Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Greetings,

What follows, is the first part of my aquaponic journey: The System Build.

It all started with 3 IBCs that I purchased from a knife and tool company for a song. They had held water based coolant for the cutting machines.

I cut out the tops and proceeded to wash them and paint 2 for the fish tanks. I washed them initially with detergent, followed by a baking soda scrub, and lastly with dilute distilled vinegar. Once dry they received 2 heavy coats of flat black oil paint.

Then I broke Ground!



Positioned and leveled the sump. I did not paint the sump. It receives very little direct sunlight.



I compacted the area for the posts and poured some concrete footings to prevent the posts from sinking into the sand. Fayetteville is in the Sand Hills after all.



I set the rest of the posts and began framing the deck. The Deck is 12' long and 4' deep.



The area over the sump has a solid center slat. The areas to the right an left have drop in 2" rigid insulation board that covers the sump and removable slat panels. I will have to get a good picture of the removeable sections.



First go at the SLO drains was with 2" pipe. They were unable to keep up with the pump flow rate. I had to redo the SLOs in 3" sewer PVC.





I then built the GBs. They are 4'x8'x16". The good thing about both gravel and water is that, despite having enormous vertical pressures, their lateral pressures are relatively small. A strong base is essential; my GBs are about 4000lbs apiece when full. But some liberties can be taken on the sides as you can see. I measured before and after filling with gravel and water and had no defletion of the sides. Will check again after the gravel "settles." In regards to full system foot print, it is 12'x12' and there is only 45PSI dead load on the posts at any given time. Since building there have been no changes in the buble on my level. I have not observed settling of the structure.



The GBs received 3 coats of oil paint and were lined with pond skins. I like oil paint for exterior applicaions as it "bites" into the wood.



Things coming together. Note the 2" SLO setup still in this picture.



It was at this point I redid the SLO drains and manifolds to the GBs.



Just about complete. Had run out of gravel at this point.



20 March. Maxi Crop added, plants planted, innoculated with some creek water from behind the house.



2 April, things going well. Numbers looking good. Have Nitrites now. Still Fishless cycling.





Will need to take some more detail pics of siphons, plumbing, etc.

J.B.

Great Looking system! Keep up the good work.

Very impressive, J.B. I really like the simple symmetry you have achieved. It might be advisable to cover the ends of your GB distribution pipes and drill holes in them, if necessary. I suspect that all manner of creatures would find those pipe ends enticing and some of them, eg frogs, may cause you problems if they get inside.

PLJ, I like symetry and order as well.



May have get some 3" atrium drain covers then [the green grate I used on the bottom of the SLOs]. The toads and tree frogs are already out in force this spring, and the sound of running water is sure to attract them.

Thanks for the compliments thus far

J.B.

I think I said this in another thread of yours, but I really do like the GB's.

Quality work...good to see.

dig the neat system man

Wow JB, what a great looking system. May you have much success with your plants and many successful fish harvests to come.

Joel this is probably the great looking system that you are looking for

UPDATE.

Temps have warmed, water read 73F today.

Ammonia dropped from 2ppm to .5 in 24 hours. Looks like the bacteria are loving the warmer weather as well. I topped it back up to 1ppm and will see where it tests tomorrow.

Nitrite is off the chart, looking fluorescent violet. I think this has to do with some composted chicken manure I had left on the cover of the sump when tilling the in-ground gardens. It had fallen over and I am sure a handful or so made its way into the sump through the slats. It was everywhere. My log shows a 1ppm to 5-5+ ppm jump the day after the spill.

Nitrate has jumped up to 10ppm as well. No issue there.

PH has steadily been dropping by about .2 every other day since the spill. PH is now at 6.4 (from 7.2). I am not too worried yet. At what point should I start buffering until the system is able to convert all the urea and nitrite that appears to be in the composted chicken manure? Or, should I continue to do nothing, as I have been? I do not want to crash my bacteria colonies.

I am fishless cycling.

12 APR Update.

PH had droped to 6.0. I added two stockings of shell grit to the sump. One under each return from the GBs. I tested at 6.2 this morning. We also had heavy rains last night, so the system is topped up as well. Will see where we stand tomorrow.

Ammonia is turning to nitrite at about 1ppm/24hrs

Nitrites are still off the chart.

Nitrate is between 20-30ppm

Growth is going great.





If grit alone cannot buffer the system, I did order some potassium bicarbonate just in case. May add a pinch anyway simply for the potassium boost as the broccoli have started to florette, and the kohlrabi have started to node.

J.B.

very neat, very nice!!

16 APR Update.

PH has been hanging between 6.0-6.2... Shell grit was struggling to keep it at 6.0-6.2. Added 3 tsp Potassium Bicarbonate. After 24 hours tested at 6.4.

Nitrites are still to high for fish. Ammonia is being turned at a good rate though. Still adding 2 tsps when it drops between 0-.25 ppm to keep the cycle going.

J.B.

J.B ... could you please resize your photos to 800x600 pixels.... and add them as attachments to a post...

Rather than linking them to Photobucket account....

Will do that from now on. Thanks.

J.B.