Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

WOW, what a GREAT Site! I would have had a system ( or 2 or 3 ) up and running a long time ago if I knew about this place sooner! Lots of great information, good JOB!

Been looking around this site for a few days but cannot seem to find anything that exactly fits my current situation so I thought I would make my first post.

I live in NE PA and we are snowed in right now. I currently have no good place to set up a bucket / barrel / bin type of system (that will come in the spring). So, for now I have no choice but to use part of some formal living area then, right?

I have kept tropical and native fish for as long as I can remember and I am ready to take it to the next level.

Rightfully so, my wife has some concerns but after I explained that this set up would be esthetically pleasing, financially benign, and Leak Free, she has cautiously agreed to let me have a go at it.

Now I need to figure out how to make all of that happen and I could use your help, experience, and expertise on this.

I have two different systems that I am planning:

System #1:
Formal Living Room, 30Gal undrilled aquarium w/ African Cichlids. I am trying to figure out how to make this esthetically pleasing, functional, and as close to leak/overflow proof as possible. (See picture)

System #2:
Far less formal living area, 7 – 10Gal undrilled aquariums, future home for breeding tropical Swordtails. Esthetics is less important but noise and leaks/overflows are a major concern. This will be on the second story so if there any major leaks, both the fish and I will be out in the snow! I wish to gang all 7 tanks together to form 1 loop.

Any design ideas?

Thanks!

Hi T,
Welcome. And the Pennsylvania AP Contingent continues to grow. I'm SW of Philly, and Dave Donley is 2 hours west of me. There's someone else closer to you, but I can't remember who it is because he hasn't posted recently.

My system is a tub system, but is reasonably aesthetic IMHO. http://backyardaquaponics.com/forum/vie ... &start=195
has a pic of the overall system.

We were designing a system for an undrilled aquarium here lately. Let me go searching...

OK, go here
http://backyardaquaponics.com/forum/vie ... c&start=15

He wanted the aquarium above the growbeds so he could see his turtles better. The second diagram does not require drilling. Contemplate that for a bit, and we'll see what other members have to suggest.

I like that design, might have to rethink the 7-10gal idea. I still would like to do SOMETHING with the 30Gal though

Today I'm starting to build the vertical tube system I described Here and leaks are a major concern for me too, as are aesthetics since it's going into my garden room (basically a living room with lots of big windows and a hardwood floor). I'm going to look for a plastic tray to fit under the tank, which would catch any minor leaks and keep the floor dry. Then I'm going to make an automatic shut-off system for the pump so that as soon as any water reaches the tray it shuts the pump off and sounds an alarm. I'll post a schematic of the auto shut-off once I have it working.

I was thinking about a vertical system but with ceiling height of only 7.5ft and having the tank on a solid (non-window) wall, I'm not sure it would work. There would not be enough side light so a grow light would be needed. Then I would have to shorten the grow tubes and fear the media would be inadequate for the bacteria. Or maybe I am just over thinking all of this! Time to get off the bench and in the game! Heading out today to look for hardware.

Hi T:
I was reading about reef tank weirs the other day - maybe something like this will work for you.

http://www.melevsreef.com/allmysumps.html

Funny, I was looking at that too! As a matter of fact, I have already ordered the IPS Weld On #3 Acrylic Solvent ( cannot get it local ). When I get some weir overflows up and running, I'll post some pics!

Hi tnowacoski and welcome from downunder....



We love an optomist and someone with a sense of humour on this forum LOL

For the formal living room, I say take a minimalist approach.

Put a UGF (I think that it stands for Underwater Gravel Filter) in your aquarium combined with a cup in a beautifully decorated raft. Pick a few of your wife's favorite herbs and grow them.

Advantages: No leak possible due to AP setup. Next to no cost. Development of proof of concept and ... marketing.

You can have a lot of fun with this and learn too.

Later you can expand with a beautifull small container placed on top of the aquarium or above it on a shelf. This will be used to do continuous flow.

You place your pump water inlet high enough in the aquarium so that if the container water outlet gets plugged or, God forbids, leaks, the pomp will run out of water. That way you might lose the pomp but the damage to the house will be limited (limited leak) or non existent (outlet plugged but water still contained).

Placing the pot directly over the aquarium reduces the risks. So does having multiple container water outlets I do both with my flood and drain setup and that safety feature has been used many times.

I suggest that you don't do flood and drain in your living room until you are confident that you have a sound design. I only need to look at my autosiphon for it to stop working... ok not look, fiddle with it... but isn't it what we always do?

I hope this helps.

RupertofOZ, Thanks!

Well, it was at least a deal closer with the boss. Hopefully scope creep will not be too obvious until we past the point of no return.

Thats the way!

Hmmm, a tricky Auto Siphon, new set up, first attempt, and a formal living room..... sounds sane to me!

Julien, Thanks, thought about that too ( already have the UGF ) but didn't want to block the light to the fish. Plus these Cichlids will eat all of the roots of the plant and anything else that unknowingly enters the tank. Might have to rethink ( been doing that a lot lately ) the Living room tank. Either use the idea of planters above or maybe a refugium underneath.

Think I might concentrate on the other system where I have the freedom to "play" a little more.

Someone recently put up a post of an apartment setup where there were net pots put into a fair size PVC pipe. Can't remember the name right now.

With a bit of creativity, paint, and clear vinyl water lines I think this could be made into a resonably attractive indoor situation.

I had some ideas in this regard. The main issue with continuous flow systems is the water taking the same route to the drain. In a horizontal pipe scenario, baffles would solve this challenge.

Attached is a pic of what I mean. It would work the way the Titanic sank, but in a good way (for those up on their engineering disaster history).

The bigges issue here is constructing the baffled growbed. In a tubular system, you'd need discs (or half discs in a half-pipe scenario) sealed in the pipe. In a more planter-box looking setup, rectangular pieces inset would probably be easier to construct.

There was another post recently of organizing something similar into a Christmas tree looking spiral. Personally, I think that would look nice, but requires many more turns in piping.

Check out my set up....I am working on making the buckets more pleasing to the eye, but not bad so far. The thing I like most is that it gives you great versatility on where to put the planted portion of your system without being a leak worry (carpet, ugh!).

Anna's System