Duckponics
Here’s something you might not have considered. Duckponics. It may not be for everyone, but if you keep ducks and you want to do aquaponics without fish then perhaps you might consider this interesting alternative.
Aleece Landis better know as TCLynx on various aquaponics forums apart from running fish and vegetable systems decided to apply her knowledge of aquaponics to cleaning the water for her growing menagerie of chickens and ducks by running the fowled water in her “duck pond” through her gravel growbeds and raise a few plants at the same time.
The ducks also get a bonus. They can nibble the leaves through the netting that surrounds each grow-bed.
Aleece shows you her system in this short You Tube video.
The idea of using the manure from ducks to water the vegetable garden isn’t new. If you look at how Permaculture people use the same concept to run duck nutrients to their fruit trees and even their vegetable gardens, you’ll see that running water through a tap system downhill can be just as effective.
However, you will need to replenish the duck pond every time and if water is scarce on your land then you might need to consider a small low energy pond pump to recirculate the duck water.
Certainly the water in Aleece’s galvanized duck pond was sparkling clean and fresh looking.
Thanks for pulling together this clip highlighting TC’s ducks, Frank! I’ve posted it on my Facebook Page and the Aquaponic Gardening Community site. You ‘da best!