Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Took some of the advice and made some changes...
SLO modified and a solids drain added, new sump tank, changed the feed from the pump to just the fish tank, not both the FT and the GB's, got the feed for the GB's from the SLO now.... Seems logical now
Put the pump in a screen box for a filter down in the sump.
Got some river rock for grow media, was kinda small stones, so I sifted the larger stones out, filled the bed up to the water line and took the smaller stones and put them on the top 11/2-2" cause it was all I could get for free.
I put in the auto syphons, built them like it showed on you tube and they are working real good, takes a few minutes to fill and then boom they drain in like 30 sec.
I bought a 400GPH pump on ebay, shoulda got a 5 or 600, but it is up and running pretty smoothly I think.
I filled the system with 1/2 pond water and 1/2 water from the AC drain I been collecting. (Condensation)
I put in a couple Basil plants and some seede this eve... Figure they will germinate about the time it is cycled through enough for the bacteria to get started.
I think I will start off with a few Blue Gilll for awhile and maybe in spring get some catfish

Here's what I have so far













Anymore suggestions, I am very open to constructive criticism.

I really like the neatness of your GB's, the chunkiness of the timber looks great. It really helps to make it look tidy as well as being functional.

However me and my dirty mind only saw one thing with the barrel cutout in the second photo...

That looks so neat. Nice layout.

Honest... it was like that when I found it

recycled wood looks really nice, the whole system looks great. I filled my media beds halfway with river rocks too. Yes the expanded clays beads are awesome, but quite spendy, I'm up to eight sacks of the beads on top of the gravel

Looks really great... Good going and neat timber work
I only see one thing at this stage I personally would add if you gave me that system... I'd add a ball or gate valve in each GBs inlet to control water flow. It helps as far as the Siphon starting and stopping if you can control inlet flow.... and if you need to do maintenance on a specific bed, you can shut just that one off. Makes for "commercial growth " thinking and utilising
Great build still, I'm jealous

Thanks guys, I really appreciate it

Awesome setup, love the wood facade. What is the 4th image looks like the inside of the tank on the right in the 5th image

The black thing inside the blue tank is a dish pan for the pump to keep the sediment and sand from getting into it and a rock holding it down under water. I have since wrapped an old plastic desktop basket with some plastic screening as a protective cage for the same until everything has cycled through.
Today I got a master test kit and tomorrow I will get a new pump 1000gph / 3800lph Active Aqua w1000 and should be go to go....

Nice. How many gallons is your system? I'm assuming its more than 400 sonce you said you wish you had a bigger pump

No I was wondering what the tank on the right hand side of the last image is for? Your fish tank maybe?

Mike. . Yes you are correct, that is the Fish Tank

YEPPERS, it is just that.... I combined the SLO and the solids waste dump together.

got some plants in it now and a couple perch and some minnows to get er goin.....