Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Gday All , Im along time user fist time poster. Firstly I would like to thank all contributors for their efforts as with out this site I would not have started in aquaponics. I live in Geraldton WA & have system that has been running for over a year now, a 300L main FT with silver perch,3 IBCs for fingerlings & 4 IBC GB are the main components of the system & im expanding it slowly all the time. Im a FIFO worker so have spare time on my hands to think & design the expansion of the system.
Im not a wizard on the computer so hope this works !


Looking forward to hearing from you.
Graham

So only 300L fish tank but 3X fingerling tanks !!!

cool

Welcome Graham, drove by your gaff last weekend on the way to Port Gregory. is that a YTK in your avatar or sambo?

Welcome to the forum gtk, you look like a kid...
Or do you have really big pests up there.

Welcome Graham. It will be interesting to see how it goes. Is it safe to assume you meant 3000 liters for your main fish tank?

Typo ! 3000L FT grow out pond , 3 IBC tanks for smaller fish (fingerlings/marron)
The Avatar photo is ~50Kg Sambo , I commercially fish around Aus for 20 years but now work offshore Driving Tugs.
The kid , my son ( some times a pest ) he looks after the system while Im away & has done school projects on aquaponics which has generated a lot of interested @ the school , a few kids & parent have had a look at the system & I always refer them to this site for information.

Thanks for the reply's & ill post more soon
GTK

Im starting a NTF GB to plumb into my existing system/
So far I've just laid out the components , it a difficult position as I have to work around the corner of the boundary fence.
I have some old 100mm PVC pipe,6m long with 13 x 70mm holes cut for net pots. I have set up a 2000L/h RFF filter to for the water supply.
What depth of water should I try to maintain in the 100mm pipes ?

I'm doing the same thing!
I've read a little bit but no expert....I think you want to have it pretty high at the start for small roots then be able to adjust the level as roots get bigger and take up more room (otherwise overflow can happen).

To variate the level you have the output pipe with a tap or adjustable (swinging up and down) elbow.

Thanks Jayendra I can see how using elbows @ the drain end can be used to adjust the levels in the pipes.
I Scored two Olive barrels today so was thinking of doing the RFF/Bio filter combo @ possibly up the rate of flow in the NFT system.
Just need to plumb it all up now & get the levels right. Hopefully ill get to test it on the weekend !

Finally finished the NFT system. After some trial & error with the levels & leaks in the joints. Have a pump with a flow of 2000L/H. I tried a 3000L/H pump but the flow was too grate & over flowed out of the 100mm pipes the RFF & Bio filter work well just need to get more bio ball/filter material & attach the valves for the drains to enable removal of waste. Im back at work now so will see how much waste accumulates over the next month. I just used disposable cups with slits cut in the as net pots. I don't think they will be very UV stable but should last for the first planting.
Ok any comments or suggestion's will be appreciated
Thanks

Hi there,

Your tubes look great. Did you get the party pack of plastic cups

You could have just put a return to sump on your pump to reduce the flow.

what size hole did you drill?

Looks great mate, well done!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Do you have water pumping towards the viewer of that photo on 2x pipes? and returning on the other 2?

Thanks for the feed back, sorry for the slow response, been @ sea for the last few days no internet out there !
the holes in the 100mm pipes are 70mm 12-13 holes per 6m length there's room to put more holes but its just to start things of.
Im sure Ill be able to up the rate of flow through the 100mm pipe by adjusting the outlet pipes but just ran out of time before flying out for work.
I was looking on ebay for bio balls there not cheep Ill need ~150L , any suggestions for cheaper alternatives ?

Nice one Graham. Looks like you are pretty fearless in trying things out. I love reading about the systems of people like you. Great way to learn from other people's experiments and inventions. Good luck with it all mate.