Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I've been threatening (procrastinating) long enough to start up a new system so here goes.

Fish tank
Idea is to get a round tank and incorporate mf's idea of a central stand with swirling water to extract the sediment from the bottom to the grow beds and keep the water level constant. My original thoughts were on 2,400 litre round animal water trough of 600mm height but have been getting a bit of feed back that this maybe too shallow - this is going to be a future addition so jury still out on that.

Sump tank
Large enough to cover for volume of grow bed and to be used in future to hold fingerlings before tossing them into the large tank (may be buried)

Grow bed(s)
Size about 2m*1m*300mm+ - initially start with 1 but planning to add more (water volume 300litres approx)

Water pump
Low volume, continuous flow submersible pump

Smart Relay/PLC
The idea has been discussed on another thread of how to limit the amount of water required to be held in reserve for the grow beds by the use of solenoid valves, problem is the pressure needed for normal irrigation valves and the zero pressure going to be supplied by gravity feed

Green/shade/hot house
Been toying with the idea of using a couple of lengths of gal pipe (32mm), some "T's" and build one about 6m*3m - have a hot house material for the roof (protection from rain) and use shade cloth in summer to lower temp.

Fish
Possibly a combination of Jade and silver perch and expanding to redclaw

Fish tank to be setup inside the garage and green house attached to eastern side (will get the morning sun - southern hemisphere), power easily accessable, backup air pump for power loss or submersible pump failure.

Will put up pics on what I have acquired so far and provide progress reports - isn't this fun

what if you fitted the solenoids into the FEED side, the supply to your beds, then have a very slow drain and a high /low level sensor?

level sensor goes low, solenoid to that bed switches on, bed fills and solenoid switches off. when bed drains and level switch goes low again, plc switches solenoid to BED 2 on...........same process, when bed two drains plc switches solenoid to bed 3 on.............. you'll only ever have one bed volume removed from the tank, and you can still use gravity return to the sump / tank

The feed from the fish tank to the grow bed will be gravity ala MF - so zero pressure (almost) there.

Thinking of using a liquid sensor (only need one then), this could be placed in the outlet pipe from the grow bed, when water flows (from auto siphon), shorts the cct closes 1 valve and opens next one
.............OR........
put sensor at height required in grow bed and have smaller continuous flow pipe on outlet, when short ctt then switch valves.

water pressure is too low to open irrigation valves fully - the reason for my "direct action" valve query

see if I can scrounge up some sort of diagram.

Sorry misunderstood you with high/low sensor - need one sensor/grow bed

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. ok.

yeh - I'm getting there, if the DA valves are too expensive then I will look at other configurations

Told the wife I was going out for a haircut and come back with these on the back of the ute, her comment was:
"You've been ripped off, next time you go for a haircut you better take me with you"

Grow bed (black trough)is 1800*1000*320mm, all side tops cave in which adds strength when medium is added

Sump tank grew and now have 2 (1260*640*500mm - 400l), sides will need support, 500mm deep holes should cure that.

Thoughts on blue tanks is to join them length wise (possibly 40mm pipe) and have one for pump, return GB flow and fingerling tank (future) - the other to have placid water for duckweed and possibly some redclaw.

Plan to clear out back right hand corner in pic to set up a larger fish tank with a green house built onto the garage back wall.

Steve - keep your eyes off the lawnmowers

Getting there Ell! go for gold!

That yellow one would go up nicely...........................

full or empty?

..Both eh!

Nice haircut Les..... look how much light is geting into that shop;) Why not set up the whole system right there?

I think that must be a pretend shed. How can a real shed be THAT clean and tidy?
And that stool. You've just been sitting on it admiring your haircut haven't you?


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mf - the camera makes it look lighter, only got one opaque sheet, besides what am I going to do with the green house framing

Jaymie, the cleanliness is just an illusion, here's what you couldn't see, just finished estapolling my new fishing lounge, there is the roof sheeting letting in light - one sheet each end ("bar fridge" on the right - regular size)

Green house - collected the lengths of gal piping 32mm, the green house is gonna be 6.5 metres long cause that's the standard length of the pipes and 3.5 metres wide cause that's the max length left over after cutting height & cable roof bits

ELB...where did you get the grow beds and how much were they?

Aussieponic

Priorities in order as you can see bar fridge directly opposite entry door, back up mini fridge above

That's the reflection of the flash on the fridge door