Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Ok, I started a thread before but my system has kind of started to morph so here it is now. Have a ful IBC for the fish tank, it is wrapped in plywood and painted white to keep the sun out and try keep it at a stable temperature. This then flows into a single (for now) grow bed via a SLO, draining by a syphon into a 2/3 IBC for a sump. The water gets pumped back through a 1050l hour pump running constantly. I also have a 72l min electromagnetic air pump pumping air into the fish tank.

Originally I had about 30 silver perch and 5 goldfish using the sump as a fish tank, this went really well, fully cycled no dramas, till my darling son overfed them, threw handfulls of sand, rocks and other crap in there. Not suprisingly that didnt end well. Now he is kept well out of the area unguarded, the food is locked up and the current gold fish seem to be going well. Had 10 but 2 were small enough to find the SLO so it ended badly for them as well.

All tests to date have been ph 7.6, 0, 0, 0. Either the bacterial survived (my theory as the plants are still going strong) or 8 goldfish in 1500ish litres is not quiet enough.

Looks great, how quick do the Tomatos grow?

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viewtopic.php?f=18&t=8548

Very neat looking system there pnut, what side of the house is the Gb and will it get enough winter sun for plant growth?

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Simo

My system : http://www.backyardaquaponics.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=12922

The good thing about science is that you don't have to believe in it for it to be right.

The system is only about 8-10 weeks old including the dramas from the over feeding. The tomatoes started out at about 15 cm tall so very quick growth from them, they have quite a few fruit already growing as well so pretty happy about how they are going.

The system is located on the south side of the fence but the north side of the house so winter sun should not be an issue, especially over here in western Australia.

Got a mate making a fiberglass mold for tanks 1200mm by 600mm at 350mm deep so will add some more grow beds from that soon.

Anymore photos updates of the growth of your system?

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viewtopic.php?f=18&t=8548

No updated photos as I had many issues with this system, both design and with the fish. Because I burried part of the IBC without the cage it soon caved in, requiring it to be dug back out and replaced with the cage back around it, try doing that with a GB sitting above it with 200l of pea gravel.

The next was the pump was far to small to get good flow at the high required from the sump to the fish tank leading to poor water quality. This combined with a poor batch of fish (spoke to the shop and they told me they were loosing a couple of fish a day, yet still selling) led to a empty fish tank soon enough.

I have now got it running with the sump as a 500l tank, 200l of gravel for the grow bed, The same 1050l hour pump lifting to about 300mm head height giving about 750l an hour running constantly with the gb draining via a 25mm siphon. This fills in about 6 and a half minutes and drains in about 1 and a half. I have got rid of the 72l minute air pump for now and am running a 360l hour air pump through 4 air stones, as well as a 500l hour water pump with a pop up sprimkler for extra oxygenation.

Soon enough I will be getting a second 300 - 350l grow bed on line, all plumbed up and waiting for a 3500l pump. After will be bringing the fish tank back on line with another 3500l dedicated pump draining with a SLO into a 200 blue drum full of gravel with worms inside to act as bot a solid filter and an extra bio filter. This will then drain direct to the sump. I know this isnt the most economical way of running with 2 pumps when 1 would do but this is the way it fits in the area I have to work with.

Got 20 trout in the system now and all is going good now I worked out the issues. Will try post some pictures tomorrow if I get a chance.

Hm, I likey a lot.
I think I can feel a SLO and sump coming into my system.
With the SLO is it possible to cap the bottem of SLO pipe then pepper the pipe with about 10mm holes to let water in but not smaller fish.
Is that chives you have in GB.
Awesome plant growth for such a young and DIY project.
Well done old chap.

So let me get this right.
You pump from your Sump into FT and then this flows via SLO to GB.
Does the water volume increasing in FT force the water through the SLO.
What is the height difference between the water level in the FT and the top of gravel in GB
Your advice and info would be greatly appreciated.

Yes it had chives as well as basil and rosemary, would think twice about putting basil or chives back in like that due to the roots taking over. Now have garlic and carrots growing nicely with some beetroot seeds in. Next bed will have broccoli and others in it. Might even put in a tank with a floating tray with lettuce and spinach in it. Might put the chives in that one. Never ending.

I was running it that way, wont be anymore due to space restrictions. But yes the flow into the tank pushes the water out through the SLO, either that or it would over flow. The tank level was about 300mm above the gravel. I dont think I am the best person to give advice as I am only just starting out as well.

Here are som photos of the system, does not look much different but is about to become chiftpist again, am going to lift the fish tank 100mm to get the heights correct to avoid the need for two pumps.

Also have a nice solid 260l Plastic tub that will be used as a tank for a floating raft tank.

The system seems to have settled in nicely, sometimes still get 0 - .25 amm and 0 - .25 rites readings but normally both at 0. Is this normal? Getting my new pump tomorrow, touch wood, so the other grow bed will be running this weekend. Then its just the big fish tank to go, and the floating raft tank, and then tidy the area around the system, then the shade house. Damn it never ends does it.

How long before the levels reach 0 from 0.25?

Personally I wouldn't be too worried. Sounds like your system is working very well.

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ArBe
My Home System
My Country Backyard
My Suburban Backyard

Tonight they were about .25 and 0, now they are both 0. Need to look into an electric tester for amm and nitrites as being colour blind it makes it hard to tell at the bottom end of the scale. Normally get the kids, wife or visitors to tell me the reading, cant tell when its too high so can deal with it for now.