Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Definitely addicting!!

I check mine several times a day when at home as well as first thing in the morning and last at night. The best part is that the GH is about 30 yards out the back door, so it is very convenient.

I cleaned up a bit int he front area and put two chairs in there.. When the temps are nice it is very relaxing just to sit in there and watch the plants grow or have a little quiet time. The constant sound of running water as the beds drain or the barrelponics flushes is enough to put one to sleep!!

CB

Well, I washed 2000lbs of gravel and added it to the GB today..
My newest question is:
I am filling the GB in 15 mins, is it recommended to drain in 15 mins or 45 mins ? Should the drain be a vertical pipe with lots of small holes or slits in it ??
CB how do your beds drain ??

Joey, if you're doing a timer based system... then just go with an overflow standpipe...

A couple of holes drilled through the base allows the growbed to start draining as it's filling...

The inflow is faster than the drain flow... so the water rises to the top of the standpipe... set to flood to about 1" below the media surface.... then overflows down the standpipe while the remaining pump cycle continues...

When the cycle stops filling the bed... the two small holes continue a slow drain... until the next cycle...

Here's a couple of pics...

Components.... plug & waste, standpipe and adapter, outer media gaurd...

Pop the plug and grate out of the "waste"....

Drill two holes through the standpipe and adaptor... drill with the standpipe in the adaptor, so they line up...

Here's how it should look...

When placed into the "plug & waste"...

And with the outer media guard in place...

Mine is much like Rupe's excellent series of pics...

I used a male and female threaded coupling for the bulkhead fitting, but like his use of the drain more.

One thing I found is that I want the beds to finish draining about 10 minutes before the next cycle, so I had to tinker with size and placement of holes to get the flow I wanted... Still tinkering with one bed!!

Some one on here used a similar standpipe but clipped a split slice over the pipe that could be turned to block a hole to regulate flow... Forgot the thread, but there was a nice pic recently.

Now... where are the pics of all that gravel?? We're to just believe you washed it? (Or were you too sore to handle the camera.... ?

CB

Thanks alot Rupe for the pics, that is a great idea to have it overflow..I currently have a pipe like that in, but hadn't cut it down to length yet..
I've been so busy banging away on the outside of the greenhouse, I haven't had time to post..

So here are the much anticipated pics :












My plan of action this afternoon is to catch a couple of local fish to help get the cycling underway before I get my tilapia .. any thoughts ??

So, the work continues... the sides are on, the standpipe has been modified like Rupert suggested,

In plant news, I transplanted 20 carrots, a couple of zukes, cukes and squash and 2 small tomatoes from soil, and they appear to be coping..

In fish news, I caught 2x 3-4" bluegill from a local pond and put them in to try to cycle the system.. the small one hung out at the top quite a bit ( not gulping for air or anything, just kinda swimming about 1' down from the surface) but I haven't seen him today..

I threw a few flies and a caterpillar on top of the water to see if they'd eat it.. can't tell if they did or not..


I know I need more fish to speed things up ? Also the water is kind of silty, I sometimes can't see to the bottom of the IBC.. It looks like silt from the granite, Is there something I can do to help it clear up ??

Today I added another 2 3" bluegill and about a 10" largemouth.. Some of the flies at the top have disappeared, but I'm not sure if they're eating them..

Still can't see the bottom of the tank, still haven't tested the water.. I did put a clean cotton diaper on the end of the inlet to the GB, to see if there is some sediment trapped in it, and it does appear to be doing something..

Is there anything else I can do to keep everything happy ?? It's been about 2 weeks since I turned the water on and it is still a little silty ??

Maybe a few eggs ?? There was a discussion the other week about adding an egg or 2 to bind up particles and clear the water.

System looks great

I'll look for the thread jessy ! Thanks !

The aeration I got was a tetra 30-60 gallon air pump and a 10" stone - does anyone have any advice ??? It seems to be putting up alot of bubbles from the bottom of the IBC fishtank ..

Just found a ph test kit from last year..
The FT in the aquaponics system is 7.2ph, the 10 gallon tank in the house with one goldfish is 6...


Any thoughts ??

Finally got the test kit !

The results are :
ph 7.6
nitrites .5
nitrates .5
Ammonia 1.5

I have no idea what that means, but I feel like a mad scientist when testing !!!

It means your system is beginning to cycle...

Your ammonia will peak and drop off to zero... while your nitrities continue to peak as the ammonia drops... then the nitrites will drop to zero, often rapidly.... and your nitrates begin to rise...

You are then cycled and ready for fish...

sounds good Rupert ! - I'll keep an eye on it..I'm out of town for work today, but will be back this PM, and will give it another test.. I'm trying to talk the wife into letting me put a wireless webcam out there to keep an eye on things, but that was vetoed straight away

Rupert, I also wanted to ask you about the addition of clean seawater to the system.. I live near the coast and it would be easy to pick some up when we go to the beach.. how much and how often would you suggest I add it ??

I use it for top-ups, about once a month... no more than 10%.... it depends sometimes on what level of salinity I may already have in the tank... and whether or not I can be bothered doing it...

I use it occasionally just as others may dose occasionally with Seasol... for the trace element value...