Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Ellkaybee has a sort of sequential auto-siphon set-up (from memory).
One GB at a time = less change in water level in FT.
Look in member's systems thread.

Thanks Uncle Yarra, I thought about something like that but was concerned about all GBs getting equal ammouts of amonia and all the other good stuff and that it might get dilluted as the water went from one GB to the next.
Is this not a concern?
D.

Not from what I've read here, but most people have different plants in GBs anyway - perhaps try putting the most nitrogen hungry plants in the first bed?

P.S. If can invent an indexing valve that can work with AP sludge water you'll make a motza here!

Thanks for the heads up
I might just take baby steps at first and just try to get a system up that runs.
D

Nope... an AP system is constantly recirculating... and constantly being refreshed with nutrients...

Fairdinkim?
Logic would say otherwise, so that makes things easier, I have a slightly slopping site and if I can just run one gb into the next it will save heaps on PVC and other system setup costs and simplify the hole getgo.
Hmmmm I do some more thinking.
I'm glad I started to ask questions but my setup design keeps changing.
Thanks Rupert
D.

Thanks Guys, hey Ellkaybee I hear that you have a setup that drains from gb to gb then finally to ft. I will try to find it in Members setups.
No problems with a reduction in nutrients from one to the next?
D.

Hi Cockroach,

I don't have a problem with DO as the autosyphons churn up the water returnig back to the sump. The water going to the FT is pumped back so that it splashes the surface. In my system the water gets turned over fairly often because the water is pumped continously. Others have incorperated air pumps to their systems as well.

It really depends on what you wind up building, how often you plan to pump the water, how big a system and the species of fish you keep. Trout for example require a high level of DO in the water, a smaller system will turn over the water more often then a larger one... in the words of Yul Bryner "etc..etc..etc.."

If it's possible, see if you can arange a visit with one of the other brissy APe'rs ( ) and see how their system runs, I know for me, I have to see something and how it works before I tackle it myself.

Himzo.

A bit of a "the king and I " fan hey Himzo. These sort of detail show the true character behind the avatar.

Thanks for your help so far mate. I'm pretty sure I've got it worked out, I just want to maximise it before I start to build.
D.

Hi and welcome. I've got a real hodge podge of system.....s
I tell you now that in the future, I really want to go CHIFT PIST and definitely have grow beds cleaning the water before it goes into the sump so as to keep the pump cleaning to a minimum!!!

My current big system has the main pump intake in a fish tank and the pump trap gets all gunked up, I usually clean it a couple times a week or more. It also means that all the solids have to travel through the pump before going anywhere else so they are quite blended up and a swirl filter doesn't work to separate them very well. It makes it harder to add towers or NFT troughs later.

Thanks TCLynx, Pump cleaning, another thing I didnt think about.
Another tick againt the CHIFT PIST setup.
D.

Yeah, I don't mind " the king and I", but if anybody so much as mentions "the sound of music"

Himzo.

Not quite right, I fill GBs sequentially...one fills then drains back to sump, then the next fills - 6 GBs in rotation, ...here is a summary of it

viewtopic.php?t=2014

there are others who have done cascading GBs tho

ref the nutrients...it really takes several cycles before a reduction would register...i believe in hydroponics the levels may drop on each water pass but others more knowledgeable on hydro may be able to clarify that point...I have had no probs with my levels

What suburb you from C'roach, I'm out Caboolture way if you want to have a look at mine...you'll have to remove that tie before entry tho