Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hello everybody, I've been an inactive member for awhile now but that is about to change. I am trying to get some fresh ideas so I can start my system. Can I get some feed back on where to buy or build easy grow beds and find system components, in the US. I have found a great place to purchase a affordable greenhouse. I just need to find out about the other components in order to determine what size house I will need. Can't wait to here what ya'll have to suggest.

tis is all of are problems, just need to find what will work...for you.

umm how big is your planned system? how many gallons of FT, and what is your LxW of the GH?

we'll get some ideas flowing your way.

-df

PS welcome back, i was inactive for awile to, its a-ok

Of what is currently available in the US, I'm becoming far more fond of rubbermade stock tanks. If you were to wade through my system thread http://backyardaquaponics.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=2640 you will see me go from using lots of pond liner to discovering that termites will eat from wood into pond liner and before they realize the difference, things could be leaking.

I've been slowly converting over to 100 gallon stock tanks for grow beds. If your fish tank or sump tank is sunk into the ground with less than say 8 inches above ground, you could simply place the stock tank grow beds on blocks and they would be a comfortable height without an extra stand being built.

I think a nice starter system could be done with a 300 gallon stock tank fish tank and 3 100 gallon stock tank grow beds. Then perhaps get a spider valve later and add 3 more 100 gallon grow beds to get a 2:1 grow bed to fish tank ratio.

A 100 gallon stock tank fish tank and a 100 gallon stock tank grow bed could make a fair fingerling tank.

Best price I found so far has generally be tractor supply for the rubbermade tanks. You might manage cheaper if you went with another brand of stock tank but I don't know if they are as sturdy. Avoid the galvanized tanks unless you can get them lined.

Other options are of course, blue barrels but they require lots of extra plumbing because they are so small and if you cut them long ways, they require extra support.

IBC's are also a good option if you can get food safe ones for a good price that are not already deteriorating from UV damage. They require cutting and protection from the sun but many have made great systems using them.

I no longer recommend lumber and liner. If you do go that route, make sure there is no easy way for termites to gain access to the lumber and treated lumber is probably a good idea as long as leaching to the system can happen anywhere.

[quote="TCLynx"]
I think a nice starter system could be done with a 300 gallon stock tank fish tank and 3 100 gallon stock tank grow beds. Then perhaps get a spider valve later and add 3 more 100 gallon grow beds to get a 2:1 grow bed to fish tank ratio.
[quote]

TC, thats my dream starter system

waited to long to add on to the last post.

how tall are the 100gal Rubbermaid stock tanks? i remember the 50gal are 12" tall with the same surface area?

darnit, i did it agin, i took to long to type in my edit.

how tall is the rubbermaid 100gals?

i found these to: www.usplastic.com/catalog/item.aspx?ite ... rchresults

they come in 50gal, 100g, 120g, 150g, 320g, 610g, and 920s

but i still like the 300gal rubbermaid...
sorry once agin for posting 3 times but i hope this helps.

-df

Found some plastic molded feed troughs made by Behlen supply co. Not sure how many gallons they are not to good at conversion tables. I think these would make great grow beds. 120" x 34" x 19" 75 lbs. I was thinking about using a 500 gal. septic tank for my fish tank. I have a friend that makes them and he has some that are seconds that I can get reasonable. I thought about setting it in the ground and have the grow beds gravity drain back to the tank.

do you happen to have a link to one on the web, are they Poly?
and un used septic tank whould work well, well depens on what its made of... but sounds like you are on your way...

maybe your friend might be intrusted in making custom grow beds for you? and us??? plz??? lol but i do think there would be some money in it, but it would compete with rubbermaid poly stock tanks....il stop talking now ...

-df

Those look really nice. The Behlen website says the 120' holds 20 cu ft, which is about 150 gallons, or 566 liters. So same volume but more surface area than the rubbermaid stock tank. How much is your local supplier charging for them?

http://www.behlencountry.com/products/poly_stock_tanks

is that what your talking about?
if so i want the 70g, 2'Wx1'Tx6'L, i like that.

the web site says lowes is adealer. so i am calling and seeing if they even know...

waited an hour to see if they'll call me back. nuthing yet

Tractor Supply is also a supplier. I got a price of $320.00. You have to give them the model number and they will order them for you. they are poly.

The septics are made of concrete. If I use a sump what would be the maximum number of grow beds I could use on my 500 gal. fish tank if I were to raise Tilapia?

you could have up to 1000gallons of volume for your growbeds.
there a ratio thred ive been on: viewtopic.php?f=11&t=5023

the basic ratio is 100g:50g:25lb (GB:FT:Fish)

so for 500 gallons os fish tank, you could have a 1000g:500g:250lb,
but remember, the amount of growbed matters more on the amount of fish, you can have a 500g fish tank with only 100g of growbed, but it would only be able to handle about 50lbs of fish.
fishtank volume plays a roll in AP, but its more about a balance of fish to growbed.

now with rupe spider valve, you wouldnt need a sump. thred here: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=5378&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&hilit=spider+valve

rupe site: http://www.freshbynature.com.au/

i email freshbynature, and i am getting a quote for one

there cool, and seem that they are only missing thing in the AP parts list.