Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hi Guys, Currently I'm planning a CHIFT PIST system, I had posted a new member introduction with some plans of building a flood tank design, but was convinced to go for CHIFT PIST, thanks in part to JT who has offered me great advice so far!.

I'm just looking for some feedback and advice from some veterans in the field, so I can avoid some newbie mistakes!.

So here goes:

My ST will be below ground:

It measures: 3.5' x 1.5' x 8' and has a capacity of 314 gal. (1188L)
I am planning on casting it in place out of concrete and using Drylok to seal the water in.

The slab the whole system sits on is 9'x12'. and already in place.

The posts in the ST are to hold the Fish tank:

the FT measures: 3.5' x 4' x 5' with a capacity of 523 gal. (~2000L)
I am planning on, like JT, build it out of lumber and line it with EPDM, it will rest on a concrete slab that will be on top of the ST. I know the picture depicts it out of concrete, but it will be unmovable once full.

My grow beds will be 55 gal. barrels cut in 1/2 filled with gravel:

The grow bed capacity will be only 130 gal. (492L) (40% of 330 gal.). I plan on expanding my grow beds eventually to the 2:1 ratio, for now I am just going to stock fewer fish.

I plan on using a loop siphon:

The grow beds will drain through a 1" (or 3/4") pipe into a 2" pipe where the loop will be above the ST.

The greenhouse is currently non existing but i will build the frame now and then build out the windows for when it gets cold again, I live in San Antonio, TX so I really need the GH for shading the plants and keeping some of the heat out. I'm planning on lining the roof with shade cloth, unsure about what % to use on that.

I plan on using Tilapia, the Mosambique tilapia is the only one allowed in TX without a permit, as it dies at below 80deg. So I will need to heat the system once necessary.
How much fish would you recommend I get for my 130gal. of grow beds at first?

I don't currently have any leads on Sump Pumps, I do see they are much cheaper than continuous use pumps.
Could someone point me in the right direction there.

I plan on getting started on my build this next week, I am giving myself 3 weeks to have it built.

I understand I should cycle the system before introducing the fish, how long would you give a system this size before allowing fish in? I do plan on testing the levels for a while at first.

Also I understand I should add an aerator before introducing the fish.

And what do you guys do for water heating when you need to?

Thanks for taking the time to read my thread!

Chris

I like it so far. It looks like filtration area is your limiting factor. I would cut the drums in half the other way. Put 2 rows on one side and one row on the other. This would give you about a 3' walk way and about 450 gallons of filter space. When the barrels are cut this way they dont require support so you can just stand them on a row of cinder blocks. I just made 4 of these and it was easy with auto siphons. I got a sump pump at harbor freight for $30, 1850 GPH they offer a 2 year warranty against failure for $10 I suggest you get that also if you go this route. Good luck

Hey, Chris! Welcome to the madness!

If you start cycling with fish, either go light (ten fish?) and don't feed much or get some muck from JT to start your system (get a gallon or so of gravel where the water enters the growbed) and start with a full load (15 or 20 fish).

I started out with Mossambicus as well. I think you'll find they get unhealthy below 60F and die below 50F rather than 80F. As long as you can keep the water above 60F you'll be OK.


Heck, for 130 gal of growbed you will have about 50 gal of water. So a pump that runs 100 gal at 3' head should be plenty and will use a heck of a lot less power than a sump pump.

For a 523 gal of fishtank you could use a lot more growbed (the recommended 1x turnover per hour would cycle your beds every 6 minutes! It works...at least in my house....but is extreme). Even so, a pump rated at 8gpm at 3' head should be good and run around $100 and draw around 100 watts. Most sump pumps I've seen will draw twice that and at $0.15/kW-hr you will save about $130/year.


If you get some muck from JT and use urea or humonia you could have it cycled in a week. Without starter culture it typically takes about 6 weeks.


Always a good idea. It not only adds O2, but makes the fish much happier if you are not circulating your tank at 1x per hour...


Many have tried it. We've all given up except for very brief episodes. It just does not work well. One gal (janetpeltier) had, I believe, a 1kW heater in a small indoor system! I made a great insulated, compact, covered, solar-heated system with all kinds of cleverness and gave it up as well. Tilapia may work for you with a greenhouse....but many of us have switched to catfish.

Thanks for the reply Hydro,

Fortunately my total GB capacity is 330 gal. at 40% that's 130 gal. of water. So I wont have to cycle every 6 minutes.. thankfully.

Would I still only get about 10 fish ?

What about when the fish are small? Will they produce enough ammonia for that capacity ?

Again, thanks for taking the time to reply!

Chris

Hey

would be happy to supply a gallon of muck and rocks from my system...


that is if chris would get me a round trip ticket from North Carolina to Texas



JT

Ha!..

I might ask the Fish farm for some of their water when I get the fish.. I do plan on getting my system up and running at least 4 weeks in advance. We'll see.


I'm worried about the sump tank access, I have a compost heap right behind that hole, so Im worried critters could fall in and mess with my Ph.

Thinking about putting chicken wire on it so the water can splash through.

Do you have another idea?

Dont have water splashing through chicken wire, the zinc will mess with your system.

Hydro,

Are you saying to get an out of tank pump instead of a Sump pump?

I'd be worried that in case of failure where no (or not enough) water would get to the sump tank in time the pump would run dry.. ouch. Unless I had a float switch with a timer switch.

Thoughts?

Well that sucks.. maybe I should just build up my walls around the ST and cover it above the water splash. or just use wood

Thanks for the save!

A "sump pump" is, to me, a pump designed and sold as a "sump pump" and intended to get large amounts of water from a flooding basement, etc on a very occasional basis, so that power consumption is secondary to volume and ability to run even with some debris. Advantages are easy availability and price. Disadvantages are excessive running cost and the fact that they usually contain oil that will kill fish if it leaks (as it often does, eventually). I'm using one now for my test pool system, but should spend the $$$ to buy a proper pump as it will save the purchase price in two months.

Perhaps what you are calling a "sump pump" is a regular submersible pump for use in aquariums and ponds. These are typically more efficient (but make sure to check the performance curves and get more than you need as they never seem to put out as much as advertised) and contain no oil.

Can't believe I misread the "130 gal capacity" as total growbed volume.

I agree, I think the sump pump in home construction is an "oh shit the basement is flooded" pump and Ideally should never run.

perhaps I'll start out with one of those thanks for cost and then look at upgrading as time goes on.

Anyone else have some input as to the ideal pump? (ideal as in purchase price is at a happy median with running costs)

Thanks!

A good starting point is your marginal rate for power. Mine is about $0.40/kW ( ), so I'll go to just about any length to reduce use. You also need to know the stats on the two pumps you are comparing, so grab the stats from a cheap sump pump and post flow rate and power use (amps or watts is fine).

I have been wanting to get a "Quiet one" pump for my system they seem to be very effecient and have good flows for the price. Petco sells them. You can a also get a float switch from Lowes ($19 in the pump section)that will make it work like a sump pump. That way if the water gets low the pump wont run dry. A Quiet one 3000 should give you about 600 GPH for 40 watts of power for about $60.

The Sears Craftsman sump pump came out as one of the more efficient pumps easily obtained in the US with a good warranty and reliability record.
Negatives, it does contain oil. And the Sears stores have to order it in.
I will be happy to source you some live Aquaponics muck. Either directly or thru my brother in SA.

Rick

Rick,

Thanks for the pump recommendation.

And thank you for the offer of AP juice!.
I'll let you know when I'm close to putting water into the system.