Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I started with one IBC to see how it would go and success so now to upgrade. Im going from one IBC to four all linked in together running one water pump and one air pump, air pump will be split to all four tanks, pump will feed all four grow beds, beds will be running on a timer at 15/45, beds will be sitting directly above respective tank, tanks will be slightly lower than the previous one allowing an overflow to the sump tank containing the pump.

Current System



now the first job in the upgrade is to make space, goodbye fishpond.

Just me, but I would keep the fishpond and just put growbeds on it

originally tried off the fish pond but could never get the PH down, then there is the fact that the waterfall leaks and cant be fixed without bringing it down, but the final straw was that hot week we had last christmas when all my Koi above 2" died. is very shallow and no really easy way to make it higher also was quite difficult to keep clean.

Started taking down the waterfall and the pond today, hitting the brick wall wasn't really a problem but the concrete behind it was slightly harder to remove, so i have enlisted the help of a mate with some bigger gear for tomorrow.



the Progress so far.

No progress with the pond over the weekend due to a lack of larger gear, but three and a half extra IBC's did appear.

Is it worth using a centre drain if I am running on a timer instead of continues flow?

Hey Brad, access is much easier if the drain is not in the centre. It makes for easy assembly if it is but if you can use a hole saw and make the drain to the side (as long as it is over tank) it certainly would make it easy to check and turn for maintenance. If you are a short arse like me, I cant even reach the centre to check it!!

the tanks will be overflowing into each other, but i was thinking of having the overflow pipe actually start at the bottom centre to create a vortex, but make them removable from the actual outlet for ease of cleaning and netting fish, tanks are IBC's and i'm 6 foot so reaching is not a problem.

oh you are not talking about the centre drain being in the in the growbeds then. I missunderstood

sorry i should have been clearer. no talking about in the fish tanks, i'm under the impression that doing this will cause the system to self clean if i put a filter on the discharge just not sure how well it will work if i don't have constant flow.

I Managed to get home from Sydney a day earlier than expected on the weekend so spent Sunday dismantling and cutting up my new IBC's then high pressure cleaning and scrubbing them, now they are sitting super chlorinated ready for a water change tomorrow and some feeder fish on friday to see if they will pass the algae test.

I found a number of insects today closely grouped on my spring onions and a few on the Garlic. appears to be two types one looks like a mite of some kind the other not so much and has wings, anyone know what they are and if the Garlic, Chili and lemon spray will work on them?

Put the pics in the thread 'what bugs are these' and Jaymie or Faye will tell you for sure. I think Jaymie subscribes to that thread.

Cheers Charlie, i will put them there when i get home.

onion aphids

Really... do they taste like onions..