Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

The Concept

Outdoor pond for fish tank. Entirely manmade. Size: 15' x 30'. Depth: 40% of pond at 6'; 30% at 3'; 30% at 1.5'

-Natural water source (underground spring fed) Possibly a bio-filter leading into the pond

-Sides of pond will be landscaped with essentially a drainage ditch, lined with a pond liner and filled with gravel(to decrease likelihood of runoff water tainting my system integrity.)

-A solar shade will run approximately 7' above the pond to decrease direct sunlight (and algae)

-Fish species not fully decided but will include some type of "cleaner" fish as well as whichever primary species I finally decide upon.

- A separate tank will be made for breeding the fish. So I'm not too concerned with fry getting eaten in the pond.

Nitrates/nutrients issues
pond water will be pumped into a media bed with red worms.

-Water then leaves media bed and is pumped to the raft based grow beds. (Another bio-filter in between media and raft?)

Tips, suggestions, critics?

Thanks.

Hi Green Thumb.

sounds like a plan. Some pics of your site or a sketch might help people visualise it.


pond/FT -> media bed -> raft DWC bed works fine for many around here.

as it is a large pond you can probably take what you need.
Dont get too caught up about 1 pond volume per hours etc - those rules apply to intensive systems.

rainfall and overland flow into your pond is always an issue when it is at ground level.
putting some rocks or blocks around to make a lip can help to keep overland rainwater out.

as it is a pond (and ditch) you may still benefit from some water/aquatic vegetation.
as your AP is unlikely to use all nutrients.