Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

That Kale looks good - never realised that would make it through the Perth summer either (due to heat and cabbage whites!) what type of kale is it?

Also whats the black stuff round the media guards for?
Cheers
Matt

Hiya Matty, thanks for the input into the thread, hope you have enjoyed the build so far. The black stuff is aeroflex insulation that acts as a sound and light deadener for standpipe slurp and algae growth. I've used it on all the exposed 90mm stormwater pipe. It was free...

Kale, it's been the surprise plant, never heard of it prior to this stupid ap addiction and has out shone all other plants through this long hot summer here in Perth. It got nailed by diamond back moths and Co in winter but has been relatively devoid of pests in the heat. I'll have to get back to you when I look up the records to be sure of type, and yes it is going great guns and is hogging the back of the gb. Perhaps someone else can identify earlier?

The much awaited expansion is on hold, again, as I look at location and plumbing ideas for the new tank, I'm thinking of plumbing it into the large sys and running another feed pipe to the new tank from the pump and connecting a 't' to the sf outlet and joining a 40mm slo outlet from the new tank to it.
The new tank will need be at least the same height as the 3k tank for this to work and will give me another ft, more water volume, increase nutrients and hopefully allow me to keep my stock densities low and increase the fish quantities at the same time. I'm planning to move the sp's into it until the large trout depart at the end of winter and put the new batch of trout flings (10) into the small stand alone ft gb in May when I pick them up from the BYAP car park sale.

If I'm adding 1000l of water to the system in the new tank, could I just fill the tank with tap water (seeing as rain fails to appear) let it degass for a couple of days, adjust ph if necessary, then open the lines and join it to the sys?

Then I've got the problem of where to put the BYAP gb.... Good grief where does it end...

Easter break coming up, if I can paint the ceilings and walls of the living room quickly to appease the Boss I should be able to get the bulk of this damn hobby build done during the break.
Now thems some famous last words.

Hey one can dream...

Black tuscan?

Spot on Jay,

Bit of an update.

I've had some time on ap last few days, gone on the cheap and finished the new ft and the expansion, just need to tidy and beautify before the next ap project.
So what's been happening?
3 half bb's, one with half a milk crate in it, one with a big clay brick in it and the other normal, all with 18mm pea gravel in the bottom 70% and 100mm of canna. Ibc the same with clay bricks on the bottom. Drain in place and connected to the gb's . Feed from main line. Will bring on gb's daily to ease the sediment load.
Most materials used so far are bits and bobs from 'stock'.

More pics.

These gb's are plug n play and can be easily removed as they just sit on the drain line.

Built foundations for the new ft with old bricks and made the base concave 100mm depth, put ft in place and filled with water. Pumbed it into the larger system into the line out of the sf. The sf is soooo inefficient it's more of a leaf catcher than anything anyway.
Cut into the supply line from the sump to feed the tank and used a 40mm slo.

And a before and after comparison of the area 13 months on.


And I've not finished yet...

Catch ya.

Clever work, Skeg. You must be getting serious if you are prepared to drill large diameter holes through concrete slabs!

Thanks mate, my partner doesn't think I'm serious as she is always saying "Working on the aquaponics again, you can't be serious!!!"
I borrowed the core drill from work which made pretty light work of it.

System to date;

Main system
4000l ft
2000l sump
2150l media.

Fling system
1000l ft
500l media

Total cost so far approximately $5000 but don't tell the boss.
Hours spent on build; too many, much of it planning and contemplating.
Volume of beer drunk during build; see above...
Current fish total 6 trout 50 silver perch with 10 more rt's in early May.
Plants; if it grows and you can eat it I'll give it a go.

I'm pretty happy with the system presently, my main aim was to provide 40% of our grocery salad and veggies and so far am failing dismally at about 10% and although I still have more components to add I will be taking a break from the build as I have plenty of around the house work to do like fencing, painting, paving, cleaning etc.

Comments, questions and critique appreciated.
G.

Awesome work skeggley. That is a pretty amazing transformation of your backyard.


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+1

I like the way you ran the piping to hide it, might be difficult to get at if needed but looks very clean

+1

Amazing the transformation that one year of aquaponic addiction can bring. Can't wait to see what the next 10 bring!

Thanks guys, appreciate the kind words.
Without all the advice and information on this forum from all I wouldn't be where I'm at.

AP on.

Time to get back to the painting...

Hope the bobtail didn't get you in to much trouble. bring your trailer when you pick up your trout. I dare you lol

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So the big blue tank is a swirl filter?

I love the plug and play design of the round barrel tubs - might have to try that somewhere

Would be cool to setup a tripod in the same location and take 1 picture every week and do a stop motion of growth etc.