Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hi all,

I'm really new to aquaponics. I've understood the concept for some time but it wasn't until more recently when we had our less than 12 month old water tank replaced under warranty, that we thought about doing something along the line of aquaponics. I've been researching for a month or so now and have come up with an idea that i'm hoping will work. It will be based on the top and bottom of a 2300l slimline water tank for the grow bed (approx 1.3m2/400L) and sump (approx 500L) and a 1000L IBC as the fish tank. Apart from this, the only other things I have considered so far is the pump, from what I understand it would need to be 4000l/h to cycle the 1000L FT once an hour based on a 15/45minute timer and insulating with some kind of foam/timber surround.
As for plants and fish, I assume these decisions will come later (correct me if I'm wrong).
I have attached a very 'rough' drawing (if you'll call it that) of my concept and i'd appreciate any feedback or suggestions on whether you think it may work or not.

Design looks great. May need to build a frame to support the grow bed from deforming and bowing out.

Hows ya heights, may need to raise fish tank or bury sump.

With your pump. Make sure you get one that can pump what you need for that given head height for that period or time. Eg. 4000lt/hr at 2m.

Let us know how you go, and post pics with your progress.

So I managed to get a bit of work done over the last few days. GB and ST have been cut out of the old water tank, picked up my IBC, purchased a heap of supplies and got to work.
The GB is sitting within a stand made from bessa blocks, sleepers (undercoated and 2 coats of paint and set up so that zero runoff of water will come in contact with the system when running). Because of the access needed for the ST fittings I made the stand a little longer and will add another small growbed. The ST sits snuggly underneath all this with a pipe union and drain valve fitted as well.
The IBC will most likely be elevated about 75-100mm more. In the GB I have fitted 10mm safety acrylic/perspex over the old water tank inlet hole and a 90mm fitting and cap over the old overflow hole.

At the moment I'm now in the process of working out how to make my bell siphons, getting my list of parts needed for the plumbing and looking into which submersible pump I should buy for the ST.

Any suggestions or comments are welcome.

A few pics of the build

And a couple more...

Great idea ics, looks great. Will you be able to access the sump comfortably?

Hi Skeggley, access to sump is about 100mm between the bottom of the growbed frame and the top of the sump.
Is access to the sump something that is needed regularly? My thoughts behind this are that using a ball valve and a union on the outlet of the sump tank fitting, I would be able to isolate the water and then transfer or drain it to remove the sump if needed. The pump itself will be accessible by removing the small recycle container size growbed that I intend to fill the gap in the framework with (As seen in the third photo of yesterday's initial post).

Thanks for the feedback and any further comments.

ICS

Managed a good 15 minutes of work on the system when I got home from work today. I fit the 2" tank fitting to the bottom of the GB as well as started a dry fit of the pump pipework.
This week I'm hoping to finish my research and get a pump and grow media as well as a few more concrete blocks to raise the height of the FT. I'll also need to do a trip to Bunnings to pick up a few more pipefittings.

ICS

Neat looking system mate

How much did the slimline tank cost you?

Hi Jono81,

The tank didn't cost me anything. It had a crack in it and was replaced under warranty.

ICS

nice one

A little bit more work has taken place. Most the plumbing is done, tested my siphon but I'm not quit sure it is correct. I had to put reducers in the drain for it to start. Will there be any difference once there is media in the grow bed?
I bought some polystyrene floor insulation from bunnings for $60 which should keep the sun off the FT during the heat of the day.
Need to pick up my media, slowly progressing.



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A few pictures of the IBC fish tank with new sides. Need to come up with some sort of cover next.
Then give the sump a quick clean out, clean and drop in the scoria and I think I'm ready to start cycling some water.



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Great work, love the quality.

Regards, Martin.

Man you are very neat. Love it.

Pretty excited, another step closer. Despite not having my media yet, I finished cleaning the sump tonight and filled the system with water. After I hit the switch and the first fill, the siphon kicked in, drained and started over. Too good to be true I thought.
Second fill was a different story, by this stage I had started playing around the inlet pipe work to the grow bed, it was plumbed pointing straight at the base of the siphon which somehow must of been putting a little more positive pressure on the siphon arrangement. After I moved it the siphon wouldn't start. Long story short, the drain needed a reducer to hold the water in the siphon pipe work that little longer for it to start.

Now it is running, cycling at about 15 minutes to fill and 5 to drain. Does this sound about right for a 400l grow bed?

Tomorrow when I have some daylight I need to check my slo pipe work. Now there is the weight of the water on the base of the tank, I think the base has sunk a little lower than I measured and the horizontal pipe work looks about 40-50mm off the bottom. Is this too much to work effectively?

ICS


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