Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Update

Update, almost done here need a few touch ups and need to move all that dirt Am planing to using these two GB to grow my duckweed only. Once done more or less i will start work on beds (cant wait). I been working on some drawings, am planing on going with fill & drain beds (half & few vertical - 55gal barrels) on a timer about 12 total. And a few (like 6 or 8 ) 2' or 3'ft. wide x about 8'ft. long x 8-10" deep for floating beds.





Here is were that big 7"x32" 200micron filter sock is going in the 55gal barrel, the water exiting the last filter goes to into the filter sock.







That sock is there only for now, am waiting on my order 2L of K1 media for now. If i like it i will get more if not i will go with some Bio balls.



Is that air pump good for the job it's a 7.2L min or will i need a bigger one?

Thanks again Eddy

Which water pump , am having trouble on choose a model? Am going with Taam Rio HF series pumps, trying to use only one pump to do it all. The pump is going to be ON 24/7, it needs to circulate water to two duckweed GB (a little over 5'ft. high), 2xFT around 200gal.each (about 4'ft high) and to 6 to 8 DWC grow beds (in the planing phase) 2'to3'ft.W x 8'ft.L x 8"to10"D (around 3-4'ft. high & about 30'ft. away). I don't have a idle of how much water needs to circulate to DWC beds? Which pump you think will work best for my needs without going over the top if there a such thing . Am trying to be as efficient in watt$ as i can.

Here are some model spec, the Rio 32HF being the biggest of the series
--------------------Gallons per Hour/Liters per Hour--------------------------------------
Item #--- Watts - 1ft./30cm - 4ft./120cm - 6ft./180cm - Output O.D. - Max.Head
Rio 12HF-- 40-----750/2850----630/2390----510/1930---19mm/0.75in---9.5ft./2.9m
Rio 14HF-- 45-----840/3190----660/2500----540/2050---19mm/0.75in---10ft./3.0m
Rio 17HF-- 55----1090/4140----840/3190----660/2500---21mm/0.8in----10ft./3.1m
Rio 20HF-- 60----1290/4900----990/3760----870/3300---21mm/0.8in----10.8ft./3.3m
Rio 26HF- 100---1590/6040---1350/5130----1140/4330--25.4mm/1in----13 ft./4.0m
Rio 32HF- 115---1920/7300---1500/5700----1300/4940--25.4mm/1in----14ft./4.3m

Edit link http://www.riopump.net/products_pumps/h ... _desc.html

Thanks again Eddy

Update - I have not picked up a water pump yet, using a temporary water pump atm. There is a canal in front of my house. So i caught some fish about 20+ fingerlings, used a net w/fish food. Am to not to sure on the type of fish they are. Starting the nitrification process, still working on the layout for the GB's. Still need to move more dirt

Make a nice feed for the bigger fish

How are you plumbing the filter drums Eddy?

Nice progress mate

Looks awesome...

How did you make the concrete cone for the swirl tank? Was it by eyeball or did you make a "mold"?

It all starts at the reservoir were water is pump to FT, then it overflow to the 1st, 2nd & 3rd stage filter then back to the reservoir circulating (24/7).
- 1st stage the solid settling drum, it overflow to 2nd stage
- 2nd stage the mechanical filter drum pads,carbon,lava rock pluming is at the bottom used pvc & uniseals to 3rd atage
- 3rd stage the bio media with aerator, from there it overflow back to the reservoir & the circulation starts again.


Yes i eyeball it, made the cement like peanut butter & still had to wait to form it. It took about 18 hours to finish forming it. Here a link to a post that has some pictures of the swirl filter, were i was asking some cement question link http://www.backyardaquaponics.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=13113

Thanks Eddie, so the flow out of the top of the first drum feed to the bottom of the next and so on?

Been having some pc problems.



Yes Charlie, the water flows into the bottom of the 1st drum. Then the first drum overflows to the 2nd drum. The 2nd drum is then feed to the bottom of next drum the 3rd one, the 3rd drum then overflows out to the reservoir.

Update - I received the air pump today for the 3rd stage drum (Bio media drum), it's Linear Magnetic 120volt, 20watt, 22 LPM, 2.5psi. I made a wooding house to hold the water & air pump from the weather.

Here some pictures

Hi Eddy,
Are you putting gravel in the GBs ?
Just wondering why you are using extra filtering ?

Thanks for asking, no SuperVeg these GBs are only for growing duckweed for fish food. So am not planing on putting gravel in these GBs. This is setup is at the east side of the house. I will be building the main GBs on the south part of the house. There will be more of a floating bed ratio then gravel filled beds. The extra filtering is to keep the water clean for the floating beds, fish and looking in to crayfish/yabby too, some expansion maybe

Thanks again Eddy

Cheers
Great system, it looks awesome !

Thanks SuperVeg


So today i did a water test, i have a old master test kit that does have nitrate test i will order that at later date. In the picture you see (left) ammonia NH3/NH4 at 0ppm & on the right you have nitrite NO2 at 0ppm. Whit Ph/ppm Hanna meter Ph at 7.02 & ppm at 250 with water temp around 78*F.



Here a picture drawing of the GBs setup/layout. In the layout you see (6) 2'ft.x8'ft. & (2) 2'ft.x6'ft. around 8"inch to 10"inch of depth for the floating beds. Water will be flowing from bed to bed, will be using durock,2x4's & pond liner for the GB build. Then you see (8) 55gallon barrels - cut the long way & (7) 55gallon barrels - cut in half, there going to be cut at around 12"inch to 14" depth. Then on the south side am planing on using 4"inch pvc pipe rows with 2"inch net pot's. There be a large 12'ft.x20'ft. mesh trap that will cover most of the GBs that i will be building.

Here a one more picture drawing i did today. It may help give you an idle of what i picture Sorry about the fast drawing.