Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hi Everybody,
I see below this post is another Bay Area APer. I recently read a NY times article about growing pants in a media bed and using fish for nutrients. Fast forward a few days of reading about AP, HP, AC, and other home-grown things you can think of. I think that AP will be my new addiction and I'm looking forward to it!

My goal is to start a 50 gal FT (36"x18"18"), two GBs (36"Lx9"Wx12"D) tiered above the FT, with a 5 gal sump. I understand already that this system would require two pumps (FT to GB, sump to FT) but I live in an apartment so space is a premium, and I figured by stacking everything my footprint would a 3 ft. x 2ft. I want to have three koi (bought small & which grow to about 8") and grow herbs lettuce, and maybe peppers. I am still in the planning stages and have much more research to do. Any thoughts or ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Keep up the posts everybody because us noobs need all the help we can get.

If you wish single pump operation, look up the term CHIFT PIST
If you wish to keep the level stable in the fish tank, this is probably your best bet.
If you are really tight on space and don't mind some level fluctuation in the fish tank, you might simply pump up from the fish tank into the grow bed and the grow bed could simply drain back into the fish tank (but with this method, you can only have so much grow bed or your fish tank would run too low on water to keep the fish happy.

Welcome!!!!!!

Basic info and useful info sections of the forum would be a good thing to read up on before you get to far along on your design. Then you might pick a few of the member systems threads to read.

Welcome BH!!

BTW an AP addiction is not good for the personal finances hahaha...

(Going all-cash is a good strategy IMO, then you can't spend outside your budget. Dear Wife tries to bend the rules often on this though.)

Thanks for the help. I looked into a CHIFT PIST system and that would mean I would have to have my FT way off the floor. I am too worried about it falling over, even on industrial grade shelving. I might end up using the direct route you mentioned and forego the sump for the time being.

I am definitely using the cash only method. Swore off credit cards this year.

How high are you going to have your growbeds?
with Chift Pist the water level in the fish tank is only a little above the top of the growbeds and as usually the FT is a little deeper than the growbeds it is not normally raised any higher.

Remember the growbeds will likely be heavier than the FT for the same capacity (depending on media) and can become top heavy with plant growth and get a wind loading if outdoors. I'd plan a structure where the growbeds where supported every bit as well as the fishtank

John

Thanks. I calculated the weight of the fish tank (30gals x 8.34 lbs=250lbs) and figured the grow bed to be about 50% heavier due to plants, water soaked media, and water itself. I adjusted my FT because after some research, the 30 gal fish tanks are $50 cheaper then the 50 gallon ones and more than compensated for the size GBs I intend to use. I also looked at fish tank stands and they range from 24" high all the way to 40" high, so I should be good on the height issue for now.