Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hey All,

I just moved into a small apartment and am attempting to set up my first AP system. I have been reading the forum and researching for a few weeks, but have a few questions.

My Plan:
I have a 30 gallon (~113L) aquarium at my disposal, so will use that for my FT. I will set up a grow bed (or beds depending on the container I find) that is roughly the same volume. I will do some type of flood and drain but haven't made the decision to go 15/45 timer vs siphon. The GB will sit on a rack above the FT. Everything will be indoors and I already have dual 4ft T-8 lights (I forget what the exact spectrum of the bulbs is but one is different than the other so it covers a wide range). I move my aquarium here Sunday at which time I'll fill it with water and run an airstone for 5 days to get the chlorine out.


Questions:

1. Im planning to order this "Gold Label Hydrocorn" unless someone talks me out of it in the next few hours. Can I fill my entire GB with that or do I need some sort of bigger pebbles in the bottom?

2. I've read that the media takes up 2/3 of the volume in your GB. Assuming my GB is a 1-1 ratio with my FT based off empty volume, it'll take 10 gallons of my 30 gallon tank to fill them. Is that too much water being taken out of my tank? I'd like to avoid a sump tank for space purposes and ease of setup on my first time. I am planning to stock my tank with some goldfish once it gets going.

3. I have vermicompost at my disposal and am wondering if VC tea can be used to start the system? Should I use some combination of that and humonia? Just humonia? And any hint as to the ratio of VC and/or humonia to water?

4. I haven't bought a pump yet (maybe order one tonight) but for when I do... will the pump outlet determine the size of PVC pipe I use? Or is there a certain size PVC pipe I should go for and then can fit it to the pump? If someone could throw out a range or estimate a good size of piping based on the system size that would be awesome.


Any help on the questions or comments on my general plan are appreciated. Many of you have helped me already without knowing it


Pete

Nice to see someone else doing aquaponics in an apartment.

I have just started my small apartment system. If you want to check it out it's this thread.
http://www.backyardaquaponics.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=17629

1. Not familiar with that brand but it looks like ordinary clay pebbels if you google it. Should work.
No need for different sizes. All the people I've read about in different threads just uses one medium.
And clay pebbels are much easier to carry up the stairs then gravel.

2. can't really help with that one. I've read that the fish get nervous if the water level sinks to much and I've also read it doesn't matter. I think it depends on the shape of the fish tank how much "headroom" there is.

3. I used compost tea that had been aerated for about two weeks together with sea weed extract and hummonia to cycle my system. Vermicompost/tea should make the process go a little faster.

4. Use what ever fittings and pipe that is most easily available. Most pumps and pipes you buy in hydroponics store will fit each other. Or if you buy the pump first you can take the fittings with you when you go to buy the pipes to see what you need.

EDIT: If you go with the siphon-option there shouldn't be any need for additional aeration. That will save you the cost of an air pump and the system should also be less noisy.
All I hear in my system is the trickling of water. If I add an aerator there is a distinctive humming that I find annoying. Just a tip. =)

Hi Pete,

1. I'm not familiar with the brand but just use it to fill the entire bed.

2. My guess is the fluctuation will be somewhere between 6 and 12 gallons. You'd have to be diligent in topping up. You could always run Constant Flood if you wanted to avoid any fluctuation (I'd do it CF from the start - see the BYAP Trials thread) and you would not need extra aeration unless you stock heavily, the moving water does the oxygenation for you.

3. Humonia alone works and VC probably wouldn't be a bad idea but some of the others here know lots more about this than I do.

4. Get your pump first. Many of them have an adapter included, some allow you to connect to several different sizes of pipe. For a setup the size of yours it's probably going to be between 1/2 to 1 inch pvc going out from the pump and between 3/4 and 1-1/4 coming back.

Cheers

Thanks a lot for the responses!

I will check out the BYAP trials and run constant flood if that seems to work and will be better with water fluctuation. I figured I'd start growing herbs and some sort of lettuce at first btw. Not sure what works good indoors but I'm sure I can do some research on that one.

Hydrocorn purchased. Looking for a pump now that will suit my needs.


I'm sure I'll have more questions and hopefully some updates in the near future. Thanks!

The lettuce and herbs are a great way to get started,to many people fill there beds up with nutrient hungry plants in a new system, tomatoes for one. Lettuce is easy to start,good to learn with,if first plants do well it will give you more confidence,more enjoyment and a sharper learning curve.

