⚠️ This forum has been restored as a read-only archive so the knowledge shared by the community over many years remains available. New registrations and posting are disabled.

All times are UTC + 8 hours




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 10 posts ] 
Author Message
 Post subject: Seth's First System
PostPosted: Mar 21st, '09, 02:59 

Joined: Mar 12th, '09, 23:18
Posts: 5
Gender: Male
Location: San Diego, CA
I am setting up my first AP system soon. The parts I have been able to come up w/ are:
(1) 145 Gallon tub for the fish
(1) 4'x4'x 8" deep grow bed
Hydroton
I plan on building a stand this weekend and then I will try and figure out what size water pump and air pump to get. Some suggestions would be great.
I plan on using the flood and drain method on a timer that I think should come on every hour for about 15 minutes. I would like to use the continous flow method w/ some sort of auto siphon but i'm not sure how to build one and not sure it would work w/ my short grow bed.
Please take a look at my rendering of the system and give me feed back. I am new to AP but I have maintained a salt water reef tank for the last 4 years and have had hydroponic gardens in the past so I have a decent uderstanding of some of the aspects of AP.

Thanks,

Seth from San diego
Attachment:
tray and stand.jpg
tray and stand.jpg [ 20.52 KiB | Viewed 3339 times ]


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
    Advertisement
 
 Post subject: Re: Seth's First System
PostPosted: Mar 21st, '09, 05:04 
Moderator
Moderator
User avatar

Joined: May 27th, '06, 04:57
Posts: 6480
Images: 0
Gender: Male
Are you human?: I'm a pleasure droid
Location: Frederick, Maryland
Welcome Seth!

Good luck with your new obsession!

8" is probably too shallow, 1' is preferred if possible.

Google can calculate volumes and convert units for you, to flood your 4' x 4' bed if it were 1' deep would be around:

"16 cubic feet in gallons" = 119 gallons of gravel/media.

Water needed to fill a gravel bed runs between 30% and 40% of gravel volume.

119 * 0.4 = 47 gallons of water out of the tub, so it will drop by 1/3 when the bed is full, which isn't too bad. Your 8" bed will require less water so you should be fine without a sump. Go for it! :P A sump would allow more flexibility and bed volume.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Seth's First System
PostPosted: Mar 21st, '09, 07:12 
Welcome to the madnes of aquaponics Seth... hope you enjoy the ride...


Top
  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Seth's First System
PostPosted: Mar 21st, '09, 18:48 
Seriously, this cant be healthy.
Seriously, this cant be healthy.
User avatar

Joined: Aug 7th, '06, 20:07
Posts: 8293
Location: margaret river West Oz
Gender: Male
Location: Western Australia
Welcome Seth 8)


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Seth's First System
PostPosted: Apr 28th, '12, 00:30 

Joined: Mar 12th, '09, 23:18
Posts: 5
Gender: Male
Location: San Diego, CA
Finally got it built and it's up and running. I originally, upon start up, added 5 mosquito fish and 3 fancy gold fish. Last week I added 10 fingerling talapia and a few plants. The system is not fully cycled yet though. I ran some water tests yesterday and I have some ammonia, high nitrites, low nitrates, and a pH of 8.2. The system has been set up for almost a month now. I plan on adding another 50 gallon grow bed to the system (maybe 2) since I have a 140 gallon fish tank.


Attachments:
0423121546.jpg
0423121546.jpg [ 97.68 KiB | Viewed 2946 times ]
Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Seth's First System
PostPosted: Apr 28th, '12, 01:19 
Moderator
Moderator
User avatar

Joined: Aug 26th, '10, 07:17
Posts: 9104
Gender: Male
Are you human?: YES
Location: Oregon, USA
I'd be adding salt.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Seth's First System
PostPosted: Apr 28th, '12, 03:44 

Joined: Mar 12th, '09, 23:18
Posts: 5
Gender: Male
Location: San Diego, CA
I have been adding the water conditioner "Prime". Besides removing chlorine and chloramine it improves slime coat and detoxifies ammonia and nitrites.
Is there any other benifits that the salt would add that Prime is not or is that suffecient?
I have also changed from my original design above and have a 36"x36"x12" grow bed.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Seth's First System
PostPosted: Apr 28th, '12, 08:29 
Moderator
Moderator
User avatar

Joined: Aug 26th, '10, 07:17
Posts: 9104
Gender: Male
Are you human?: YES
Location: Oregon, USA
Hi Seth, This topic comes up regularly. Have a search for water conditioners and/or salting and you'll find plenty of information. Most people here avoid using the conditioners because of questions about whether they are people safe.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Seth's First System
PostPosted: Apr 29th, '12, 08:50 
Site Admin
Site Admin
User avatar

Joined: Mar 12th, '06, 07:56
Posts: 17803
Images: 4
Location: Perth
Gender: Male
Blog: View Blog (1)
Good to see it come together after all these years Seth..

scotty435 wrote:
Most people here avoid using the conditioners because of questions about whether they are people safe.


And whether they are really needed...


Top
 Profile Personal album  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Seth's First System
PostPosted: Apr 29th, '12, 23:08 

Joined: Mar 12th, '09, 23:18
Posts: 5
Gender: Male
Location: San Diego, CA
Thanks for the good advise. i will look into the salt instead. All the fish seem to be happy and eating well so no major issues yet. I am happy to finally get this thig going, I am having fun setting it up, getting the bell siphon dialed and watching the plants grow.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 10 posts ] 

All times are UTC + 8 hours


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  
cron

Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group
Portal by phpBB3 Portal © phpBB Türkiye
[ Time : 0.089s | 15 Queries | GZIP : Off ]