honest, if I had a fish tank I would probably be wondering the same thing 😂

The taste of the buds would be my first concern, however, that would probably depend on how often you use that water. Additionally, I also think that you would also need to determine the PH value as well as the amount of nutrients involved to proper assess it…Or you could just experiment with it and observe the plant closely and record your end results.
The ph of tanks is usually right where we like them unless African chilids that like it up around 7.5-8.5. But the soil will buffer the PH as long as the dkh (alkalinity is not to high) most fish appreciate about 4 dkh which is absolutely fine. Aquatic plants for the most part like a ph of 6-7 also
 
Ghosttrainx

Ghosttrainx

588
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If you use a carbon filter to remove smell and heavy metals and bactia so pure again if inside but out door good hard with it 👻🚂♻️
 
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