Backyard Aquaponics
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Hello ive been doing some research on Aquaponics for a while and wanted to try it myself. Im interested in an IBC tote system and recently got my 330 Gallon IBC tote. I plan on cutting the top off and using that as the grow bed and for Fish i would like to use Tilapia. I'm wondering what type of Tilapia to sue and what are there benefits? Ive also been looking into what to feed them, and it looks expensive is there a cheaper way of feeding them ive heard of people feeding them Dog Food.

Hi Dagger, mate it sounds like you need to do a bit more research. If using an IBC for grow bed then cut in half and get 2 grow beds. No don't use dog food, fish need a correct diet and i wouldn't feed standard dog food to anything i was going to eat. Im in oz so don't know much about the Tilapia. Good Luck with your build.

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Yep, Dagger - use the forum search function to look up tilapia. There's plenty of yanks on here successfully growing tilapia in AP systems.

Might also help if you know what sort of tilapia you're intending to use - some are more omnivorous than others which may widen your options for feeding them however, whatever you do, dog food is designed for dogs, not fish. If the aquaculture feed hurts your budget, stock a smaller number of fish and thereby use less food.

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You definitely got some research in store for you.

First, put a bell siphon on it, and use an Uniseal. Bulk heads with o-rings sometimes leak. The video below might help you out, but again, I wouldn't use a bulk head.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4i-jZoynUs

You can buy Uniseals using the Aquaponics store below.

http://www.theaquaponicstore.com/SearchResults.asp?Search=uniseal&Submit=

I agree with chilli and kita. Use the forum search function, but just remember that tilapia are an invasive species. They could be restricted in your area, and you need to be careful where you buy them.

Sorry to not be very specific, but I bet a ton of people on here could write essays on owning your first IBC. If you have any more specific questions, I'll try to help you out.

GOOD LUCK!

Bell siphons are not needed unless you actually want to use them. Constant flood and timed flood and drain are much more bullet proof.
Bulkheads work fine if sealed with a good sealant like sikaflex
Know nothing about tilapia, but wish we could use them here

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As Mantis says, pretty easy if you follow the IBC of aquaponics guide.

http://ibcofaquaponics.com/

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Yeah I've been my research, i plan on using the Bell Siphon For Tilapia i'm pretty sure i want use the White Nile Tilapia I've heard they grow the fastest. I know they need Protein in their food above 45% but i cannot figure out if that means Crude protein? Or can i just go to a Fish Store and use that food? I also plan on hanging a Bug light over the tank so they can eat those and also feed them Duckweed. Also if i wanted the Water a cooler temperature would i paint the outside?

it's going to be hard to keep your water warm enough for tilapia year round..you'd want a reflective covering if you want to cool the tank..
purina makes aquaculture feed, and their website allows you to put in your zip for a nearby dealer... farm and tractor supply stores sometimes have fish food as well
i use three different types because i have tilapia and yellow perch... aquamax grower 500 (5D05), Aquamax Dense 4000, and aquamax sinking fry food 5D09

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Mantis, doesn't turning your pump on and off decrease the longevity of the pump? Also, the additional cost of a timer? However, I guess this would be offset by the energy costs associated with running the pump 24/7. I know that bell siphons can be a pain at times, but I learned a good amount from the process. Personally, I don't like putting sealant anywhere, and I love Uniseals. Best tip is to shave the end of the PVC pipe before trying to shove it through the Uniseal. Super simple.

Slowboat, great link.

Dagger, as Keith mentioned, aquamax is really the way to go. Also, you'll almost never need to cool the water in your tank for tilapia. In fact, you'll probably need heaters. Tilapia will go belly up in water below 60F. A good way to keep your tank warm is to add insulation around the IBC as well.
Also, you will have to keep your duckweed netted off or in another bed because your tilapia will most likely eat it all! For homemade fish food see below! I like the bug light idea, but it would make me nervous to hang it directly over the tank.

http://www.backyardaquaponics.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12077&f=2

I really urge you to look into the legality of owning and buying tilapia in Missouri. I had to pay for a stocking permit (~$80 per year) to legally buy and stock tilapia in So Cal. It is illegal in Nor Cal. The link below is the best one that I have found for state-by-state info.

http://www.tilapiafarmingathome.com/Pages/LegalIssues.aspx

Mantis, as soon as I defend the bell siphon, mine clogged today, and I've been trying to get it back to normal.

Just thought y'all would like to know.

Happens to almost everyone at some point, I think most of us have tried siphons before and maybe even still use them on occasion. I've still got my old ones and might use them when I clean out the growbeds.

I'd do completely the opposite, if you have an IBC use a tank fitting, not a uniseal...

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Earthbound, I'm sure that a tank fitting, bulk head, or uniseal would work. From what I've read, bulk heads sometimes leak or require a sealant. So, I've only used uniseals- worked every time.

Could you tell me why you're pro-tank fitting? Also, maybe this is silly, but is a tank fitting different from a bulk head? (Could you give me a link- Thanks!)

I guess I didn't give it more thought than what I've put here.

Thanks for the discussion!

On the turning on/off of the pump decreasing it's longevity... I would argue yes. Also, stopping and starting the pump you run the risk of it not restarting. A pump running 24/7 that develops a worn impellor will keep running, it will just get noisier... until you stop it, then it won't restart... I speak from experience.

Then there is also the additional cost of a timer, as you mentioned, but that's the least of your worries when incorporating one into a system. By introducing a timer you are introducing a potential fail point that doesn't need to be there... and they DO fail!

As far as energy costs are concerned, there is not much difference between the two systems at all. Most timed F&D systems run 15 min on/45 min off, and if you are working on turning over your FT volume every hour, as is recommended, then to get your FT volume through your GB's in that 15 mins you will need a pump 4x the size of that required for a siphoned F&D system, which has the whole hour to get the FT volume through the GB's.

As far as siphoned systems being "a pain at times"... or "unreliable"... "or difficult to set-up"... I've heard all these arguments before and they are fallacies. A simple, well designed/built auto-siphon, free of widgets and attachments such as "breaker tubes" and "little cup thingies on the bottom of breaker tubes"... is an incredibly reliable device. With regular preventative maintenance, which should be carried out on all set-ups, such as turning the outer gravel guard once or twice a week, they will run forever, there are no mechanical or moving parts, or electronic parts etc to fail. If a well designed/built auto siphon stops working it's either a maintenance issue or a pump failure issue, both of which would also effect a timed F&D, or CF system.

The only other things that I've seen stop an auto siphon from working correctly are:

1.) A drop in FT head pressure as the FT volume dropped due to evaporation/transpiration over an extended period (holidays). This dropped the pump output, which in turn stopped the auto-siphon from initiating, or kicking in... this temporarily turned the system into a CF system (no biggy)... until the tank was topped up again... then the siphon happily went about it's business.

2.) Someone fiddling with the flow adjustment tap to the GB... but if once your siphon flow is tuned you put a mark somewhere near the tap that indicates where it should be pointing, resetting is simple. If you don't have it marked, it's a very simple process retuning the flow. However, if preventative measures are taken to design the system so the taps aren't easily accessible to interfering hands, then it won't be an issue. The same interfering hands could also mess with Timed F&D or CF system.

..again, not the auto siphons fault... a maintenance issue.

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Bulkhead fittings for flat surfaces if you can afford them (they get pricey in the larger sizes), They have dual gaskets and I havent had one leak yet. Uniseals for curved surfaces and they can move around a bit (not always a good thing).

Edit The pipes that run through them not the uniseals themselves.