Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

As a newbie to AP, my first system is going to be a wall garden system.
Been planning it for a couple of weeks now, but bit the bullet today and actually started putting it together....anything I haven't thought of yet, I will just have to sort out as I go along....
Anyways...because I know it means nothing without pics....

The design


I think it actually took me longer to work out how to use sketchup and draw that last night then it did to get everything else done today!

The site....


Sizing up the soon to be Fish Tank...

It was at this point I got busy digging and drilling and forget to take photos...

Just as I thought I had it all sorted, the smarter half of my marriage came home and made some suggestions...anyway, a short time later, a bigger hole had been dug, the tank was placed almost completely in the ground...and as a result, the height of the GB's will be lower (which will greatly assist my short little body in when it comes time to harvest!)

The end result of day 1 is this....


The timbers on the wall will be used to hang the GB's.

Day 2's tasks (tomorrow) include:
- hanging GB's
- running water lines to tip GB's
- cleaning expanded clay and filling GB's
- trial, trial, trial and probably another trial to get the water flow right!
THEN it will be off to the $100 shop to get some seedlings for planting, and a gold fish to help me cycle the FT!

That's cool. I'll keep an eye on this thread.

Have you bought the pump yet? Be warned the head height in reality is not always as advertised. Usually better to get a larger pump than you think you need and if it is actually too much flow for that height, you can bleed off some pressure down below.

Keep posting pics.

Edit: I see that Charlie already mentioned the pump in another thread. But the info stands.

Yeah, the budget is a big constraint so trying to keep costs down where I can I bought a pump off ebay - i picked it up from the post office this morning.
It claims to be a 3000lph with a 3m head on it, but doesn't provide any details of the flow at any other heights.
I've got to lift the water a maximum of 1.7m from the water level to the top of the highest grow bed (could be lower depending on what spacing I end up using on the GB's), so am hoping it will do this!

The FT is 390L, and unsure of the GB capacity - will work this out when I fill them up! The store I got them from reckons 50L of clay will do it, but by calcs (simple volume of a triangular prism) I was expecting about 100 litres (10 litres per GB allowing for a bit of space across the top).
Regardless, if the pump reaches the height, from what I understand I don't need a massive turnover of water each hour.

I was also told to add in a bio filter, but not really sure about this. I know that fish numbers will be limited due to GB space, but not sure if the GB's will provide enough filtration on their own. May also add in a strawberry tower which I assume will help. Any suggestions anyone?

Also, not worried about fish numbers....this is the 1st "trial" system - it has to be cheap and look nice because it's in full view. Up the back I have an area about 7m x 3m which will be used to create a much bigger system in the future if I can master this one....that's the one that will provide the real fruits (well, fish & veggies!) of my labour!!

Nice, I love a good wall mounted system.

From a FT:GB perspective it sounds light, but as you say in the end it depends on how many fish you have. You could build a GB tub on top of the FT to add extra filtration (and restrict sunlight to inhibit algae).

Good luck! I look forward to seeing the photos!

Systems like this are just what this community needs! It looks like it is going to be very aesthetically pleasing.

I have been thinking of vertical grow beads so will watch with interest.
Where did you get the grow beds?

Great suggestion...after going through this with the wife today, I think we have decided that that will be what we do. I'm guessing that the deeper we make this grow bed the better?
....sounds like more designing to be done!



Actually, I was a bit unsure how it may look, but now it's up (photo's coming soon) I am pleasantly surprised and really like the look of it!


This is the actual system...http://wallgarden.com.au/
but my wife bought them from Aquaponics WA... http://www.hydroponicxpress.com.au/...found the guy that works there just on weekends to be fantastic (especially for a newbie like me) too...not sure of his name, but if you're on this forum...Thanks for all the info yesterday!!

Ok...day 2's photo's....
Given it's such a small system...I got most of it finished today...so not sure what will follow until I expand, but here it is anyway!

GB's installed


Media washed, GB's filled and pipework installed - the benfits of such a small system is this took no time... and I now know that those GB's hold about 90 litres of clay - we may get 2 more GB's but the current spacing allows for tomotoes and capsicums which will be taller anyway!


Planted the first round of seedlings! -
The GB's that appear empty have some carrot seeds and some garlic in them....couldn't find seedlings for these at Bunnings so had to go from seeds. Other things planted include:
Tomatoes
Capsicum
Chilli
Cos Lettuce
Miniature Brocoli (never seen it before but assume it will take less space!)
Lebanese cucumber (assuming these will spread, so they are on the right, with the plan being to run some trellis around the corner and train them onto that, up out of dogs access! - yes, our dogs regularly pick and eat fruit of the fruit trees, so we are going to have to watch them on this...they also both love water....could be dangerous!)
And a variety of herbs....Parsley, Basil and Coriander.
I'm sure someone will tell me I've over planted the GB's, but I'm new at this, so will try my luck and see what I can get out of it!!
We also had a few seedlings left over which I've planted in good old fashioned soil in pots, and have placed about 3 metres from the AP system in the same sunlight exposure - will provide a great "benchmark" for measuring the AP performance!



Also dropped a couple of very small sacrificial bronze comets in there to start cycling the water, but given their colour....can't really see them!

Things still do get
- Timer's to automate the pump!
- Air stone
- Water test kit

Do you have to put your Wellie boots on to harvest vegies or is the fish tank not that wide? Groovy !!

Looking fantastic there ss

Are you planning on putting a cover over the fishtank? It might grow a lot of algae otherwise.

Looking forward to seeing how this one progresses

Looking good The generally-accepted GB min depth is 30cm, but you could go with less and stick with plants with shallow roots.

Is that white box on the wall a mains plug? Makes me a bit nervous being so close to the FT ... better make sure the RCD in your fuse box is in good working order to guard against electrocution.

This is such a simple and cool idea...loving it!

It's about 650 wide, from the wall. But the GB's are 200 wide, so there's about a 450mm reach. It's comfortable....just.


Yeah, after thinking about it more, we will add another GB over the fish tank...still in planning stage but will add more filtration and some sunlight protection... not sure on shape or size and depth yet, but given teh 390L capcity of the Fishtank, will probably try to keep it to around 130-150L max so the level of the FT doesn't drop too much as it fills. Just not sure if I go longer and wider with less depth, or smaller surface area with greater depth to allow us to grow some deeper rooted stuff!


Yes it is. the RCD's are in great working order - only bought the house 4 months ago and they were new then!
It is a proper outdoor weatherproof one that is in full exposure to rain anyway, but very close to a now permanent water source none the less which if I'm honest has provided me with a few worries from time to time in my planninng....
I have made a tempory cover for it our of plastic bags and cable ties to stop water splashing on it (not in the photos - once I work out the new GB design I will build a more permanent cover over it. Originally the FT was going to be out of the ground more and above the power, with the pond it's self providing protection.