Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I have made a AP filter design spreadsheet using MSexcel 2003.
Mainly because I need numbers to understand things. As a reference I used the Crazy Jim's biofilter. The tub system is based upon a filter used by crazy Jim and it is a variation of the skippie filter.

I have uploaded the file, called filter design.xls.

It's use is for a GB system, which may include +biofilm filter and a separate tub system with biofilter.
It displays the time a system should metabolise bacteria to a safe level, max values that a filter can handle as well as a safe useage regime. The safe table uses it's own fish number & time to safe level to calculate the fish/feed.

Bold text/numbers indicate where you can change your values. These are Filter Media(color coded), system water volume, Pump flow & GB volume. Sorry too hard for me to include gallons etc.
Then you enter fish number and weight. I have use %feed and feed conversion for trout as that is what I'm running at the moment.

The +biofilter is an additional filter using other media from the growbeds.

Hope this helps and I can assist in a limited way.
That's about it.
F

I wanted to see the effect of adding additional filter/media to the system, such as medium foam media or a bale of hay. Tailor Made barra here in Newcastle use hay for their commecial setup as it's very cheap and effective. The numbers make it so clear. For the hay, lots of water action and aeration is needed though.

Also I wanted to see if a skippie filter in a minimal system could be used to pre-grow barra. The small system to keep heating costs down. Once large enough or temps mainly stable, the barra could be transferred to the main system. If there are unseasonable temperatures then the biofilter could be used to isolate a FT for overnight local filtering with the main pump off (barra start/end of season) to minimise heat loss and hopefully not having and HSM this time and losing the whole lot

Yes, the backup power for air is operational. Pumping may be added in the future (shortly).
F.