Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I used 2 200ltr troughs for my fish tanks and a 40 ltr tank for my duckweed, i also have 3 200ltr tanks for my grow beds, the system is a flood and drain and runs for 15 minutes P/H, the system was completed today, more photos to follow when veggies start to grow.

your opinions or ideas most appreciated


Many thanks to Peter for introducing me to this method of growing, looking forward to going to a larger system when my first system is established

Hehe they look like big toilets, well done:)

Very nice Like the use of the heavy duty timer That's the one I got too!

I only have one opinion that is likely to get shot down I've made a flood and drain system also, and I've been puzzled by the use of valves on the pipes feeding the growbeds? It's not just your system but I've seen quite a few that use it. I just wonder if they're necessary? I mean you have the standpipe that will overflow any excess water right? Wouldn't you want as much water travelling over the growbeds as possible for nutrient delivery, filtering and aeration? It's just another place you can save money I think. I run the same cycle as you (15min/h) and experimented with drain hole sizes so that it drains completely over 45 minutes, this allows air to get to the roots etc and all that good stuff. I mean the growbeds are essentially a filter right, so the more water you run through them the better? This isn't a go at your system, rather a general comment about limiting the flow to the growbeds? (waits to get shot down)

Oh, I do have one more opinion, it's lovely!

Just out of interest, is that just shade cloth used for the walls? Also what is the roof made of? I'm about to cover my system and am looking for ideas!

Hi Kenour
yes i could of just let them flood but the use of the taps allows me to control the flow so that all beds fill at the same time, or they would fill 1 then 2 then 3, my system is built in a green house, it has cor iron on the side wallwith shade to the roof, glass on the roof with shade cloth above the fish, i will also be putting plastic shade on the end to stop the wind, thanks

welcome dkeen222, i have a flood and drain system also, its only 5 weeks in and its running like a beauty In my opinion it is the simplest set up with the least amount of hassles.

I also have a valve on mine, but in a different place. I use it coming off a T piece from the pump to the grow bed to control how fast the bed actually fills up.

Cant wait to see the pictures of the veg, and see if you too get these accelerated growth rates. Its like the vegetables are on steroids!!!

What sort of veggies you planning on planting??? and from seeds or seedlings?

JJ

Hi Jeffrey J
im realy looking forward to getting my first veggies in, brc,col, lett, all from seedlings, and some silver perch when the system has established, gold fish at the mo, i am also an avid vegeie gardener and grow an array of veg in my green house and veg patch, but this is going to change as i would like to go bigger to save water and eat my own fish, cant wait
thanks

I thought that too (beds filling up unevenly) but it just doesn't work like that (for me anyway )! I have the main pipe from my tank going to a T then each arm feeds 2 beds, via a T connector in the middle and then an L at the end... you know... (see image).

I intended to put valves on at a later date, but after testing the system, the water comes out of all pipes at the same rate. Which when you think about it, is how it should work! It's like someone has come up with this idea, and everyone has integrated it into their systems as accepted wisdom, where though experiments with my own system I found the valves not to be necessary! Need to send this one to the mythbusters I think Could you try a cycle with all valves wide open and see what happens? Or if you've done this and noticed that it does actually fill up unevenly, get a bigger pump and repeat until my theory is proven

Thats awesome. Im growing col and lettuce too. Though i trying a few different things, so only the col was from a seedling, the lettuce was from a seed.

All i can tell you is my experience, which is the veg with bigger seeds are ok to start from seed, but smaller seed plants like carrots and leeks, just fall to the bottom and are lost, so i think sticking to seedlings is a great idea.

If you ever try seeds, let me know how you go, would like to see someone succeed at these smaller seed plants and pass on there wisdom.

The Fish side, i see as a bonus, im in it for the veg first. All that said, i am using a variety of fish, tillapia, jade perch, golden perch and some catfish. Also i have some marron on there way from down south. I am trying a more biodiversity approach. And i also had goldies in there first, only for 3 weeks, then i added the perch, today i added the rest, just trying to build it up slowly.

Well it seems like you are doing similar things to myself. So keep the pictures coming, and check out my thread or Robyn T, Tim C and Nic C threads also, we all started around the same time with similar setups. Might help..

Good luck, cant wait to see the next post

JJ

yes i can see your layout, with the main inlet in the middle that would be go to do without valves, but with mine it flows from right to left, i also only have a small pump and the valves help to equal the presure, thinking about it i too should have put my water flow to the centre too.

my pipes are not glued from the T's yet i should try without the vales or turn the full on to see what happens ??

Kenour, Dkeen... the use of ball valves by many members is not so much a method or desire to balance the flood fill of the growbeds....

But usually to fine tune the actual fill rate to enable the siphons to activate, drain and stop completely each and every time....

It has been found necessary by many to (usually) slow the inflow in order to acheive a complete siphon break....

Too fast an inflow sometimes causes the siphon to continually dribble rather than break and stop completely...

In your case Kenour, by design, good luck or good management your inflow rate is obviously just right....

Over time however, with the build up of bio-film, some solid remnants, old roots etc... the inflows can become restricted and to acheive the same flood level, siphon initiation etc it might become necessary to increase the flow somewhat....

The ability to turn the ball valve flow fully on, has been utilised by some to periodically clear piping of bio-film buildup.

Make sense??

Ahh of course!!! Siphons! I see Not a issue for me as I'm using slow drain so I didn't think about it! I put it down to my background running a not for profit organisation, I have to do everything on the cheap so I always have cost cutting in the back on my mind! Even though ball valves of that size are only $7 or so, it all ads up

I see! Experimentation is the fun bit, for me anyway As soon as I finish one bit I'm looking for the next thing to design/adjust! I really should sit back and enjoy it for a while

One way to facilitate germinating small seeds in a gravel bed would be to use some little bits of paper towel to help hold the seed (so it doesn't wash to the bottom) and keep it moist (act as a wick.) Other materials could also serve this purpose like a bit of a cotton wool ball or perhaps some bits of rag cloth. They will all get slimey and break down eventually but will work for getting your plants going and any remaining bits will probably come out with the plan when it is removed from the system.

Kenour, RupertofOZ, im not using syphons what do they look like and how do they work??

Basically a siphon is a method of rapidlly draining a system....

Two main types used... looped auto-siphons.... good for barrels, smaller tubs etc....

Couple of examples .....

http://backyardaquaponics.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=160

http://backyardaquaponics.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=470

Or "Bell Siphons" using two pipes.... the smaller drain/siphon pipe inside another larger pipe (often capped) .... good for larger growbeds....

Good discussion in this thread ....

http://backyardaquaponics.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=129

The theory.... water rises to the top of the looped tube, or the top of the inner siphon pipe.... displaces the air... and sucks the water out rapidly...

Once the water level drops to a level where air can enter the loop or bottom of the siphon tube... the siphon breaks and stops....

allowing the growbed to fill again.... hence the "flood and drain" sequence