Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I've been looking at building a system along the lines of what CCBear and Rob built for aquaculture. I don't have everything figured out and to a certain extent I'm just building off their ideas but in my own way. I haven't been too concerned with the flows or the retention times because I figure most of this can be adjusted using ball valves to feed some of the pump flow back to the sump.

Because there is limited space this system is a single IBC fish tank with a partial IBC as the sump which rests below the RFF and MBBR filters. Here's a shot to give you the basic idea(sorry for the mess, I have the bucket garden torn out and near the gate is a space used for parts leftover from other builds - things I think I'll use later )





The green barrel will be the RFF and the blue barrel will be the moving bed bio reactor. Some of you probably recognize that green barrel from the thread about enlarging holes that I did - http://www.backyardaquaponics.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=22235&p=463002#p463002

Here's what came next -



This is a 3" uniseal (the hole is 4 inches for this) and a 3 to 1 1/2 reducer DWV fitting. It has the same outside diameter as a 3" PVC pipe and is designed to fit in elbows or other connector pieces. The 1 1/2 fitting going out is the same size as the fitting coming into the RFF .

I installed the uniseal from outside the barrel and pushed the reducer through with a bit of dish soap (the 1 1/2 inch pipe connector to the outside). These reducers are already beveled so no sanding a bevel is needed. They work for this application but probably not enough sticks through if you're attaching something something more than a drain cap (might work, might not). There is no cap on the reducer in the RFF because I want all the solids to be able to flow through. The MBBR has an identical bottom drain but has a drain cap with 17/64 inch holes. I calculated that I needed at least 32 of these and then put a bunch more in, on top of the cap and along it's sides above where they would hit the reducer. The cap is not glued it's just held on by a single cable tie.



I finished plumbing up the RFF and it looks good although my calculations were a bit off on the length of the pipe needed to bring the flow in dead center. I'm thinking it won't matter too much so I'm leaving it for now. I also need to figure the length of pipe for the overflow going out to the MBBR. The center bucket is removed for the picture and this picture shows the original failed bottom drain - I wasn't able to seal the drain so I replaced it with the Uniseal and reducer.



I need to make the inlet and outlet for the MBBR, and a venturi for the MBBR from the pump that will be in the sump. I also need a venturi for the inlet to the fish tank. The SLO is already in the fish tank (as are some 20 Bluegills - been doing green water culture for the last two weeks). The return from the fish tank to the RFF is done but needs a disconnect added. I have an overflow from the fish tank surface that's probably going to go to the MBBR like Paul's did in one of his videos but I'm not sure about this (there's a fair amount of floating bits from the trees that might be an issue - probably just needs a better screen). I'll post some additional pics in a day or so.

Cheers

Anyone have a take on the combined ball valve disconnects - any leakage issues?

No comments on the ball valve question, but I can't wait to see how this goes!

Hi Scotty, looking good so far. It appears that you are using a 90 degree bend to turn the pipe up in your RFF. I would use two 45 degree bends and this can also give you the extra distance to the centre.

Not sure what you are talking about with quick release ball valves, we use barrel unions or hose and clamps for disconnection purposes.

Cheers. Bear

Hi Ron,

Should be interesting Ron. So far it's been a breeze but of course you don't really know what's going to happen till you get the water moving.

Hi Bear,



Don't know why I didn't think of the 45s but I actually noticed this on Robs system when I was going over things (some observations are in my next post). But I also noticed you used 45s almost every turn, I probably should do the same although I have a bunch of 90's leftover that might find their way in where I'd have to buy the 45s.



Not so much a quick release. They are a barrel union and a ball valve combined into one - this is the information (and some mixed reviews) - http://www.lowes.com/pd_209669-34146-P200SUE+1+1/2_0__?productId=3351056&Ntt=ball+valves&pl=1&currentURL=%3FNtt%3Dball%2Bvalves&facetInfo=

The thing I like about them is the handles are much easier to turn (although this is dependent on how tight you turn the ring on the barrel union part. The regular ball valves can stick pretty badly and I don't want to have to crank away on the connections to the bottom drains.

Thanks for the help

Filter information based on some observations of Rob's as well as CCBears plus, notes for myself so I'd get everything figured out. Don't take this as a complete guide, this is based on CCBears system as in the video, not the information since then which anyone reading this should probably look at.

Radial Flow Filter
Inflow - Coming from below up into center bucket
Outflow - Coming out at the top along the side of the bucket
Bypass of MBBR direct to Sump for Maintenance - RFF to Pipe with T into MBBR after T is a ball valve (closed directs flow to

MBBR, open sends flow to sump (probably have to cap MBBR inlet temporarily)
Drain - near the bottom probably should curve down toward just above the bottom center of the tank.
Rob also has a pipe to drain the top water off so he doesn't waste a lot of water when he cleans the RFF.

MBBR - All pipes are covered to keep media from flowing out.
Inflow - coming in High
Outflow - Going out Low to the Sump (but he uses another barrel to set levels. I may need to go out high or use a U in the pipe to set levels - 2 valves before U one to Sump and another for bypass of U to do trickling filter)
Venturi - Coming in to about the middle with a right angle directed upwards. Need an off valve if you want to switch to trickle filter.
Drain? - Rob added one with 2 1" 45 degree elbows, a 1 to 1 1/2 adapter and a 1 1/2 end cap turned toward the bottom center.

