Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

So here are the bits I've got together so far.
The pump will be going all the time with air injected into the intake. The sink I'll fill with gravel and a strainer in the plug hole. Got a fibreglass sink if this one is no good.

You will be able to follow the sun around with that system

I like it, would be real good for a herb garden

Air in the intake will cause damage to the pump long term, wont really matter for a cheapy though

another simple yet potentially productive wheeliebin system - what will you be stocking it with and what will the GB be filled with?

Thinking guppies for fish as they breed quickly. And the GB maybe herbs or something small. The main thing is to get a working system and build up a bacteria and fish generator for the larger system I want to set up. Small fish that barra or cod will clean up once the larger system is running.

The air intake on the pump is just for added air. I've seen fish tanks when the air pump's fail. I think that is why most of the newer pumps have this built in. My saltwater system has it for the standard filter pump and the protien filter. Don't know how air would affect the magnetic drive, except for allowing the inpella to move faster.

Will also be running this system for a while to see what temp's I'll be dealing with.

Good going, it is always a good idea to start experimenting small to learn what you like before going big!.

How will you access the fish with the sink on top though?

With it sitting on top it leaves a space at the front. If I need more space I can raise it with a frame. Down the track it would be good to seperate them. eg wheelie bins in the shed with the GB's on the outside wall.

My thought too when I saw and read about the setup, preferable to inject the air into the output of the pump

"Don't know how air would affect the magnetic drive, except for allowing the inpella to move faster"

Too much air and it will just be trashing water not pumping it. Although you get finer bubbles from the inlet why not pump air to the outlet side you can have a venturi effect assisting the air pump. Small irrigation fittings, the ones that connect drip lines to larger poly work well as they already have an angled face. Or the drip fitting itself (see pic). Because of the depth of the wheelie bin you will have to pump air, and make sure you have a non return valve on the air line.

Injecting air on the input side will cause cavitation( spelling) and loss of balanced on the propeller,, the shaft and bearings will be recieving un-equal and inconsistant loadings,,,ultimately this will reduce the pumps life expectancy.

The air intake is only small, makes very fine(mist like) bubbles. Its mainly a backup for the air stone. In the saltwater tank I have the standard pump's air turned down because it makes thousand of fine bubbles that take ages to get to the top.

Got another question. Where do I get the bacteria from. I've got a pouch left over from my saltwater setup. Says Bio Super Concentrate(salt/freshwater and ponds). Or is there a special one for AP?

No such thing, it just escalates out of control
Good Luck

The bacteria are naturally occurring no need to buy them. Just take it easy with the cycle up. They do sell it though (if its any good when you get it). Are you going to use fish less cycling?

I suppose if you have some of the start up stuff, you could use it and see if it speeds things up at all but the truth is, the bacteria will populate a system if you provide good conditions for them.

Air, water, ammonia, surface area, circulation, appropriate pH, and appropriate temperatures.

And avoid things that will kill off the bacteria like chlorine, chloramine, sudden shifts in pH and temperatures, total lack of ammonia input, lack of water, lack of aeration, lack of circulation, or lack of surface area for them to populate.

Getting a small system cycled up is a great way to have seed bacteria/gravel for jump starting your next system. My indoor big aquarium didn't require any real cycle up time since I filled the grow buckets for it with media that had been seasoning in the catfish tank and was nice and gunky!!!!!