I added some urine to my tank over a week ago and have been running an airstone 12 hours a day for the time being (GB not set up yet). I just did my first water test and I guess as expected:

Ph: 8.0
A: Off the charts
Ni:0
Na:0


I'm setting up all the plumbing this weekend and will test it and then add grow media to my bed. I'll post a pic when I have it going.


Two questions:

1. Should I wait until Ammonia comes down and nitrites/nitrates show up to plant anything? I already plan on holding off on any fish until it's fully cycled.

2. I purchased "Organic Neptune's Harvest" Fish and Seaweed fertilizer 2-3-1. Should I add some of that to the tank as I start to cycle it this weekend? http://www.amazon.com/Neptunes-Harvest-Organic-Hydrolized-Fertilizer/dp/B000OWBUSA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1378525712&sr=8-1&keywords=organic+neptune%27s+harvest+fish+%26+seaweed+fertilizer



I imagine the answer to both of these questions is "yes" but to hear it from one of you all would be reassuring.



Thanks!

I have system up and cycling on timed flood and drain. Although my timer has a peg for every 15 minutes it seems to run 24 on/36 off. It doesn't take too long to drain so I imagine this is OK as more water is getting cycled through. It only takes ~6 mins to fill up GB and uses about 1/3 of the water in the tank so the 24 mins on should provide ample time to turn over all the tank water every cycle.

I received some seeds that I am planning to grow into seedlings before moving them into the system.

Questions:

My ammonia is off the charts (see pic).. do I need to wait to plant anything? There does seem to be some nitrite and nitrate in the system. Have other people experienced ammonia levels that high? And will it work itself out? These readings have been mostly consistent.

The inconsistent part seems to be my pH which has been becoming more acidic and is now right around 6.0. Anyone have a good recommendation to bump that up a bit? I am planning to eventually stock 6 or so goldfish, which I believe like a neutral to slightly basic pH from my google searching.

I'll get pics up when I figure out how..

Hey Pete,
1. Fill your GB with whatever is handy. In spite of Malcolm Muggeridge, the media is NOT the message, it it the volume per area of whatever it is you use.

2. the media takes up what it takes up. 2/3rds is a bit of a furphy; I run an IBC FT (circa 600L before I top it up) plus a 1/4 IBC GB - do I consider it a 1:1 or a 1/3rd ratio etc? No. It is what it is.

3. No idea what is in vermicompost but given it is good for dirt beds, I would assume it is NOT good for an AP FT system.

4. Measure your epxected volume of water in the FT. Calc it based on a complete change of FT water in one hour.
Double it. (allows for head)
Double it again. (allows for (hopefully) minor alterations in set up
Plan a spray bar back into the FT so double it again.
Buy that pump and plan on piping some of it back into the main fish system. (aeration)

Thanks Journeyman. I am actually past the initial build phase, sorry if my thread is confusing.

For the Vermicompost.. I would be soaking it in water to make a tea and then adding some of that liquid into my water. I haven't done this yet as I actually bought a liquid seaweed extract for fertilizer.

Figured out how to resize my pictures to upload them. Here is my little apartment system. She's not the prettiest in the game

I set up air bubbles to pull through my pump so when the pump is running for 24min on the bubbles are being released from the back flow pipe. Hopefully that will be enough for 6 goldfish. There is also a couple inches of space between the bottom of the outflow pipe from the GB and the top of the water in the tank when the GB in full with water. So for close to 20 mins water is also being displaced and oxygen provided that way. I can always cut off some of the outflow pipe to create more.

Again... this is my main question:

My ammonia is off the charts (see pic).. do I need to wait to plant anything? There does seem to be some nitrite and nitrate in the system. Have other people experienced ammonia levels that high? And will it work itself out? These readings have been mostly consistent.


My pH keeps dropping (near 6 right now) but pretty sure I can Search and figure out how to bump that a bit.


Thanks!

Don't worry about the high ammonia. The bacteria needs food. But I wouldn't put in any more ammonia before the levels begin to drop.

Plant something that isn't expensive in your growbed right away. Perhaps buying a basil plant in the supermarket, take some seedlings from it, wash the roots and plant. Works about 60% of the time for me with store bought basil...

You can buffer your pH with calcium carbonate (eggshells). Roast egg shells in the oven, or microwave. crush and add.

I like that you've put your aquarium in an extra box for safety. As for myself I'm running wild and just hoping nothing will break.