End cap had multiple holes that were smaller than the media but fairly large. Pipe was 1 inch but could be different.

Sump
Overflow for rainfall
Float valve for auto top up
Inlet from grow beds
Outlet to grow beds
Recirculation T

Pump is probably undersized, judging by Rob's videos. 6000LPH for CCBears
CCBear plumbs tank inlets through the side of the IBC not over the top. He also has fewer valves than Rob. He can shut down the following
1. Venturi from Sump to MBBR.
2. Pump to Fish Tanks
Not sure how he's setting the depth of the MBBR - CCBear now does this like Rob with a standpipe in the sump.

Hope someone finds something useful in these notes, Cheers.

Rob has the two valves which can isolate and make for easy dismantling of the fish tanks. That is the best about learning from what other people do first. As i am on about my fourth modification of the system There are a lot of changes from the video of my system that Rob posted on youtube.

I now only use air stones in my Bio filter as my pump was not powerful enough to pump to the tanks as well as the bio. Rob uses the commercial venturie that Paul used as well as a high wattage/volume pump to operate his system. My pump is a low wattage Eco pump at 50 watts. I still use my home made ventuies into my fish tanks and still happy with there performance.

Rob and I worked a lot together to ensure we had our systems running well and I tank him for his time and effort with his discussion and advise during the build. I hope we have sorted out problems which may make it easier for other people to follow without our problems. Cheers

I saw that also from Rob. Locally I found long turn 90 degree elbows at Menards. Maybe 2-3 times the radius and since it's dwv pipe it's cheaper than sch40.

Good suggestion, those long turn elbows would be great for this project, I'll have to see what fits best for the RFF turn upward. I already have the two 45s from another project so there's an added cost to think about as well.

Cheers

Looking forward to the build Scotty. What fish you going for?

Starting out with about 20, 2 to 3 inch Bluegill which are already in the IBC Charlie.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bluegill

I'd like to do a mix with some Black Crappie if I can get them feed trained. Black Crappie get bigger than the Bluegill and I think it's a bit too cool for channel catfish to grow well here so I'll probably only have a few of these between my two systems. Eventually I'm kind of hoping to get a population of fish going that can breed in system, then use the catfish to cull some that aren't growing fast enough along the way.

I'll get some Black Crappie later this year. http://www2.dnr.cornell.edu/cek7/nyfish/Centrarchidae/black_crappie.html

Cheers

Neat new system!

+1 on the sweep elbows if your pipe diameter matches dwv sizes. They don't have as much mating surface as a pressure pipe though so they pop off more easily.

I like the uniseal and reducer and cap with holes, neat!

Hmm, sounds like maybe since everyone is encouraging the 45s and especially the slow 45s I should just see how many turns I can use them for.

The reducer uniseal combo was one of those eureka moments (after the cardboard hole saw eureka moment or was it before ). Anything below a 3 inch fitting won't work, I checked on the 2 inch to 1 1/2s yesterday and there isn't enough meat to them that I'd feel safe using them (plus they don't have much of a bevel). I was thinking of using them in the DWC beds for a through the bottom drain but looks like it will be regular 1 1/2 inch pipe instead with a coupler so I can remove the top section to drain.

Looking good Scotty, I like the idea of draining from the centre, I have a ball valve drain on the side of both my RFF and 2x Bio Filters and I don't think any are emptying as well as they could.

I think using a 50mm PVC pipe through a Uniseal into the centre of the barrel then a 50mm elbow pointing down too within 5-10mm from the bottom would force the solids to be dragged to the centre of the barrel and then out through the ball valve.

The elbow would sit low enough not too allow any bio media the leave the barrel, but without using a grill and restricting the solids in anyway.

I also found with my Bio Filters the K1 Bio media would lay against the slots on the outlet and restrict the water flow, so I placed cages around the outlets and that has fixed the problem.

I've since put a small plastic grill over the top of the cages to stop the odd piece of Bio media entering the cage when the pump has been turned off.

Sometimes when the pump has been off, and when it's turned back on there will be a slight airlock or back pressure until the water flows correctly and that will cause one or two bio cogs to float up into the cage. Adding the grill has now fix that problem.

Thanks, joblow

I worked on this today and felt like all I did was run around buying fittings or trying to figure out how to put in 45s. Really not much space to work with and that means the tanks can't move around much . Wound up not being able to use 45s or long 90s in a couple places but street elbows work and are a slight improvement. Every hole you make for a pipe in the platform limits movement. I had originally intended to put most pipes up along the tank but it's almost impossible to get at and I'm planning to enclose most of the area. I think I've gotten some connections figured out though.

I hadn't considered the water level settings in the RFF when the MBBR is cut off or just the MBBR (or maybe I had and just forgot what I decided ). I want to limit where I go through the wood platform to preserve the structural integrity. The RFF I'm going to try using the center drain with a removable standpipe - the fit is loose but I think it's slowing the water up enough it will work. Lots to keep track of.



I considered something like this before I switched to the reducers in the bottom. The media is small enough and the barrel bottom uneven enough, that I think it would be tough to prevent media being sucked in but if you can do this then it's would probably be a good idea. For my setup, I may just drop a bucket or shallow container with holes along the top edge, over my bottom drain (shouldn't matter too much if I trap media with this drain cover but I'm sure it will affect the flow). This should pull the muck from along the bottom further from the drain.

I like the basket, looks like it works pretty well.