Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

havent heard much about using sand as a liner, but if clay is cheap around there you could use compacted clay.

In relationship to each other are the fish pond and the grow bed going to be at the same level?
Do you plan on having your grow bed always flooded?
A syphon can be started by changing the fluid level of the syphoned tank.

So, from your diagram it looks like you're going to try growing tuna?

Reading through siphoning posts, it looks pretty complicated to get it rght.
I love the idea of low energy and simplicity, but maybe going with 2 pumps can get me going much faster.

tuna, yeah, hehe.

I really havent gotten to the flooding or constant flow thing. To a newbie, it seems that the flushing method would be better, but maybe a slow version. Tides go up and down in nature, but they take a while.

i have a pump but because of the slope of my distribution grid, the water only flows out the bottom half because there is too little flow, but i am going to hopefully solve this by combining both systems, so it will be a flood and drain setup in a plastic tub, which drains more water over a shorter period onto the grow bed

Hi Mark
Welcome to the site..You could always conceal pvc in bamboo to give it a great look..maybe flowing back to a Shishi Odoshi (deer scarer).

ou hit it on the head with the "virgin LDPE". The only problem with gettng PE is that if its re-cycled stuff you can't know its parentage.

Nice diagram. I'd loose the mesh filters and just use small diameter pvc tubes.........nothng worse than having to wade through your pond to remove the mesh when you find its clogged

Steve

Thanks Live. Never thought about a deer scarer.
I found this google video showing one: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid ... shi+Odoshi

Looks simple and elegent. I like it.
BTW, most everyone seems to lean toward not burying the pipes, even in a dug-down earth setup. Why is this?

Updated diagram with the deer scare.
Im back at just one pump to the plants and gravity to the fish.
Clay instead of sand or liner.
Its getting cheaper, but more labor intensive with the rocks and deer scare.

Questions: Will this be enough water flow to work?
Is there anything to timing with a pump and gravity, or you just let it run and fall? Is that the best for the plants and their oxygen?

Im liking the look better for the garden, but will it work?

BTW, another plus with this is that here in GA, we have foxes. I want to get some chickens to pick around in the garden for bugs. Fences dont always work, so this may be the ticket.
So....it's a fox scare!

it looks great, and with no objects in view in the pond, and the deer scarer, its looking like it will be very astetically pleasing, and tranquil.

Questions: Will this be enough water flow to work?

How many litres (or gallons) an hour is the pump going to be?


Is there anything to timing with a pump and gravity, or you just let it run and fall? Is that the best for the plants and their oxygen?

in continuous flow, i believe you just let it run and fall.

Wow, I reckon this will look fantastic, love the Shishi Odoshi. Rockeries and flowing water make a beautiful feature in any garden and this will produce fish and vegetables as well.

If something goes awry and you give up on aqua, just do art. YOu r drwaings are sensational!

Thanks. Just having fun.
I havent gotten to anything like measurements of water, fish, plants, flow rate.
Heck, I dont even know where to start.

Im estimating a 200-300 gallon hole for the fish. Where would that leave me for the pump size or how big the plant space needs to be?
I just want to get what will give me the best chance to keep it going.

what sort of style will you be growing your plants as? DWC (suspended in the water on rafts) What sort of plants will you be growing?