Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

hi eyeryone just getting into aquaponics i allready purchased a polymaster 2000ltr tank and cant wait to get it all set up im in adelaide not sure what fish to put in yet maybe a few suggestions from you guys i plan on getting 6 byap growbeds and 500ltr sump also what is the minimum and max amount of fish for this system thanks and cant wait.

Hi Australianproud from another Radelaidean! FYI depending on how you intend to set it up, you are going to need a sump tank marginally bigger than the volume of water in your grow beds, so 500L might not be enough (you might need closer to 1200L).

Fish at this time of year is Trout if you're not heating the tank as its too cold for silver perch (unless you heat the tank and slowly reduce the temp to ambient), at least that was the advice i was given by a couple of silver perch suppliers who keep their tanks at 23 deg C.

i'll have to let someone with more expertise fill you in on fish numbers.

where in Adelaide are you from?

Hello Australianproud.

The general rule is 25 fish per BYAP Growbed. So you have potential for 150 fish with 6 beds, but not how they would go in a 2000L tank - should be ok (should point out that is 25 fish per growbed, with a harvest size of 500grams each)

A 500L sump wont be large enough for 6 beds. If using siphons and all of them empty at approximately the same time, your sump will need to hold 1200+ litres of water. If you use constant flooded beds with a hole at the bottom of the stand pipe to allow water to drain in the case of a power failure, again your sump will need to hold 1200+ litres of water. (it is starting to sound like you should use the 2000L tank as your sump and buy a larger fish tank - lol your system could already be getting bigger before it is even started).

What configuration will you use?

If you are using CHIFT PIST, then you will need the water level in your fish tank to be higher than the grow beds so the water can 'over flow' via gravity into the growbeds, then drain into your sump via gravity and be pumped back to the fish tank.

Good luck, post plenty of pictures and ask plenty of questions.

ok well looks like im getting a bigger sump what if i get another 2000ltr polymaster connect them by drain in centre and pump from sump to growbeds then syphon back to ft thats what i was thinking any way.oh and im from salisbury

Constant flooded beds can be set up with a bell over the standpipe with no hole in standpipe, and no cap on the bell. This way the water is drawn from the bottom of the beds and will not drain if power goes out. You could have half this way and half autosiphon like I have in my system. For a sump look at Reln 1000L troughs or 1000L byap tank. I pump from the sump to the fish tank then SLO overflow back to the growbeds.
Heres a pic of my system when first setup so you get the idea

+1 on sump to fish tank then overflow to grow beds.

and cheers from sunny adelaide!

and this thread is worth a look ...BYAP system trials

I think you will find silver perch the easiest to keep in adelaide. Actually goldfish, then silver perch.

All you have to do is float the bag you buy them in on the surface of their new home for a few hours, then open the bag and let them swim out of their own accord. They will be in a bag with oxygen so there's no hurry.

As long as you don't rush them they will be fine.

well i got another 2000ltr polymaster today thanks monya i got there eventually so now just got to get some growbeds in the next week or so then start putting it together ill post some pics soon as i start

Wow, 2 systems already perhaps??? Sounds like your getting a good start AP...

I would start with SP even though I have had nothing good to say about them lately. What would your water temps be at the moment in adelaide?

10c overnight in a blue barrel