Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Love it...so you put the gravel in the tractor bucket, wash it, then dump it straight into the GB...another simple ingenious BYAP gravel washing method

Okay, I have been busy reacting to the storms we had roll through Kentucky last night. Didn't get to work on the system at all today. I want to thank everyone for your help. I can tell you that I probably would have really messed this up on my own. In reading all the latest posts, I have a few more clarifications.

Janet: When you say "the system cycles", what do you mean. I was thinking that by taking the water from the pond, it would already be ready for the fish and plants. It is almost ready to start greening (slime, moss & algie) up down at the pond. The green stuff will get filtered out when I put in the tank and start circulating. Do I need to wait for a period of time more than that to add fish?

Amaca: Based on what you said, we are thinking that we will have an outside garden that will use the other two tanks, but will share the pump and filter and sump tanks. We will shut down that part of the garden for winter each year, keeping the heated greenhouse for year round gardening. Since we have a long growing season already, we can have at least two crops of most vegetables, and if the AP grows faster, maybe even three of some. We will can/freeze all of the outside stuff, including the large crop of fish that will need to be harvested (less whatever we transfer to the inside tank, if any). Was also thinking that we might use the chum from the harvest to produce frozen food blocks for feeding the fish. Since both varieties are carnivorous. I downloaded the information from the site you sent me to get the "recipe". If we can get the right mixture, we might even be able to provide a good portion of our fish food requirements. We will of course need to get past the whole "cannibal creepiness"!

The trap that we will use if capable of catching bait fish, and crawfish and larger (8inch) fish as well, so hopefully we will be able to catch fish during the spring/summer/fall seasons to feed the FT's for the whole year. We will need to add some other tasty treat. Interesting point. When I draw grain from the bins to give to the cows or horses, some always spills. I usually rake it into a pile until it is big enough to use the scoop to dump it. By the time it gets that big, it is filled with maggots, grubs and other little creatures, which happen to be the menu I downloaded for the bluegill and bass, so now I have something to do with them other than dump them somewhere. The pond is large enought that I should be able to harvest a good portion of the food. It might even make sense to fill the indoor tank with fingerlings during the winter, that move to the bigger tanks come springtime. That would take the pressure off of the pond each spring when I need to start up the two bigger tanks.

I will attach the new (dare I say final) design diagram showing what I will be doing. We will build the outside garden this year, but not start it up until next spring. Hopefully that will give us enough experience at maintaining the system. Thanks again for everyone's guidance and suggestions. Nothing like a new "project" to make you feel a little scientifically challenged.

What will need to happen, even though you are "seeding" the system from the pond, is the bacteria will need to multiply enough to cope with the fish load. This will take a few weeks depending on the temperature, how much "seeding" is done and how many fish you put in.

This is sooooo frustrating. I finally get the design all worked out, and we have had storms ever since. All those supplies just sitting out there, ready for me to build the system. I will post pictures when I get started, but I am just sitting here drumming my fingers for now!

I know the feeling!

Love the drawing what program did you use

I used Microsoft Powerpoint, and then saved it as a JPEG image. There are probably other programs that are better, but PP is what I used at work before I retired, so it is what I know.

Well, I finally got to work on the project today. Changed the positioning of the GB and the sump tanks. I am going to use 50 gallon barrels positioned under the GB's so that I can keep the FT full while the flood is going on. Also decided to put the GB's in the middle so that we can walk around them, and so that the wife can put some potted plants inside the greenhouse. The new design seems to be a better use of space. Used cement blocks to support the GB's, and filled them with gravel in an attempt to increase the thermal mass. The floor is black rubber, and all of the pipes will be insulated with black foam. Even though it will generate heat in the summer, the water should be shaded enough to maintain a reasonable temp. We shall see. Attached is my progress so far.

Well, I hit another snag. I didn't account for the back flow from my FT ro my sump tanks. Not only that, but when it is flowing, the pressure just isn't there. Not enough drop. That means I am going to have to put in a sump pump, or just run the line from the GB to the FT. I will probably try that first, but the I am still worried about draining the FT too low when I am on the flood cycle. Back to the drawing board for me.

Okay, I tried it with the line going straight from the GB to the FT. Runs very slow, even though it is well above the water level. I have another question now though. Do you need to flood the GB, or can you just have the water flow in and right back out through the drain. Does this give the bacteria time to clean/filter the water? If I were to leave the water flowing at a reduced rate, but let it go longer maybe. I am really trying to avoid having a sump pump pulling the water from the sump barrels. If I need to so be it, but I would really like to avoid it.....Help

Growbeds with gravel work better in a flood and drain systeme but still work well in a continuous way.
Try and see, if it works well enough keep it, otherwise get a sump pump.

Flood and drain is sometimes done with a timer. Like the pump is only on for a certain amount of time and it pumps fast enough to fill the bed because the drain is slower. Then when the pump turns off the bed is allowed to drain slowly. Big drawback to this is that timers can fail and when the pump is off, the fish are not getting the extra aeration. Also, turning pumps on and off can be hard on them in some situations.

I'm having some similar issues in that getting enough fall from my grow beds to my fish tank isn't easy and I'm worried about the amount of fluctuation in water level in the tank. I like your idea with the barrel under the grow bed but I see your problem is that the fish tank is up a couple steps.
I don't want to mess with all your plans but I would almost be tempted to put the Grow beds lower than the tank and let the tank gravity feed down to the beds and then out of the beds down to a sump below and put the pump in the sump. This would be what some people call CLIFT PIS or Constant Level In Fish Tank Pump In Sump.

Anyway, good luck!

The problem I have is that I am using an existing "cooling" tank setup that already has the pump and everything set up. I have a timer that I have not yet hooked up. It is a pretty good one I think, commercial grade. It would be easy enough to put a smaller capacity pump in between the sump tanks and the FT, and I suppose that is what I will have to do. My timer works in 30 minute increments, and I still haven't figured out how often I will run it. It only takes about 15-20 minutes to fill the beds, and they all have float valves, and the spill over goes back into the FT, which aeriates the water as it goes through the float valve. I have flow control on all of the lines, so I can control how fas the flow is. I just need to find a pump that is in-line and impeller based so that when the FT is at full, the pump can handle zero flow. The main pump is like this, and it works well, although because there is a spill over line back into the FT, this isn't a problem. I guess I need to go pump shopping. I am pretty lucky in that so far I have only had to spend a couple hundred, as most of the stuff I already had.

Okay, I found the pump I need for the sump tanks. My timer requires fitted actuators that are attached to the wheel at the appropriate times to turn the circuit on or off, so I am still waiting for those to arive. The weather has been cold again, so I am still in wait mode. I also ordered the first batch of pellets for the fish. I ordered pellets that are really high in protein and fat. I am going to mix them with chum, and some wheat grain to create a "meatloaf" type patty the size of a breakfast sausage patty, and then I will freeze them. I am hoping that by mixing the pellets in with the chum, the fish will train to eat them and like them. If it works out, I will fish the big pond for chum in the AP tanks. I am hoping to come up with a cheaper feed that will work, because these pellets are spendy. The only thing I am lacking for the system (phase #1) is the heater that I will need sometime before next winter. I will wait until everything is up and running well, and the permanent pipes are in place. Right now, I am using lengths of garden hose and what not, to get the kinks out before putting int he PVC. Wish me luck!

Good to have news from you and specially when it is going fine.
You might have to fertilise the outside pond to increase a bit the fish production to keep up with the needs of the AP system. All of this depending on the size of pond.
I'll be able to give you advice if you need it.

I'll be waiting for the update pics.