Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Just wondering ppl's opinions on the different ways to distribute the water around the gb.
What are the advantages of having something like joels system vs just a single point, or maybe 2 or even 3 points?
Any opinions would be greatly appreciated :-)

Cheers
Jono

I found that if you have a HEAP of sediment at any point in your tank, then one inlet to the GB can get blocked easily, I'll always add a couple from now on.
However if trying to distribute the water, you'll use smaller holes, so these could easily get blocked.
So I would add 2 points, but not have them restricted at all, even if under normal use only 1 really has any flow.

My pump is raised on some bricks atm (for safety in case a pipe comes loose, atleast they'll have a few hundred litres), so solids not a huge prob (but this may change).
My dad got me a plumbing kit from byap and was wonderin if it was worth takin it back (altho i've already opened it up and used the dranage kit part), or whether i should just use it and see?

If you have got it use it as kuda said its better to distribute the solids
my first system is running like that with no problem after 3 years my newwer system just dumps it in one end [but i an here all the time to keep an eye on it ]

Cool,
Thanks guys
I'm in the process of washing gravel for the new byap gb, so once i get that one goin and see how long it'll take to fill, i may drop that pump to the floor.
What do you guys reckon? Or should i keep it where it is?

Cheers
Jono

Photos jono, and a diagram. F&F and I aren't too good at picturing such things, and everybody's description is different.

I'd say if you got the kit, use it. However, my system, the beds each get one inlet and it has not been a real problem. On occasion the solids might start to build up and it just means it is time to poke it with a stick and then transfer some more worms to that bed.

I can't actually put up pic's or drawings, coz i don't have the internet at home yet and am usin works. I'll try to explain it really well :-)
Ok, so i have a normal pond pump and have removed the filter from it as it got clogged. I currently have the pump in the FT sitting on a stack of bricks bout 3 bricks high by 2 wide (so roughly at bout the 300l mark). So atm there is not alot of solids being pumped into the gb's.
The reason i have it raised is i don't have a fail safe if somethin happens (like a broken pipe etc), so atleast this way it would only pump to the 300l mark.
So i guess i have 2 questions.
1) Will the pump be able to take the solids that fish usaully create?
2) Does it really matter if the solids are left there?

See OBO response to my very similar question:


And its implementation in my small system:



That depends on the pump. Most pumps have some sort of "solids rating" i.e. 2mm, 5mm, 10mm etc which is the maximum size of solids which can pass through the pump. This should be listed somewhere in the pump literature. On another note, I have a "simple" fountain pump and all of sorts of things can pass through it without any problems (so far). Most of the fish waste is "soft" and gets macerated on the way through my pump, and larger pieces are blocked by the strainer (my strainer is a length of PVC with lots of 3mm if I remember correctly) holes drilled along one "edge" of the pipe. This edge sits on the bottom of the pond, sucking in both the bottom solids and the water-borne suspended particles as they drift past.)


Decaying waste causes all sorts of problems and usually results in dead fish. Keep the water as clean as possible; both from a practical point of view (it keeps the fish alive) and an aesthetic point of view (at the end of a long day it's rewarding to sit and watch the fish in clear water, not watching mud circulating )


HTH

Scott

I would have never thought of that. Thanks
Now to see if the pump will pump enough at that head.

I have just changed to my inlet to below grave at the base next to my drain, in the 15minute cycle the whole bed s have been filling no problem , early days though ask me again in 6 months how good it is!

As for pump water level the pumps I have can sit on base or side, by sitting them on the side when a low water level is reached water eventually stops pumping but most the pump is still in the water.

Well after plumbing up the new gb with joel's delivery system i've found out that the pump i've got is too small.
It cope's, but only just and wanted to drop it to the bottom of the tank as well, therefore increasing the head.
Think i'm gonna have to buy a new pump and just use the one i've got as a backup.
Maybe i'll connect that one to battery backup for when the power goes out and use it for aeration as well as pumping the gb's.
Any suggestions on pump type?
Was thinking of a float type and still have it connected to a timer as well.
Or one with a 40mm inlet and preferably 20mm outlet, but has to be able to be submersed to bout 1.5m ish.

Cheers
Jono

Jono,

My system uses one of these, with float so FT can't empty completely,
http://www.aquaponics.net.au/product/prod3.htm
6mm diameter drain holes in the base of my Bell siphons so water will always drain back to the FT if the pump stops.
and using one of these
http://www.aquaponics.net.au/product/prod43.htm
in conjunction with a small 12v/2000lph bilge pump
http://www.aquaponics.net.au/product/prod1.htm
and
http://www.aquaponics.net.au/product/prod59.htm
for oxygenation in the FT unitl the 240v supply is available.
The battery runs on
http://www.aquaponics.net.au/product/prod89.htm
and all works OK under testing! Remains to be seen if it works in practice, haven't had any blackouts yet!!
I run about 1000 litres from FT to GB, no sump.
I'm sure BYAP has similar stuff or who ever your local supplier is. You now know not to buy undersized pumps.

Cheers Ian K

Yeah i know. This is already my 2nd pump. The 1st just stopped, so went to the local B and got this one which is actually bigger than the last one.
Thanks Ian
Bunson,
What is your pump, where'd you get it from and roughly how much did it cost?
Cheers
Jono