Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hi Joel,

I have read you book front to back, and am in the process of setting up something along the lines of your 8x4m system.

Initially I was thinking of using an old bath (some 500 - 600 ltr and shallow) for the fish, and have a couple of grow containers combined with it in a smallish space. This got veto-ed by the "boss" due to the location.

So now I have a larger spot, and thought I might as well set up something bigger to start with. I figure a bigger system will be easier to balance anyway, less temperature and water quality fluctuations.

I can't find readily available 300 high containers, nor a deep enough fish tank type container, so I have gone down the path of tanks like you are using and made some enquiries for this.
I keep getting told that Aquaplate can not be used because of the UV radiation that will deteriorate the polymer lining of the Aquaplate. I figure that this would not be such a drama, unless the polymer starts flaking off in small bits and becomes "fishfood".

What has been used for your tanks / beds? Just galvabond corrugated sheet, or Aquaplate?

Karel

Hey Karel,

My tanks are made from aquaplate, and I was initially told that it should not be exposed to UV for long periods of time, but I have had no visible problems of breakdown or deterioration.

The growbeds are full of gravel, so not really a problem as not much is exposed to the light, but if your worried about the fish tank you can use a liner. In fact many people use only a corrugated ring of metal with no base in it, this is mearly the support for a liner that holds the water..

Joel

Hi, I have started work on a set of moulds for a fish tank and grow boxes (out of fibreglass naturally me being a boatbuilder and all) A set for myself and I hope I will sell a few as kits around the ridges.
Fish tank will be 2200 x 1200 x 1200 deep = 3000 litres and grow boxes 2200 x 1200 x 300 deep They will nest together for ease of transport. Could make a couple of different size fish tanks for different size operations - what do you think ?
Slightly sloping base on fish tank and grow boxes.

Any input/ideas would be appreciated.

Murray

Any ideas how much you would sell the for?

Hi, not yet - but it will be close, but a bit more than gal or aquaplate tanks.

I will post to the forum as soon as I have done some numbers - in a few days.

It occurs to me that F/Glass will be better in the long run, easier to clean, last way beyond 25 - 30 years and very re-saleable should anyone get into Astroponics - Astralponics and not need the tanks anymore. (hic)
I will be able to fit pipe outlets etc more easily into F/Glass than into steel.

I am going to pretty much follow Joel's system in his book, except the Fish Tank and Grow Beds will be rectangular and from F/Glass. Rectangular will be better for space useage in my new "Aquaponics Green House" I am about to build.



Any ideas you might have while I am making the patterns etc would be appreciated.
Murray

What you are proposing sound great. Can you/would you colour the f/glass?

For me the appeal of f/glass is the ability to have a non-uniform shape. Like my little pond at home, with a small pond waterfalling into a larger one, which looks more or less like a rock pond.

A small system that could be put into a garden that is half ornamental water feature and half aquaponics would have a market I believe. As an example, I am struggling to get approval from she who must be obeyed based after seeing Joel's setup(s) in action. Too big and too industrial looking (no offence Joel) for my own backyard which would be a 1/4 the size of Joel's.

This is what inspired my tank in tank idea (see systems thread), in that it is compact and having a fountain and potted beds around the inner tank makes it a big more appealling for the courtyard type installation.

Perhaps another way to increase the aesthetic appeal is to bury the fish tank and then have the grow beds at groud level. Piping can be buried, and other plant around the tanks make just part of the garden.

Yes, I can see where you are coming from re the system Joel has done may not suit some folk on a small residential block. I am thinking I need to get some input as to size etc that may be useful for such a system. In Joel,s book he says that the volume of the Fish Tank to the volume of the Grow beds should be approx 4 fish tank to 1 grow bed (by volume). I am in the process of creating a water feature in my front yard and I have had the same kind of thoughts as you. I will /am building a system very similar to Joel,s in capacity to be in my new Aquaponics Green House, but I am very tempted to put a mini system in the front garden. Joel, you may wish comment please ...., I don't see why the fish pond needs to be all that close to the grow bed. For example, the fish pond could be in the front garden and the grow bed out the back. It just needs a pipe running each way to carry the nutrient rich water one way and the used water back - two pipes - pumps may need beefing up a bit - so, I could have the fish pond out front and the grow bed out the back, wife would be very happy----
You asked about colour - inside the F/Glass tank would be a smooth gelcoat finish - light blue similar to swimming pool blue - or brown same as bad swimming pool colour - any colour really - outside would be grey with blue fleck ..
Murray

This is is all getting very interesting.... I was just thinking about different materials while I was out driving, looking at limestone blocks and contemplating using blocks to create both the pond and the growbed. I'm sure that I have seen somewhere that you can get a waterproof paint on sealant..

