Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hi. I want my first aquaponic system to be a mini chift pist. I originally bought Aquaponics4you. It was very detailed with the grow bed over the fish tank and it looked like something I could do. But then I read about CHIFT PIST and decided I would rather do that. I can only find over views. I need detailed, in depth info. My fish tank is a 10" by 20" aquarium so I need to know sump pit capacity and sump pump specifications. etc. I think I can figure out the grow bed. The heights of the 3 components relative to each other I'm not real sure. Can anybody tell me where I can get this info?

Thanks. Ann

Hi Ann, welcome.... everyone is entitle to one mistake in life... thankfully you're found the forum...

And you'll get real advice... from real people... for FREE....

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Fresh By Nature - Distributor of Aquaponic Systems and Products in NSW
http://www.freshbynature.com.au

Hello Ann,

Being this is your first system and it is relatively small I would suggest you keep it simple and just add a grow bed above your aquarium and pump directly to it.

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ArBe
My Home System
My Country Backyard
My Suburban Backyard

+1

KISS

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2008-2009: Experimental, NFT
2010-2012: IBC system(s)
2012-Now : 1000L FT, 500L GB, 23/25 trout (added 27Apr. 2 jumpers)

SkyPE: wabbit.com.au

Hi Ann,

I also have set up a small test system and initially wanted to make it a CHIFT PIST system but the biggest stumbling block was the fact that I would need to cut or drill a hole into the side of the aquarium for the SLO (Solids Lift Overflow).

I used a small 5 Watt pump that was in the aquarium and pumped the water to a grow bed. The grow bed was connected to a loop siphon and would empty back into the aquarium once the water reached a certain height. I found that the force of the water draining was quite strong coming out of the siphon tube which was only 12.5mm. It created quite a current and the fish would get tired so I also had to install a timer to give them a bit of a break.

If I were to set it up again, I would not bother with a siphon and just go with a contant flood grow bed with a stand pipe and maybe put an air stone in the fish tank to keep the dissolved oxgen levels high enough. I found there was no need to use a sump and only had minimal fluctating water levels in the aquarium. (If the grow bed is contand flood with a stand pipe then the water level in the fish tank will not fluctuate). You might be reluctant to do constant flood however through my research a contant flood system works just fine as seen in the BYAP trials.

For a small system it is best to keep it as simple as possible. So I would go with pump in fish tank to a grow bed that is contant flood and draining back to the aquarium and maybe have an air stone in the aquarium.

My original small system using the aquarium was just a test and it worked very well with excellent plant growth.

You can set yours up any way you like though.

Here are the BYAP trials:

http://www.backyardaquaponics.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=51&t=8621

Ann, if you really wanted to set your system up as a CHIFT PIST then perhaps you could do something similar to this. It incorporates a water bridge and SLO so that you don't have to cut holes in your aquarium. This video will also give you an idea in regards to the scale of differnt components.

I would recommned not having gravel in the aquarium though as solids will get stuck.

Once again though as others have said it is best to keep things simple.

Thanks for the ton of info. Ann