Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

If I wanted to use an old fiberglass spa as an FT, what would you guys suggest in regards to plumbing? I could leave "as is", use existing pump, blower and add a GB or DWC as filter. Or add a smaller, more efficient pump and pump to GB and gravity feed back into FT. Initially, just looking at the tilapia being happy for now. Could always expand GB/DWC later. Thoughts?

Hi coach, I used a smaller pump pumping to the DWC and to a 25L bucket with lava rock as a biological filter.

WB- thanks...some good ideas. A few questions:
1. Did you cap off any spa jets? how did you handle water "sitting inside of original sap plumbing?
2. Are the tubs metal? Is that a problem with the fish?
3. How often did you have to clean the filter sponges on the intake of your pump?
Looks good, great way of recycling some stuff! I can get tubs free/cheap here as well. Also, though about a refrigerator...there's a thread on here about a girl down in the Islands doing that.

Hi Coach

Ok

1. My back to tank from the DWC runs into the pipe system so the water is always flowing

2. The tubs are plastic on the metal I don't know, actually heard it's not good so not taking chances

3.On the bio filter I do not clean at all but I have a bucket with 9-11 mm media in witch I rinse out as it gets clogged, say every 6 months I don't use sponges at all what you can do is make a media/stone filter out of a bucket inline to your DWC setup to stop any solids from entering.

Refrigerator will work 100% then you already have the insulation for the colder months. I saw her thread and think it's a great setup an personally think that system should be recognized as a real back yard system