Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hi all,
I am in a quandry, I would like to set up a bigger system than my starter/experiment system which is going well by the way.
But not sure where to go from here.

Had a look at the Entertainer system (2 grow beds and 1 tank) thru Backyard Aquaponics, looks great and I think will fit my situation but the cost of getting it sent over from Perth and then more cost in getting it home from their depot to Croydon may prove difficult.

I would have liked to set one up using recycled and reclaimed stuff but fear my lack of expertise will probably let me down and I won't get around to completing it for too long a time.

So I am not sure what system to buy?

Anyone help me?

Dale

You can get a Backyard Aquaponics system in Melbourne from Dean at http://www.growfresh-aquaponics.com.au/.

He is not too far from you at Greensborough!

cheers,
I just sent him an email.
Dale

How would a system go with 4 IBC's, the top third cut off and inverted on top of the bottom, so a tank at the bottom and growbed on top of each. They are all placed together and instead of 4 pumps for 4 individual systems, have 1 out of the tank continous pump that works on solinoids to switch between tanks every 15 minutes?
So the pump would be continuously going but the beds alternatively flooded and drained?

Wadya think people?

Dale

Best you check out my system

Hi Food&Fish,
I have been having a look at your system but only got as far as page 13 out of 130 so will have to do it in increments.
A lot of hijacking goes on with threads, but I did enjoy seeing the messy sheds.
I think your system is inspirational, I was thinking of buying a ready made set up but I really love scrounging around for stuff and finding uses for it. So I think I may persevere and see what I can come up with.

I will attempt to draw the IBC system in mind in 'paint' and post it for comment. It came to me last night before I fell asleep.

cheers
Dale

Hi Dale
If you have looked at my system you will see that I have utilised components that are begged borrowed or bought cheaply from our local tip shop.
Sometimes I think it would be nice to have a purchased system as it would have speed up the initial setup time, but there is something about doing it yourself that adds an extra degree of satisfaction from a hobby that already provides great satifaction.
Personally I think building your own system is far better environmentally, economically and also gives the designer/builder the opportunity to be creative and possibly more innovative.

Hi Dale,

I also made my system from bits and pieces (purchased some compoenets off the forum) and even though it has taken longer I have enjoyed the process and believe that I have a better understanding of the system becuase I built it. I would recomend going out and having a look at a couple of systems. Persoanaly I was reading threads all day and night and then after visiting F&F and Dean all the peices started to fit together. You could see, ask questions and follow the pipework better than via photo's. There are some really amazing systems out there and I have found everyone really helpful since starting in AP.
Good Luck

Use Google Sketchup .... there is a pretty good free version available and it is pretty easy to use... It is 3D as well...

Thankyou all so much for your advise and confidence, it is most heartening.
I have had a go with paint to show my thoughts of a design I could probably build. Use your imaginations please.

Figure 1 Potential Aquaponics set up
Set up shows 4 IBC’s linked together with pipe work at the bases.
External Pump (not submersible) is the smaller box between the larger IBCs, it taps into this pipe work and as it pumps the water it comes from all 4 IBC’s at the same time.
It is then pumped up onto the grow beds which sit atop the tanks, as seen in separate image to the right, showing the grow bed removed and flipped over and sitting atop the tank.
A solenoid dictates which grow bed gets the water for 15 minutes before it switches to the next and so on.
The water level in the tanks will self adjust to level as the grow beds empty. So the pump is continuous.
If extra aeration to the tanks is required then perhaps an overflow pipe could be added near the tops of the tanks so the overflow from the grow beds emptying will trickle into the tanks (not sure if this will work though, physics is not my strong point).
Is this a feasible set up?
Does anyone else have the same set up?
Dale Morgan

Well as you are considering to use solenoids, I would assume that you have easy and cheap access to PLCs, power supplies, relays, solenoids, etc... If you don't, the cost of the electrical/electronic setup may be as much as buying for separate submersible pumps and running them separately...

All my systems get sequentially flooded for 15 mins.... without the need for solenoids...

Hi RupertofOZ,
please tell me how you do that?
Dale

lol, hooked.

I've PM'd you... or have a look at these links..

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=5378&start=0&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&hilit=sequential+valve

viewtopic.php?f=8&t=5119&start=0&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&hilit=holy+grail