Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Ah I didn't know that about nighttime... hmm. Maybe if I have a filter/pump/paddlewheel or something for nighttime.

I'm trying to get my brother to build a wind powered paddle wheel, using old fans etc

I don't having the systems turned off at night will effect the DO of the pond more so the oxygen available in the growbeds. However if you have plants in the pond itself then you may have some issues. Remember with koi they really are quite sensitive to low oxygen levels and water temperature. We had a small koi pond and the pump clogged and busted the impeller. It only took 2 days for the koi to cark it, and it was a big pond.

Ah but I won't be using koi. I want to use little natives to eat mozzie larvae.

Jaymie I had a stupid moment. Of course I could do a wind powered paddle wheel! LOL Completely didn't think about the wind... even though it's roaring outside at the moment.

true story about the DO and plants at night, though your water DO will be affected by aquatic plants, not so much the ones in the grow beds.

Although a large surface area pond has plenty of room for gas exchange, what happens is that that the top few inches have great O2 levels, and the rest become stagnant.

Thats why DO is often measured at a minium depth when enviro propeller heads test water bodies

"enviro propeller heads test water bodies"
that's me!

It a term of endearment.

My boss asked how many propeller heads i met up with in melbourne, and then asked if i had the twin blade propeller cap..........LOL

thanks Steve, love you too! I've always wanted to get one of those caps (I could run the paddle wheel off it!)

If you come up with a simple way to buy or build a wind-powered paddle - could you IM me? This has been on my "ToDo" list for a while, but I haven't seen an easy way.

David C.

I'm still trying to convince my brother that in his copious free time he should build this for me! I haven't found a design for it, but we're looking...

I think the easiest design would involve using a 'windmill' type setup with material sails rather that solid blades for asthetics. The rotary motion of the windmill drives a lateral piston which can be either attached to a water pump or to a hand bicycle pump with a big volume to push air into the system... Or better yet there are ways of using a fisher and paykel motor to make a wind generator. I'll draw some diagrams.