Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Joel's Second System

Complete system thread is here:
http://backyardaquaponics.com/forum/vie ... 70&start=0

Details:
Fish tank - 1000L
Grow beds - 1 small plastic pond
Sump Tank - 250L

The system has been in operation since April fools day 2007, the system is based on the PIST design principle, that is, the pump is in the sump tank, and there is no pump in the fish tank at all. Water is pumped from the sump tank for 15 minutes every hour, into the fish tank. As the water in the fish tank rises, water flows into the growbed that has a standpipe to control the maximum water level, and allow excess to flow straight into the drain tank.

I only have 5 plate size silver perch in here at the moment, but it's enough to keep the small growbed very productive.

System freshly constructed and planted.


One month after setting the system up.





Showing the standpipe with crenalations on the bottom, that draws solids from the bottom of the tank.

Faye's System

Complete system thread is here:
http://backyardaquaponics.com/forum/vie ... php?t=1622

Details:
Fish tank - 3000L
Grow beds - 5 x 550L flood and drain beds
Sump Tank - 500L main sump doubling as a fingerling tank

The system runs on a timer, pumping 15 minutes in every hour to fill the growbeds. Beds drain into the sump tanks from where the water is then pumped back into the fish tank.

My system in development.

((Though I think all aquaponics systems seem to be run by tinkerers and inventors - they are all in a constant state of evolution)

System has been running since mid May 2007.

My system is set up on both side of my drive way - the fish tanks on the shady side, and the grow beds on the sunny side. Inefficient from the pumping perspective, but SWMBO won't let me utilise a better space - yet.

The Fish tanks are 3 x 500l round tanks from B. They have centre drains in the bottom and share a common feed to a QB60 pump. Next time I do this, I will have isolating valves on each tank - at times it would have been useful to drain or fill one tank only. The pump is controlled by a mechanical timer 15 min on in 2 hours during daylight hours. Air is supplied to each tank from a 60l electomagnetic aquarium pump.

Tanks have 3 silver perch (survivors of a batch of 10 200 gram stock) - I did expect that most of my first batch of fish would not make it to the plate.

The feed pump pumps to the growbeds over the other side of a car port - 2.5 m head and 8 m away.

The grow beds are 200l blue drums, cut in half, or sectioned vertically. I use a flood and drain system using autosiphons. The autosiphons drain to a 160l sump tank with a submersible pump with float switch to return water to the fish tanks. This posed an unexpected problem - I originally had a 250W submersible pump for the return leg - This had a flow rate at 2.5m head about 50% greater than the feed rate of the QB60 pump, so I thought I would be OK. However when the autosiphons on 8 half barrels kick in (all ata bout the same time) the inflow to the sump tank was greater than the pump capacity - I had to upgrade to a 400W submersible pump to cope with the flow. I use scoria as my bedding material, and even though I spent a lot of time gravel washing, it still has turned my water the colour of tomato soup - it is clearing ever so gradually.

Growbeds have been planted with bulbs, seeds and seedlings. Current plantings are
- lettuce, cauliflower, broccoli, various beans, leeks, red onion, silver beet, beetroot, spinach, bok choi, basil, strawberries, potato, garlic, celery.

These are my first crops, so I don't know what will do well and what will fail. But three fish at present surely will not feed that lot - another trip scheduled to see Lindsay at Kangaroo Ground Fish Farm

What next? Everyday I browse the latest postings, and someone is always reporting new things to try, modify or tinker with. So it goes.

Thanks to everyone for your inspiration.

GG

Why is there what looks like a cordless mouse in each picture?

The objects have become a bit of a fun thing with all of us, some use toes, computer mouse, pets, coins...mainly used as a size reference

gee that system looks so different now

Scottt's System
Flood and drain, with standpipes, timer and sump.
One pump per growbed, running sequentially, timed with micro controller
Fish tanks - 5 x 500L
Grow beds - 3 x 500L
More details here

this is my reletavely new (8 week old) IBC system, trying to fit as much as possible into a small shady backyard

currentl have 15 trout, 2SP and one yabbie

duckweed in the FT and in a separate pond in the front yard

it appears that the other two photos didnt work,
ill try and fix it asap

This is made from a 275 gallon ibc and cedar I had laying around from another project. The pump is in the sump. It's an overflow on a timer but I may make a bell siphon out of it on a timer.

The frame was drilled for each tube to fit into so I ended up drilling 48 holes. Wouldn't do that again but it looks better. Had to make something that wouldn't get complaints and was self contained.

After years of running fish in the swimming pool, we have just set up an aquaponics system as well. We have a 2000 litre tank and three grow beds, and currently about 55 trout.

I have two IBCs , 1 as a sump, 1 as a fish tank.

For the grow beds I have 10 half barrels.

Thread: [url]http://www.backyardaquaponics.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=16524
[/url]

My system as of this week.



my build viewtopic.php?f=18&t=16537

This is my first AP system I'm building in my garage I'm using 4 small grow beds and 180 gallon sump tank with a 225 gallon grow out tank that I would like to add a second 275 gallon grow out tank too.

I'm also setting up to breed Tilapia on a second closed system so I can run higher water temprature so I've built a media filter and soon to add a swirl filter as well. My main system is up and cycled but I just started my breeding tank to cycle so it will be a few weeks till its ready.

This setup is in my garage and I'm using my water heater to heat my main water system with a circ pump and a coil of pex in my sump tank. My grow beds have a 600 HPS light on a timer and ive also installed a heater and a fan to control my room temprature.