Fibreglass would definately be a stronger, longer lasting alternative to thesteel. If the desired outcome is for a small ornamental system, you could just about use those preconstructed cascading pond pieces, just fill the upper pond pieces with gravel and plant plants in them.. Realistically the options are almost limitless...

Murray, the ratios of growbed to fish tank I have talked about in the book is generally 2:1. That is twice as much volume of grow bed, as fish tank, but this is when you want maximum production, real aquaculture and hydroponics combined with maximum stocking and growth rates. For smaller more ornamental systems you can have quite small volumes of grow bed, with not as many fish.

No offence taken Gav..

I think the fibreglass tanks taht Murray is talking of designing and producing would be great. It is even better that Murray lives in driving distance of me so I would buy directly without transportation costs : - )

Joel - what are the main disadvantages of having a tank that is rectangle rather than round? Is this a major problem?

Hi Veggie boy,

Part of the reason why I wanted to get this board going, so that people can go about aquaponics with more ease, the idea of people who can supply materials being part of the board and making them available is great.. Shame I'm so far away, I'd love to come and see the moulds that Murray is working on..

Square vs round... Square is far better for grow beds, it is a much more efficient use of space, easier to create your layout design, build supports structures etc. For the fish tank, there are two schools of though. Circles are the strongest shape, for very large tanks round ones are better, unless they are below ground, round ones can generally be easier for cleaning of muck on the bottom as there are no corners.. But then rectangular raceway designs have been a favourite for many decades, and these are only reasonably small tanks, so very sound.

Murray is planning on having the tank base sloping down to one end so there will be no issue of build up in the corners, it will be down one end where the pump is, so I see no problem at all with the rectangular tank... They are commonly used in aquaculture, have been for years, and will be for years...

Thanks Joel.

Will keep an eye out for Murray's updates on his tanks.

Hey Murray,

That sounds like a great alternative to the Aquaplate round configuration. I would like to know how much you could make them for.

As for the volumes, I guess I would contemplate 6 or 7 growbeds to go with the tank, to be able to do grow some more fish, following Joels recommended ratio of close to 2:1 for maximum fish stocking.

Look forward to your next post once you've done the sums.

Karel

this sounds great.....

We have thought of using the airated concrete blocks, then using Dam liner / pond liner..

Airated concrete is fairly cheap and easy to work with,,, it is also very light.

Hi Roscar,

I am about half way there in making the plug for the "Grow Bed" which, will be able to nest together for ease of transport. It will be a few weeks yet before I will have the mould for that finished,and to be able to actually manufacture a set of 4 Grow Beds. When I actually make a set of 4, poper allowance for labour, materials etc can be made. I want to get them out there at a reasonable price. I have been pricing gal tanks like Joel has used and the prices around Brisbane I have obtained so far are scary to say the least. Lowest price so far for a 1800mm x 300 dia gal tank is 525.00 each in lots of 4

I am sure I can do a F/glass Grow bed for less than that, and it will last heaps longer etc, etc.

I have also started on the fish tank - the grow beds will be able to nest inside the tank once again for ease of transport

Thinking like a boat builder I am keen to use 12 or 24 volt pumps powered by a combo of Solar/Wind/240 volt battery charger backup for my system. I think it makes more sense , reduces the reliance on the "system" I have already worked out the switching system for the pumps, (larger DC pumps tend to burn out switches) and have purchased a number of different marine pumps to experiment with.
In Joel's book he recounts how he lost a number of fish one night because the dog knocked out the power plug. I want my "system" to be not so reliant on the "system"

I am also going to have my pipe work "under gravel" - once again , helps eliminate possible problems.

Regards Murray murray@boatshop.com.au www.boatshop.com.au

With the tanks being that size they will be a bit heavy, are they going to be set on the ground or raised up on stands kind of like Joels? And if they are what will you use?