Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Another 2 half barrels are up and running. That's 6 plus the plastic filled drum. Don't like washing gravel. Not any fun to carry from next door. Ordered more barrels. Spilled vinegar from one of the barrels on my leg. that does not tickle. Forgot the place I get the drums from said pure vinegar will burn. 200 silvers and 80 crawfish. Any idea how many half barrels I'm goin to need. On a good note my lower back seems to be getting stronger.

Around 20 at least? If you have room, put as many as you can

I like the figure of 5 fish (2.5kg) per 100 litre barrel. Allows for extra load.

Bugger, was hoping you were going to say 6. Got room for 40 on that side of the pool. My lower back is going to be so strong after this.

You can try 6

Cant guarantee that youll have more that 50 full sized Silvers though

Another 2 and I can start on the next 8. Then I get to use the bigger pump.

Am .5
Ni .25
Na 5

I do like the stability of the larger water volume. My smaller system can move very quickly but the pools takes some shoving. It will be different when the silvers get here. But then I should have bacteria started in enough drums.

I hope you are going to be using something other than 13mm pipe? It will block up over summer.

That's the baby pump. The other one is going to use 40mm pvc between the drums above the 90mm return line. Then 19mm hose dumping into the drums. The 40mm T valve will allow me to adjust the flow on each set of 8 drums.
Have been surprised at how fast the drums fill with the davey pressure pump and 13mm tube. Keep adding drums and they are still filling 15min on 45 off.

19mm is great for the drum supply pipe - 40mm and 90mm is right for the rest too

for info - 90mm DWV can handle 10 blue drums worth of water siphoning all at once

Can't do 10, other half wants to be able to get into the house. Didn't like my idea of walking on the edge of the pool.

AP first, house second

System still going. The large amount of water seems to keep everything going slower than other system I've read about. The cold could be helping that. I might even be able to finish the cycle with the fish in the system when the water gets a little hotter. The Na has allready shown up so the bacteria is working but just needs to get more volume going.

15 degrees.

Your processing a large volume of water with a very small amount of growbeds - it will take time.

Patience

Water has darkened up a lot. Going to the run GB's full time for a couple of hrs. Plus the pool pump. This weekend I hope to get some more GB's online.

8 half drums got another 4 drums to cut in half then I'm going to look at a larger type of GB. And I've stoped washing that darn gravel. Just run the water through it for a while once its in the drum. And I've filled up the seprate bio filter with bioballs. I've got a couple spare.