BnBob's IBC CHIFT PIST

BnBob

Thought as I am nearly there I would start a new thread on the IBC system we are setting up…
It is based on ideas we have gotten from here & the IBC download… THANKS GUYS!!!
It is a CHIFT PIST system with a 600L sump tank, 850L Fish tank & 3 x 300+L grow beds… There is room for a 4th grow bed to be added into the system at a later date.. I also want to add a few duck weed ½ barrels into the system but will need to see the beds all set up before I can see where they will fit in…
The pump we picked up to run this set up is a SenSen HQB 4500…

Tried to hook it up to see if I could use it on a :funny1:

single GB

No luck there even with the use of flow diversion back into the ST so will just have to wait…

Had some issues with the shroud around the Bell siphon lifting when I was washing out the dust from the clay balls so came up with a handy fix...

A clip of what the IBC area looks like now & where we are up to…

Thanks again for such a great forum & especially the "IBC of Aquaponics" Download... :cheers:

mantis

Good to see its on the move Bob. Should be a great setup when finished and great idea with the cap for securing the shroud , nice

mahfudz_mn

Your system looks great! Neat and tidy.

Thanks for that fix on the siphon shroud, think I'm gonna use that on my IBC project so I don't have to glue them onto the IBC. Cheers!

Zman

Looking nice, Bob what did you use to paint the IBCs? I tried a plastic spray and get blotches lol.

Delgrade

good idea with the end cap

cheers
pete

Jamey

Hey mate looking Real good!!

I done that with an endcap after having the same issue, but i didnt like the ammount of water sitting under it as you said in the IBC its fine but this was in a BYAP bed.

I done some searching and found a plumbign shop with Flat endcaps (most these days are multi sexed One male end one female end.)

I then put the Tank Bulkhead fitting right through the endcap, then the rubber washer between the Bed and the endcap then the nut and other washer underneath... No leaks and lets the bed drain fully.

But i wish i'd upgraded my home ones last time i moved as iv got one thats wiggled its way up and its near out... lucky its a CF bed no a siphon one.

BnBob

Thanks guys...

Zman wrote:

what did you use to paint the IBCs? I tried a plastic spray and get blotches lol.

Trust British paints external acrylic ?? I did, but it still scratches off :sad:

I do have "No rust" by Norglass that I could use as a primer but that would get a bit expensive as this is just a quick fix until I scrounge some timber to cover the Beds & Tanks so they are a bit more insulated...

Delgrade wrote:

then put the Tank Bulkhead fitting right through the endcap, then the rubber washer between the Bed and the endcap then the nut and other washer underneath..

I was going to do that but drilled the hole to close to the "roll" of the base IYKWIM.. It wouldn't sit flat if installed at the base of the bulkhead fitting.. The stand pipe had a bit cut out to make it sit flat due to my not thinking ahead to begin with.. Situating it high on the bulkhead connection worked out well..
:cheers:

Thanks again peoples... :cheers:

Take it easy... :mrgreen:

BnBob

Well, not much AP'ing going on but I put a shade cover up over the area...

Will be looking at getting some pipe & extra fittings so I can set up the 2 grow beds with Bell siphons & some return pipes for the sump... The stand for the beds needs to be modified as well...

mantis

Good one Rob. My shadehouse is very similar and its amazing how they bend in a storm but dont come apart eh. Great work :thumbright:

antisense

Thanks for sharing mate :thumbleft:

arbe

In one of your YouTube clips in your first post it sounded like you were having an issue with the water moving the media or something. You also mentioned that you were using 1 inch pipe. I would think that 1 inch pipe would create a lot of pressure. Have you thought about using 40mm or even 50mm pipe?

I like your shade house. Good to see it stand up to that storm. Was hardly moving, unlike that tree.

Some great work. I wish you all the best with it.

BnBob

arbe wrote:

In one of your YouTube clips in your first post it sounded like you were having an issue with the water moving the media or something.

That was to do with the shroud for the stand pipe moving/lifting & letting the clay balls get sucked out in the siphon.... All fixed now thanks... The grow beds will be filled with 1 inch pipe... Worked out they will have at maximum a 16LPM flow each so they should be able to take that.. The return to the sump will be made up of larger pipe but I still haven't gotten my head around that one yet... Need to play with some pipe me thinks...

Quick question that has probably been asked a bit on here but cant find the answer... Do the grow beds have to be all level to allow for even water distribution with a CHIFT PIST system?? If they can be different heights is there a tolerance they need to stay between ?? Taps could be used to regulate the flow as I see it but thought I would ask you knowledgeable people too :notworthy:

(BTW, where is the butt kiss emoticon?? )
Haven't seen it mentioned anywhere except for a short clip on You Tube where the chap said the beds all needed to be perfectly level, unless I misunderstood him... Time to look back through the IBC manual again :clap:

as if I needed an excuse...
Thanks again people & take it easy...

arbe

I doubt my beds are any where near level.

sifudean

HI,

I am new to Aquaponics and building a few different systems to try out the different methods of supporting the veggies. I have both a NFT (plumbing pipe with mesh pots) and a barrelponics system setup on a sump tank while I setup the tank for the fish.

The issue I have found in the barrelponic system is like you mentioned here in this thread where my expanded clay is floating as the barrels fill - once the siphon kicks in the whole mass drops down with the lowering water level but due to the barrel shape any plants placed in the media get chewed up.

Just wondering if you still have the media floating or not? I am looking at getting a heavier media for the barrel system to solve my issue.

Regards,

D.

BnBob

sifudean wrote:

Just wondering if you still have the media floating or not? I am looking at getting a heavier media for the barrel system to solve my issue.

Hi there sifudean... I found that by having about 3-5cm of balls above the "High Tide" line helps keep everything in place... They settled down after a few days as the balls absorbed some of the water which helps keep the a bit heavier...
Hop That Helps some...

Thanks arbe... The beds next to the FT will be about 5-10 cm higher than the bed on the sump tank if my calculations are right...

The yabbies are in the sump tank & the goldies from the house + the Pacific Blue eyes from the barrel in the garden have gone into the Barrel system...
Will do a proper update in a few days..
Take it easy peoples...

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