Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

My system is finally up and running so I thought I'd post up a few pictures.

I have a 1500lt FT
1000lt ST
1260lts of GB media (expanded clay balls) in a 2.5m x 1.4m fibre glass GB
10000lt/hr pump (in sump)

I pump from my ST to the GB with excess pressure running into my FT creating a swirl.
The GB drains into my FT which overflows into my ST.
The whole system is in an area 4.1m x 3.8m


The area in need of an idea, the idea Aquaponics


Paving done


The AP setup is going behind my new shed.

The FT and ST


The GB


The GB stand made out of 2inch galvanized iron pipe (ex fence)

50mm pipe with slots cut into it for the overflow pipe, designed to suck up from the bottom but to small for the fish to get into.


The pipe with the slits is on the bottom of the FT, the vertical pipe has no holes.


The pipe runs through the side of the FT using a UNISEAL (it doesn't leak dispite the hole being drilled to big.)

$960 worth of expanded clay


Washing the expanded clay, the black bin has a heap of small holes in the bottom to let the fines through.


The GB with stand pipe ready for the media, the FT and ST are already circulating in the background.


All hooked up and running, I also put the small balls from my Eheim filter inside, into the GB media dirrectly under the intake pipe to speed things up a little. The black bin in the ST is a Bio filter I made (just for increased filtration). It has a bunch of 10mm holes in the bottom, 50mm of gravel then it's filled with filter sponge (the firm black stuff) and topped off with some white filter matting.


The excess water from my 10 000lt/hr pump running into the FT.


Bang up a fence to keep the kiddies out of the "new swimming pools" and also stop the young one from throwing foreign objects in aswell.


and finally some lattice on the fence for shade.

looks great mate. way to go!!

The fish. I did have 45 SP growing in my 6ft FT inside till I got my ass into gear and completed the AP setup.


Unfortunately a week before completion I was sick and didn't change the water in the tank and within two days the fish had dirtied up the water bad enough for the fish to start dying. Within three days I had lost all but ten It is amazing how attached I had become to the fish after a few months of watching them grow and swim around every night in the lounge room, very sad.

But the ten that are left are swimming around quite happily in their new home, dispite the water going a little on the green side.

In my ST I am growing Yabbies. I am breeding them in a 7ft FT in the garage.


This was my biggest male but the girls beat him up when he malted, shortly after this pic he turned a deep orange colour so did the girls that beat him up




The breeders


These ones (around 50) are in the ST. I have another 200-300 young ones growing in the nersery the moment, if I get too many I will just feed them to the fish!

Ok thats it, what does every one think?

Why would you keep the kids out? *grin*

I suppose they would be to wild for the fish. Other than that, nice looking system. Shame about the fish.

Top effort MM! Looks like you'll be getting some production from an otherwise unused area.

I take it the gravel in the sump is more fun for the yabbies and it won't get picked up by the pump. And more surface area for the good bacteria.

Look forward to seeing the progress, misadventures and tweaks.

Top job there....

The gravel is in the bottom of the bin, mainly to stop the small yabbies from getting into the filter and getting stuck. The only gravel in the ST is the few handfulls the little one threw in there

Thanks all I shall keep the progress pics coming.

It's been a month or so and my fish are growing fast, well when I can see them that is I have completely covered the system with shade cloth but the algae is still the same and visability is around 5cm.
I thought this should of cleared up by now but it hasn't. I don't think it is affecting the fish but if something happens or something dies I wont be able to see.
Is there something I can/should do or just leave it and see.
Cheers
Shaun.

Just looking back at some of the photos, it would appear that your shade cloth over the tank does not block out the sun entirely?? Seems like a light green colour shade cloth to me... unless you have replaced with something else...

If it has been a month since you added the shade cloth, then I would suggest that the "black-out" is not enough... I should suggest you cover your tanks with a tarp and totally "black-out" the tank temporarily... Once the water is clear again, you can try removing the tarps. You may need a darker shade cloth... 90% black would be great...

Sorry if I did not read it, but is your growbed translucent?? If so, you may need to block out the sun for that... wouldn't want algae growing in the growbeds...

Hi Ivan, yes the GB is translucent but the sides don't receive any dirrect sunlight... I am going to paint it though just incase.

I think the shade cloth is 70% in a light blue colour, I can't post a photo (I'm at work) but it is now over the whole ST and covers the original FT covering and the rest of the FT.

I might try tarping the ST and see how things go.

My vegies aren't growing too fast at all but I only have 20 small fish in there so I cant expect too much. I will up the load once the system matures toward the end of the year.

Cheers

Shaun

Well have you tested your water?? What is the nitrate reading?... It is also probably because you are growing algae... Just black-out all water bodies that has chances to get exposed to sunlight...