Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Setting up a small system:
1 IBC (purchased second hand in Sydney) for tank
2 Bath Tabs for Grow beds ($20 each @ B- old stock )

Anyway due to the layout and location I will need a small sump. I was at B and seen a Willow bin 60L, pretty much perfect for what I need. I emailed willow and asked what it was made out of and they said it was recycled PP. I also confirmed that it contains no lead. Would a recycled PP bin be ok to use for the sump?

thanks

OMG, I thought you were duplicating the urineponics thread...

heh me too. I read that and said, "oh no, not again!"

I actually thought he was going one step further and recycline the Pee by drinking it for it's health benefits first....

I'd be checking with B to see if it's food grade, usually they say on the label somewhere.

skygazer, good to have u back. Hope things are well.

TT, things are well, just extremely busy with work and family commitments. I had a look at the MSDS for Polypropylene and it seems to be ok, and it widely used in the food industry. I have some time off between christmas and new year and want to get this first system up and running. I will post some pics as I go.

Don't know about you guys, but 60L seems an awfully small sump. Think about the flow rate from your gbs at full flood, and how much room you'll have between the high and low water levels of your float. You'll want some freeboard at the top, and it can't get too low or you'll risk running the pump dry.

If the pump runs at less than full power for any reason, you'll risk losing water.

I could be wrong though...my system is bigger, so I have a lot of water entering the sump at full flood. I have a 200L blue barrel for a sump, and bigger would be better.

Bath tubs are what 300-400L each? (I'm not sure) even if they're 100L each a 60L sump will be very small.
B sell a 22L black pp tub, this'd be better, or perhaps two, they're only $50ea

and fancy you layppl thinking PP was peepee! :-) huh! I would have been ultra surprised to find it was about urine :-)

oh lord give me strength

Damn it! I meant 220L... 22L is useless... The price was (roughly) accurate though.
Sorry damn typo
Edit:
These things sell like hotcakes, they're hardly ever in stock, and they stink of mould release. A grease used to extract them from an injection moulder with more ease.
Does anybody know about the toxicity of mould release and how to remove it? (I would like to buy some of these for my system)

I would follow Steem's advice, 60l is a bit small to be using as a sump tank...TT or Steve might be able to give the water volume of a bath tub GB, then if you are F'ing & D'ing them at the same time, your sump needs to be able to hold the volume without overflowing (safety feature if pump doesn't work)

what if it was a PIS system? (sorry wanted to fit in with the PP theme)

More seriously though. If it was a pump in sump system wouldn't the pump not working mean the system would just stop rather than overflow at the sump?

Or have I over-simplified things way too much?

I saw 500L tubs sold as 'water tanks' for $99 at B on the weekend. I assume they're food safe given what they're being sold as. They even had lids.

Probably a bit big for your sump, but at least you'd know it's safe.

My sump will be 2500 litres.

Saw them too... it was on the way back from picking up an IBC for $100. Go figure...