Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

hehe - blue balls

I can see the yabbies again. I've got a small 1000ltr/hr pumping into the last 2 drums all the time.
Ph 8.8
Am .25
Ni .25
Na 5

Darn pump losing its prime all the time. I'll fix its wagon. Added this jigger to the inlet. A one way with fish stopping bit. Other picture is of a pot, I'm a messy gardener. Can you tell all the plants that are in there. A hint, there is a beetroot hiding under everything else.

Hi dufflight, have you set up the blue ball bio filter?? I am keen to see how well they work in your system, as I am considering giving them a go in my next project

Old photo but the white drum is filled with bio-balls and has water running through it when the GB's fill. The system will get a better run when the fish get here. So far its hard to get the Am and Ni to stay up. Warmer now so that will help.

How bout a pic of your pump. You mention it keeps loosing it's prime, do you have a priming pot/trap for it? I know my pump requires a good check valve below the water line (a swing check valve doesn't restrict flow the way most spring check valves do though it needs to be installed so that gravity works in your favor) as well as a priming pot but my pump is fairly big (talking 40 mm inlet and outlet piping.)

Hi Dufflight

Have you considered sheeting half or 3/4 of your pool surface with foam sheets and planting in net pots. The foam sheets would help to reduce sunlight thus algae buildup, help keep the heat in during the night and provide a hiding spot for your fish from birds. You will still need the biofilters for bacteria to convert the ammonia. The foam sheets would be a size where two people can lift out to harvest your plants. I would try to get a rainwater tank (seconds) from manufacturer cut in half and use that as a big biofilter..will save costs plumbing all the blue tubs in long run..

LB

First picture is of the pressure pump I'm using now. The second is the one that will replace it when I get enough GB's going. The third is the Bio filter for the new fish tank.

I was thinking of floating something in the pool but where do you get AP safe foam sheets from. And there are only going to be 16 1/2 drums for tomatoes. After that I was going for large GB's on a stand.

heh no wonder its pumping so much water through the 25mm pipe, its a 700 watt model

The 25mm is the intake. Does push a lot of water through the 13mm pipe. After I go to the bigger pump I was going to try and make a large protein skimmer. Because its a pressure pump I thought of having it jet water into a drum and see how much foam I can make.

You've stepped it down to 13mm??

Poor Pump

Came already stepped on. I'll get a photo of the plate on it later.

Frank will be on to you soon, thats very inefficient

I don't think he's found this thread yet. Wait until he find out I've got a 100amp of power supply.

Water starting to go green again. Might have to vacuum the bottom into the GB's.