Backyard Aquaponics
http://byap.backyardmagazines.com/forum/

System Upgrade Tips
http://byap.backyardmagazines.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=30748		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  TysonWFoster [ Oct 28th, '19, 18:54 ]
Post subject:  System Upgrade Tips
Hi all,

So im fairly new to this whole thing so please bare with me and excuse any terms i may get wrong! Long story short, my lovely wife purchased this system from a certain place North of the river here in Perth (im sure most of you know who it would be based upon the design) and after little to no help from said place i began doing my own research online and attended a very helpful workshop here in Perth! From what i have taken on board and from the things i have read online it seems this particular setup just doesn't quite cut it in terms of a good design. My question to all of you is this.....what can i do to improve the system, i was thinking of adding a sump tank as this would allow me to introduce a SLO as i seem be be acquiring a lot of deposits on the bottom of the fish tank which the pump is struggling to remove. Again any help is greatly appreciated, had this not been a surprise and with what i know now i would have done things a lot differently and avoided a certain shop.
Tank is 1.5m x 1.5m x 60cm Pond
1.5m x 90cm x 30cm Growbed
3,600 Litres per hour Pump

Attachments:
IMG_7594.jpg
IMG_7594.jpg [ 484.27 KiB | Viewed 6337 times ]
Author:  skeggley [ Oct 28th, '19, 23:01 ]
Post subject:  Re: System Upgrade Tips
Hiya Tyson, welcome to the forum. We’re a workshop right here. ;)
For starters there’s nothing wrong with your system, it looks pretty good to me. Simple and easy to maintain.
How many fish do you have and how big are they? What kind of fish feed do you use?
If you’re getting fish poop then the fish are either too small or too few to stir it up. Or you’re feeding too much.
Improvements? We call them expansions. :headbang:
I started with a similar set up to yours, pift, and that became my hospital tank for my larger system. :shifty:
Yeah I caught the bug.
Sump tank? How much room have you got?
There have been some pretty darn good second hand systems pop up on the forum if you really do want to expand, food for thought. Maybe, for now, add a grow bed and leave the sump tank and SLO for your big system. :lol:
Author:  Brian [ Oct 29th, '19, 08:52 ]
Post subject:  Re: System Upgrade Tips
Even with a slo in a round tank I still end up with crud in the bottom. I guess it depends on what you call a "lot".

What sort of pump are you running?

As skeggley said, nothing wrong with your system, there would be plenty around running the exact same basic set up.

Sumps can add another whole level of complication, firstly it involves digging and depending on your soil and or rock this maybe a challenge.
Author:  TysonWFoster [ Oct 29th, '19, 13:28 ]
Post subject:  Re: System Upgrade Tips
Thanks for the reply’s! Currently in there I have 15 Silver Perch fingerlings still only around 5cm. I might be possibly over feeding them....I’ll take a photo of the bottom of the tank so you can see, there is a bell syphon running and I did think to angle the spray of water from it to create some circulation in the tank? There is plenty of room there for additions but perhaps I get this one as close as I can to running well before looking at expanding. The pump I’m using is a Pond One – Pondmaster Fountain Pump I believe (sold with the kit) I’m using the fountain aspect of it to add additional oxygen to the tank until my air pump arrives, again I will take a photo once I’m home to show the tank setup....thanks again guys!
Author:  Brian [ Oct 29th, '19, 18:28 ]
Post subject:  Re: System Upgrade Tips
Hard to tell looking at the web descriptions for that pump, but looks like it runs a sponge filter? And so probably won't suck up solids like a solids rated pump would.

Not the end of the world, but you will need to keep the sponge filter cleaned. And would explain why you are seeing chunky bits in the bottom of the tank.
Author:  TysonWFoster [ Oct 29th, '19, 21:48 ]
Post subject:  Re: System Upgrade Tips
You are right Brian, it is a sponge filter although i have taken the sponge out to try and get more solids up the hose. I have attached some pics of the tank to see the setup im using and a to try and show the solids that have accumulated at the bottom.

Attachments:
IMG_7611.jpg
IMG_7611.jpg [ 409.26 KiB | Viewed 6252 times ]
IMG_7613.jpg
IMG_7613.jpg [ 472.16 KiB | Viewed 6252 times ]
Author:  Brian [ Oct 30th, '19, 07:12 ]
Post subject:  Re: System Upgrade Tips
I wouldn't stress about the amount of crud you are seeing there. No tank is ever 100% free of stuff on the bottom.

Nice aeration you have there though with the siphon and fountain!
Author:  Terra [ Oct 30th, '19, 10:52 ]
Post subject:  Re: System Upgrade Tips
Ive had Silvers a couple of times they sit in the corner and dont swim around much which doesnt help to clean the tank floor

As they get bigger they will do bigger poop which your pump may or may not be able to handle

If you give your tank a slow gentle sweep with a broom every couple of days it will help a lot (Slow and gentle so you dont scare the fish )

A few Goldfish in there will help (Quarantine them first) they are pretty active and swim around a lot

A couple of Tandanas Catfish work well they are great floor sweepers i had a couple i could hand feed worms to , they would come to the surface and take the worms

Play around with your pump and return line position this can minimise crud left in the tank

The "Dirty water pumps" that can handle big solids tend to be big power uses as well (ratio of water pumped to watts)

Long term a Fish tank with a SLO then through growbeds into sump is hard to beat , pumping much cleaner water .
Page 1 of 1 All times are UTC + 8 hours
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group
https://www.phpbb.com/