Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

While researching Aquaculture I stumbled across Aquaponics and thought" wow" why have'nt I heard of this before? I have had fish tanks all my life (45years), both freshwater and salt and never come across this at all. Anyway I decided to put it to the test and built a micro system which I attached to an existing 3-foot fish tank indoors and yes the Basil I planted grew under artificial light. I am now in the process of building an outdoor system and the information available on this forum is sure going to help.
Thank you to everybody involved.

Looks like we've hooked another one... there is no escape now.

WELCOME

Welcome Aquastud... there's two working AP systems down your way... (both in Bunberra St)
... and a converted swimming pool down Husky...

And of course... you're welcome to drop up to have a look around my systems up here in Gerringong...

You can see some photos in my thread(s)...

http://www.backyardaquaponics.com/forum ... =18&t=1311

http://www.backyardaquaponics.com/forum ... 46#p214046

or in my web gallery....

http://www.freshbynature.com.au/index.p ... &Itemid=57

Embi thanks for the welcome, and yes hook,line and sinker at this stage?

Rupertofoz I might take you up on your offer when I can find some time?
Thank you.

After much research (mainly this forum) I have finally made a start, and have decided to use an old raised garden bed for the project, which will consist of 2 - 1000L systems with one in a green house style arangement.
I couldn't find a fish tank to suit garden bed width so I decided to make a fibreglass one myself, which I am still in the process of doing.

There will be a fish tank both ends of raised garden bed area.

There will be three different growbeds attached to each system with a total capacity of 1100L per system and I plan to stage fill these with a small pump sized to each particular growbed with pumps controlled by a smart relay.
This will mean 3-pumps per fish tank and from my calculations this will be the most efficient method of supplying multiple grow beds. The savings come in pump life(only has to run 1/3 of the time) and efficiency(lower wattage) and although costs a little more at first, this is re-couped in first 12 months(power savings), also system will have some operating capacity if one pump fails. I will attach some Excell files on next post( I assume people will be able to open?) which contain formulas for calculating data on any pump.

Don't seem to be able to add Excel files on pump and grow bed data?

Might be a file size issue Mark... think attachments are limited to 256k...

File size is only 20KB, said it didn't allow files with .xls extensions? Would be a handy tool for people to work out pump running costs.

Humm... used to... perhaps they weren't authorised during the last software update... PM Joel (Earthbound)

After contacting Joel I have zipped up the Excel files for pump data and grow bed data which are below.


What are peoples thoughts of my proposed system using separate pumps for each grow bed operated in continuous sequence? In theory the fish tank should lower to an average level and I could then top it up to full level with the grow beds always containing the excess water?
I am still fibreglassing at the moment and will start a system thread when I progress further.

Have a look at Rupe's valves - they switch the output so that each time the pump turns on it comes out a different outlet. Means you can run many beds off one system, filled sequentially (switching each time the pump turns on).

I am familiar with rupes valves and if this system doesn't work I will probably go that way, but I am looking at things from an efficiency point of view and any restriction of a pump reduces efficiency. Motorized valves are the most efficient method of supplying multiple outlets from one pump (no restriction) but also the most expensive to do so. With power costs set to rise in the near future (up to 60%) I believe efficiency is well worth looking at, which also is reducing ones carbon foot print. My calculations (see previous attachments) suggest that pumps matched to grow bed sizes and controlled in sequence work out to be the most efficient method for supplying multiple grow bed systems.