Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hi,

I’m Joao living in Portugal and I will present my first aquaponics backyard system. I started with some months of research mostly done here, seeing lots of online videos on “youtube” and Murray DVDs.

I’m not very skillful with lumber and liner so my attentions were immediately diverted to the use of plastic or fiberglass containers. I tried to search for better “looking” containers but this task was difficult (lack of sellers in Portugal) and very expensive to import and transport. So finally I decide to use 1000L IBC and 250L plastic barrels. Also the place to install the system have pavement so every piece of HW must be above ground. The actual setup has:

1000L IBC as fish tank
250 L barrel as Sump
250 L barrel converted in 2 grow beds felled with LECA as media
200L barrel converted in 2 grow beds to use as floating raft


I will present more pictures of the different steps so you can see how things were evolving and assembled. One last thing the system is running but far away to be finished I have lot of fine tunings and tasks to complete.

Cheers,
Joao A.

This is an overview on the system:

Can you explain how you are running your system, are on CF or F and T. What size pump and where is it located? All information would help members understand the system.

Welcome to the forum and best of luck with the system

Hi Bear,

Thank you for welcome me and your interest in system setup.

Here a short description of my system: Pump is in the Sump (250L barrel in the floor). It is a dirty water pump aprox. 4000L/h and runs on a clock timer 15 min ON, 45 min OFF from 8:00 to midnight. It feeds the FT 1000L IBC (950L of water) and the 2 higher grow beds (250L cut in half with LECA as media) on a water reason of aprox. 80% to FT and 20% to grow beds. The media beds then drain (stand pipe with small holes in the lower part - FD) to the 2 lower beds (200L barrel cut in 2 with floating raft - CF). Finally the 2 lower beds drain back to Sump and close the system. FT water level is constant and it drains back to sump with a SLO with venturi - CHPIST.

Cheers,
Joao A.

Hi,

Some additional information: IBC and barrels used in my system were used and had to be carefully clean and washed. Seller guaranteed me that it was previously used with food (tomato and fruit concentrate). I washed them with tap water and used bleach to eliminate any residues. After that I let them dry in the sun to eliminate bleach. Cut them and filled with water for leak test.
I had a good deal 45€ for the IBC and 35€ for 3 barrels (2x250L and 1x200L) and they feet in the available space very well.

Cheers,
Joao A.

Some pictures of cleaning process:

Hi again,

IBC and barrels were set in the final display for space used test. To increase high I used concrete blocks to elevate the grow beds and timber to avoid barrels to roll over. Here I used the same idea as in the barrel ponics guide (I strongly advise everyone to read it) but I display the barrels differently.

Later I had to use one more row of blocks because grow beds could not drain as I want.


Cheers,
Joao A.

Some pictures to illustrate:

Hi,

Some additional pictures of water flow tests and pump so everyone (if any have interest) can have a better idea of the setup.

Cheers,
Joao A.

Hi,

More pictures with grow beds, stand pipe and media (LECA).

Cheers,
Joao A.

Coming together nicely Joao...

Welcome to the forum and very smart system you have there

Hi,

Thank you all for the positive feedback. Please feel free to make comments and suggestions. I believe we can always improve and continually evolve our systems.

Regarding system inhabitants: vegetal and animal I will post a series of posts bed wise and try to mention species.

Cheers,
Joao A.

Left hand side grow bed with LECA media that is running with timer flood and drain: 10 strawberries plants in the front; 2 lettuces; 1 leek and 5 cheery tomatos in the back all transplanted from dirt garden. Then I put in the empty places several seeds of fava beans that are germinating now.
Tomato plants didn’t make the transplant because temperature drops this past week (the ones in dirt also died) so I plant (seeds) watercress in his place. I know that in the back should be tall plants but now tall plants (that I have seeds) are off season.

I have some doubts regarding planting seeds directly in grow beds but I will test it. I read a lot regarding this but climate here is very different than the one in most of the systems that I read about so it will be a lot of experiments.

Cheers,
Joao A.

Right hand side grow bed with LECA media also running with timer flood and drain: Kale, broccoli and spinach in the back (transplanted) and in the front several seeds of onions, carrots, chili and fava beans.

Cheers,
Joao A.

Float raft bed on the left side constant flooded I bought a plastic seed planter that I put to float using cork wine bottle caps. On this seed planter I put some lettuce, Spinach and seeds of several plants: coriander, lettuce (diferent types), hot chili, and cabbage.

I plan to add a small floating raft to coexist with this plastic plant seed planter. On the right hand side float raft I still have nothing except the Styrofoam.


As a side note: Portugal is the number one producer of cork so we not only have the best football player and the best football coach but we are also number one in cork.

Cheers,
Joao A.

In the FT I have 6 gray goldfish with 10 to 12 cm. I also add old water from aquarium every time I need to add water to the system. This will boost the nutrients in the system. I plan to add edible fish in the system in a near future but I’m still trying to find species that can be maintain outside in Portuguese climate and are available locally.

Cheers,
Joao A.

Sorry for the quality of his picture ...

I haven't added fish to my test system yet and am having some issues with nutrients (probably), plants aren't surviving. A tomato faded completely after the transplant and I think my cabbages (couve tronchuda) are dying probably. I've boosted the system with new nutrients again today, but who knows.

João, did you use anything as initial fertilizer/nutrient source? People look at me funny here in Portugal when i say I'm looking for seaweed extract. "What? You're trying to get rid of seaweed?"
I've ordered "Bioalgas" from a company in Algarve, but I was wondering if you know of something that is readily available in normal stores.
Cheers!

(Your system rocks, by the way)