Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Interesting

Oh a brief video update.

here you will see a brief system setup currently.

Nice walkthrough cookie and very nice growth. Cheers!

thx alot Swed.. I think all the research and experiments is finally paying off. I'll alot to thank you for.

this morning photos

I think everybody that has contributed to the thread is to thank. I am glad that some of my ramblings was of any help to you though.

wow an explosion of growth fantastic discussion of biofilters thank you
Brian

dang I need more space. This system rocks it. It scares me a little thinking about, for instance during the Summer having GBs exterior to the FT making me worry that something could happen to the flow and it not make it back to the FT. Do Aquaponicains have a fail safe on the pump?

well I normally place an overflow back to my FT in case the pump fail.. there will always have water in your FT to keep your fishes alive.. the plants usually can survive days without flow especially if the GB is DWC or CF..

Hi Cookie
Great thread - Thanks for all the information its great to see some creative thinking.

How do you think a biogas digester like http://www.appropedia.org/Polyethylene_tube_digester
would work as a digester for the effluent? Probably not necessary to seed it with methogens as it should just work as an anaerobic digester but it could be plumbed in so opening a tap every day could empty the
solids filters into the digester and the displaced spent effluent can get recycled to the growbeds .
In a larger system maybe methane seeding would work and give a little gas for heating the digester and fishtank. Have to have another opening to add the prunings and fruit etc.

Lots of different biodigester designs around but this flow through one may work best for the purpose. maybe better made out of a length of 200mm (8") PVC pipe rather than the Poly tube that's used here

I believe that will work excellent if you want to recover methane. but in our case for AQ.. the technicality is not needed so indepth.. also the MT isnt always anaerobic as well... I switch between aerobic and anaerobic to create an environment that decompose material quite rapidly.. but any information u need don't be afraid to ask.

Happy growing.

Thanks

Cookie,

Very nice growth for certain. Amazing the difference in a few days!!

Can you explain your process feom pulling solids to puttimg back the digested fluid into the system? How long are you aerating, how long are you not aerating, stirring, pump or no pump, heating required?

Yhanks

well basically I just collect the solids from my system and add it to my MT.. leave it to break down anaerobically till ammonia ppm of over 8ppm.. then I add air till ammonia and nitrite ppm reaches 0ppm.. nitrates usually reaches 0ppm by this time as well... them I remove the airstones.. leave solids to settle out and decant water back into system.. adjust ph if needed.. thats it basically..

Thanks!!!

How long does it normally take for ammonia to go up to 8ppm? Do only add solids or is it solids and AP water?