Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I've had a thought. Do we really need the comprehensive irrigation piping?

We are setting up a flood and drain system and in this system the water in the grow beds fills to the top of the gravel before it drains out again.

Therefore what is wrong with filling up the grow bed through a pipe attached to the bottom of the grow bed or have it spill into the top, or for that matter reduced irrigation pipes. I mean the water reaches the surface no matter what.

We were having trouble with locating the correct joints for the irrigation piping and in a compromise with this theory and the grid system of pipes as outlined in the aquaponics book, have decided to just use two irrigation pipes perpendicular to each other and crossing at the center of the grow bed.

Can anyone comment on why the comprehensive irrigation piping is necessary?

Cheers,
Pig

Others will probably have other reasons, but i think the main reason is to distribute the solids (eg fish waste) over the gravel for it to be broken down. Im pretty sure some dont use the grid system, and the solids would probably be spread enough the way you mentioned above

Afternoon Miss,
As far as I know, the irrigation grid of whatever size piping you are using is to ensure the even distribution of the solids (fish poo) to the grow beds

Dispersion of solids thru the growbeds. Otherwise some plants may get more benefits than others. Otherwise, no need. IMHO

MP,

I have my grow bed filling as you have mentioned, just one inlet pipe above the gravel. I'm lazy

Seems to have worked very well, i'm wondering if now there is a build up of solids in one area............its a flexible LDPE pipe and i used to move it around the bed every week or so, but due to the growth i can barely see it

I personally wouldn't let the water enter frm the bottom, as i don't think you'd trap the solids as well that way, it would be sort of like a "reverse flsuh" when the bed drains.

Steve

Great minds think alike!

where did all thouse replys come from there were none when i was typing my message! LOL

Stu, i think that the solids location doen't have a great bearing on plant growth, i'm fairly sure that even the P and K become water soluble once broken down.........i better hush now, last time i said this stuff someone left.

MP you sound like a lateral thinker, "go get 'em! " They system designs are pretty flexible as long as you remember;
1 fish
2 bacteria
3 plants
4 keeping the solids alows you to grow fruiting/ flowering plants
5 try not to kill many fish, but thats not a strictly enforced guideline LOL

Thanks guys, you are so quick to reply.

I think I'll do the two pipe system I mentioned. The other thing is too, that the aquaponics book mentions a pipe diameter with that many holes in it that I would imagine that it would distribute poorly anyway as most of the water would come out at the holes in the pipes closest to the outlet.

I cant wait to post pictures when its done!

Pig

I agree that the grid in not really needed for F&D, but you do want the water to enter at the top. My system has been running for months. The bed is about 2 square metres, but the grid is only about 20cm square. No problems whatsoever with build-up of solids. Be careful though as I think that certain variables would affect this issue, such as the type of fish and the type of pump used. My fish - silver and jade perch, do not seem to have the same style waste as Barra (barra accumulate more solids). My pump is a small one and quite a lot of the solids accumulate under the pump basket and break down there rather than being pushed into the top of the bed.

Hi Pig,

What a lovely name!

If you accept that worms can probably manage the build up of solids, and that even distribution of the solids throughout the beds is not necessary from a nutrient point of view, you can fill the bed and drain it through the same line.......in the bottom of the tank.

Not only does this simplify the plumbing, but it also ensures that the pump gets backflushed very regularly.......which would do it no harm at all.

Gary

Gary - I think the point that was made by somebody else, and which is very relevant, is that if you fill and drain from the same hole in the bottom then you are likely to end up with very dirty water coming out.

If I dig a hole in my gravel when the bed is full of water, the water in that hole is very, very, very dirty (not with large solids - just small stuff), yet the water exiting the bed through the standpipe is clean.

I will take a couple of pictures sometime to demonstrate what I am talking about in relation to the dirty water.

Hi VB,

If the "dirty water" notion is the result of experience, I may be persuaded that it's a bad idea. If, however, it's a question of speculation I would be inclined to try it before I reached any conclusion.

GD, for my part its simply speculation.

If miss Piggy want to give it a go then i whole heartedly encourage her to do so. There are no EXPERTS here, just lots of backyarders posting their own experience and sometime postulating theories. best way to prove or disprove a theory it to "go get 'em, tiger" Let us know Miss P

Steve,

I agree with you.....on all counts.

Gary

I'm certainly happy for somebody else to experiment on that one. I will take some pictures on the weekend and show you what most peoples grow-beds have in them after having run the system for months. This may help you decide waht you want to do Miss Piggy