Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Groovy! Thanks for the progress info!

May I make a request? Would you please put a legend in your first post depicting what the acronyms stand for, so that newbs like myself won't be so lost? I love the fluidized bed reactor. Great idea, and the implementation of it looks great so far.

See here
viewtopic.php?t=1275

Um, yea, MBBR doesn't exist in that page.

Sorry about that Apynckel, I'm usually pretty good about that sort of thing. No definitions but here you go for what they stand for.

MBBR = Moving Bed Bioreactor also known as a Moving Bed Biofilter.

RFF = Radial Flow Filter

SLO = Solids Lifting Overflow

DWC = Deep Water Culture

RAS - Recirculation Aquaculture System (Don't know if I've used this but that's what is being built in this thread).

If you haven't looked online for Rob, CCBears, or Paul Van der Werf's information that's where I got the idea and I'm just trying to refine what they've done into what works for this space.

Building an MBBR
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHxzDPxQa6I

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPJdn9R1etM

This is an early version of CCBear's aquaculture setup that Rob took a video of - it's since changed so best to follow Rob's, Pauls or CCBear's newer version if he gets a new video up.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPJdn9R1etM

Using the MBBR as a trickling filter to remove suspended solids
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DhypNPRdC0

Rob and Paul have other videos related to RAS that might help someone trying to build one of these systems.

I think one of the points that's important to get across is that most people could do this given a bit of space and the time to connect the dots.

Few more pics -

This is the line for the venturi going up and into the MBBR. It has a ball valve, a union disconnect (just below the wood decking) and can also be unscrewed where it attaches to the manifold. The venturi will not be glued on so I should be able to remove every part of this if needed. The hole in the deck is large enough for the union to pass through. The cable ties are lying around because I was using them to help support the bottom drain pipes off of the metal IBC frame (the metal crossbars underneath the wood deck).



This is what is in back of the tanks - The pipe on the right hand side that has a union and ball valve is the line to the Fish Tank from the pump (the water is flowing upward here). The pipe is attached with a screw thread at the bottom. Using the union and screw thread it can be removed. The large pipe coming out of the tank down low is the MBBR treated water return to the sump (it's draining down). The pipe that's on the left is the overflow/skimmer pipe heading to the top of the MBBR from the fish tank.



and another picture from a slightly different angle gives a better look at the skimmer pipe and the entry for the pump to fish tank connection. If I figured it right, all the unions should let me take the system apart (I probably have a few extra I could have done without ).

All look'n good Scotty, I just love the look of brand new plumbing, especially when it's without any glue showing

I use this stuff - http://www.tchristy.net/rhbgr.php. It's an all in one primer and glue so it doesn't flow as fast as the separate primer and is easier to control. Less mucking about with two cans, one of primer and one of glue. I would have preferred clear though, just in case

Tried a few other things but finally eused marine silicone sealant on the hole in the drain and now have to wait for 24 hours while it cures. I had intended to use epoxy because the silicone might not work well enough for water this deep

I looked for but couldn't find small enough pvc pipe or rod that I could use PVC cement on as a plug. I also looked for a suitable grommet locally but again couldn't find what I needed. I did miss a couple of places but finally said to heck with it.

Went ahead and bought another cap as well just to start over since it was easy with that part - not so easy with the reducer drain, though, I'll do this if I have to.

Silicone helped but didn't totally stop leakage from the MBBR drain area. It looks like it stopped or slowed the main leak but there may be some additional leakage around the uniseal. Once it dries out I'll use silicone around where the pipe goes through. I was able to fill the MBBR tank and give the Venturi a try but didn't get the result I hoped for - it couldn't create enough suction to pull in air but I know it works great at a shallower depth so I probably need a narrower orifice or greater flow (at least that's what I think, I'm not certain). I noticed someone using a spa jet for aeration and may see about getting one to try out as a venturi if this venturi can't be made to work.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YyIef7410bo

Cheers people

Would you do one or a few around the bottom? Nice bubbly spa for you lower half also.

I have looked at those and thought about them. Just was not sure if I wanted to do a manifold to the jets or have a few going into side of the fish tank more like a hot tub.

I haven't thought that far Rob. The pumps used to drive spas are usually a lot bigger than a pond pump so I'm not sure you'd be able to run more than one or two of these because of the effect on the pump. On the other hand these have built in adjustment for the air which is kind of nice. I'm weighing this against toying with my own design or looking into buying a Mazzei venturi injector (but I'm not sure I have enough pump for one of these yet either ). I have more questions at this stage than answers. I do know that sizing is critical with all of these so I'm trying to get it right.

Some progress - It looks like the leak is in a spot that I don't mind it leaking - the piping just below the MBBR but above the sump and below the woodwork. It's only a gallon every five or ten minutes and just goes right into the sump from the pipe so no harm done. Not worth fixing at this point.

Went and picked up a spa jet venturi and have it in the MBBR filter. I am getting bubbles and pretty good flow but I'm not sure if it's enough. I can adjust the water flow all the way up and get good aeration and flow but I feel like it could do better with more pressure. The only way I can increase the pressure is reduce the flow to the fish tank. I need to get the drain and inflow covers made so I can install the media and see how it goes.

Looking good. The lower the leak the longer they flow.

Just have a few finishing touches like a lid for the MBBR (one that lets air in but keeps algae from growing). I have the system running but the media is still too buoyant to roll with the flow. I'm hoping that will change in the next week or two, otherwise I'll have to switch pumps. The current pump couldn't run another spa jet with any flow going to the fish because of the reduced flow with the head height at the fish tank.

If you try to use a spa jet, look for ones with a lower flow requirement. Something in the 1 to 5 GPM range. I'm not sure exactly what this one is but I think it's around there. The one I'm using attaches to the end of a 3/4 inch PVC pipe and has an adjustible water flow. The fit was pretty tight so I haven't attached it with PVC cement. For air flow, I had to add a valve for flow control. I probably could have done without either flow controller because both need to be wide open with the flow I'm able to give it

There's 2 Cubic Feet of Kaldness K2 (http://www.ebay.com/itm/Kaldnes-K1-K2-K3-Bio-Filter-Media-56-63-Liter-or-2-Cubic-Feet-/221298358461?_trksid=p2054897.l4275). Basically it's a dead ringer for what Rob is using - a five spoked wheel. I had some of it in a grow bed of the old system for a couple of days to help give it a slight start.

The inflow from the RFF and the outflow from the tank were covered with 2" drain fittings. Media really packs down on the outflow and this might be b problem but it's working fine for now. The strainer outlet is covered with an 1 1/2 inch end cap with 17/64 holes drilled in it.

I'm not sure what the turnover flowing through the fish tank is. I'm getting overflow into the MBBR from the overflow/strainer and the flow into the Radial Flow Filter from the SLO seems adequate. There is no extra for circulation of the sump tank but that was only for if there was extra flow so it's ok. If I were starting from scratch I'd think about going up one or two pump sizes or getting a pump with the ability to pump higher and I think this would give some additional margin for error.

So now we wait and see if the water and air movement will be enough once the media is colonized and looses some of it's buoyancy

P.S. - Forgot to mention that the spa jet is only about 1 foot under the surface, hopefully this is enough but I found it couldn't give the aeration needed if I went much deeper at the current pump pressures. I'm just going to live with it this way until I see what happens.