Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hi guys. Man going to Caribe Fisheries really picked my brain! Ok for my second system, & after reading another pile of articles, I'm planning on combining the barrel ponics idea, S&S AND and an NFT system.

The idea is this:

I'd bury the 500 gallon tank I have in order to save on space & to not need a second pump. I'd build 4 growbeds, around 2' x 8' x 1'. - 3 of these beds would be supplied by a barrel ponics / toilet valve type reservoir, so I don't need a timer. Said reservoir would have an upper level which will serve as a floating raft system, as described on the Barrel ponics instructions.
The 4th growbed would have a continuous flow that would then feed the NFT & keep the fish tank aerated.


Now for my first few questions:

Will this work?

Will a 1200GPH waterfall pump work for this? I got one cheap at a garage sale!!

What's the most common PVC pipe diameter / hole size / hole spacing for an NFT system?

I plan to grow tomatoes, cucumber & other veggies with similar needs on the fill / drain growbeds, lettuce in the NFT. What plants other than lettuce can I keep in the floating raft system,

and on the continuous flow bed?

What other veggies can I grow with the tomatoes?

Thanks a bunch!!!

for what i have read, 3in-4in irrigation tubes, with 2in-3in net pots, i a real popular set up.

-df

I went to a hydro lettuce place up in the center of the island back in '02, & they had the oasis cubes with sitting directly on the tube. I just couldn't remember the dia. of the pipe. Now that I think about it, I took a bunch of photos, including some of their homemade oasis "cubing" device. Let me dig through my CD's.

Thanks!

You will of course post them up here when you find them ....

Yes we love pictures

Oh, Felix a 250mm centre to centre hole spacing is pretty much universal for hydroponic growing of lettuce, asain greens etc... that's 10" for you guys.

Cool, so my 300mm center to center for my 100mm dwv was pretty close then? pink elephant sticker for steve!

Spot on Steve for...

75/80mm pots - 250mm spacings.... 100mm pots - 300mm spacings....

2"/3" pots - 10" spacings..... 4"> - 12" spacings.....

pretty much commonsense.....

big holes, bigger pots, bigger plants > bigger spacing......

If in doubt think size of plant canopy... maybe crowd it down a little...

I think that also the strength of the pipe would be compromised if the spacing between holes was reduced

F&F and I like crowded GBs

Felix.... you are getting the jist very succinctly. I have no advice for you except that you are embarking on a great idea and unique system to your own concept of AP> There is no one formula and I believe you have struck a good compromise as I posted in your other thread. 500 gallons is a good size to start. I don't see in your stated plan where your sump is going to capture runnoff, and if so, how much. Your flood and drain grow bed volume is roughly 300 gallons, so you need to capture at least that much with one pump sytem, or risk flooding. Will your barrel ponic / toilet valve resevoir fill the grow beds? I am guessing at least 100 gallons will do the job? How many resevoirs do you intend to have feeding the grow beds? And why not just simplify and use one timer for the whole system?