Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Up & Cycling Hooooray!!!!

Jamies Starter System

-65Lt Tank
-Washing Machine Pump
-Kiddy SeaShell Swimming Pool
-Old Trampoline & 8x4 Pallet as Stand
-Bell Siphon
-Flow Adjustment Via Tap T-ing off From Pump (Recircing about 80% Of my Pump flow Straight Back into the tank)

The Whole Thing has Cost me under $40 and it is basically a Fiddle, Experiment, get the feel for things system as we have some cashflow issues atm and the budget cant spare me the cash to get my IBC system Yet. Just needed to Play i was going AP Crazy. also its been awesome weather to get out and do stuff.

Hoping to Buy my test kit and a submersible pump in the next week or two iv got 2 spare washer pumps as backups if this one fails in the next few days. (Been Running pretty much solid since Sat Arvo) also I might grab another Tub tomorrow boost the system upto 120l + GB (which takes around half of my tank to fill so im guessing 30l)

I found some Broccoli Seedlings From Last Spring when the kids planted some Stuff, they happend to be in a up turned pot in the backyard got about 20 of them they looked a little sick and there tiny as, i stuck them in a Tub with some scoria and Diluted Seasol mix on Friday and put them under a fluro in the garage and they look tons better so will be interesting to see how they go.

Iv put about 50ml of seasol in my system (not sure if its enough but i can always add more) and i have my 9-Year old peeing in a Bottle (he reckons its Hilarious) got bout 500ml might let it mellow and add it in.

Also i have put some clear Plastic up over my growbed with some old dome tent rods that i found at the recovery yard and covered my tank with a sturdy lid (mainly to stop my dog drinking from it hhaha) will have to get some Hothouse Film before too long. (my camera went flat before i done this will grab some pics tomorrow if i get home from work in daylight)



I hope peeps can see it for the experiment it is, i know its very Rough and Knock up but i have had so much fun over the last few day just getting in and having a go and has flared my growing passion for Aquaponics and Sustainable living plenty of Oxygen in my own Lungs!!!!!!

Heres Some Pics!!!!





Grow Bed


Tank


A Cool macro Shot of my Tiny Broccoli Seedlings.

Pump : 1 Jamie: 0

Off too irrigation shop tomorrow morning for new one!

... and here I was about to say "yippee"... up and running....

There's always tomorrow Jamie ...

Hey I reckon it done awesome washer pump over 72h straight running before it went Hahahaha It was only running very slowly which it done oncebefore so I turned it off to let it back flow the as soon as I flicked it back on the rcd went with a little spark or two.

Was gunna buy a pump online but I'll need too get one tomorrow are the ones from bunnings any good?? Should be able to spare round 50-70 on one, we have a irrigation shop near work just worried there markup will be huge! Will go hunting!

Iv left the bed half full supposed to only be 11 tomorrow and no sun hope to be running again after work!

New pump in and running!!! Grabbed an aquapro hp ap3000 3000lph submersible $77 from bunnings has a ceramic impellor and 2 yr warranty and is rated for continual use. 77watts

I feel the need for an ibc and with all the overtime iv been doing and iv been running the place for 2 weeks I'm hoping for a bonus to buy it!!!

SCORE!!!!!

Had to do a Delivery tonight for work at like 4:30 out miles away from home/work Was kinda annoyed cos i started at 6 to try finish early.

So i get out there to drop off the switchboard and i spotted 4 Big Black Barrels (Near the size of 44gal drums) i said to my client who i done a big favor delivering this board tonight for How much for them, he replied just take them mate.

he used them to collect rain water for a few years before he got his big tanks, they are all fitted with 1" Taps in the bottom and a few fittings.

Now how to use them and what to use them for!!!!! there are no lids so it kinda kills the idea for Grow Beds, thinking of Burying one as a sump as much as i can dig Then making a cover for it. Then maybe Modularing the other 3 into a Tank running as a Teir system one into the other Via SLO Overflows and pumping my sump back to the first one.

Will Work Out litreage and stuff and post back with some photo's

New Pump still running and working nicly iv noticed my sick little brocoli plants have got a new lease on life and are standing up with new growth. Hoping to find some seedlings tomorrow Downloaded the Planting Calendar and will find somthing to plant as my broc seedlings are TINY and i might need some more plants.

Makeshift Hot house seems to be working Ok Had some Fierce winds today and yesterday and its still in place along with a fair whack of rain so even if anything its keeping the rain off my system, it has plenty of condensation on the inside so i gather its warming up somewhat even tho there has been not much sun around in the last 2 days.

No Plumbing leaks either might stick the barrels under my Downpipes tonight as its going to rain, my 5000l tank that is used as a Toilet system in the house is full of leaves and is near euky oil infused might not be any good for my AP system some Fresh Quality H20 will be better than the chemical infused shite that the town supply us.

Right Back to the shed for some AP fun.... its like 4 Degrees out there but iv got a jumper n coat!!!!!

Can i smell some beers???

TTFN

good job finding the barrels..
do you know anyone with a plastic welder? you could split them and make each one a single longer gb

Yer thinking about doing that or somthing simular, was going to roll some 2.5mm stainlesssteel at at work the same radius as half the barrel then rivet them together sandwiching the barrells between 2 bits of staineless whch will be very strong and make a stand up then just seal it with silicon that would work i'd reckon, stonger than plaz welding)

then use 1 as a sump and 2 for tanks until i get my IBC then turn the others into gb's if the first one works ok.

Aquaponixing all day today!!!!

Got 2 x Barrells Plumbed up, New Sump in, Cycling through my Existing GB, now working on new GB Made By Cutting a Barrell down the Middle long ways and joining the two bits together and sealing it, will put some photos up tonight as im just in for a quick coffee and keeping an eye on Bubs while DW is out Shopping.

Barrells as i got them


Tanks Sitting in Roughcast Will Be building a stand soonish


Tanks Linked Via a 1" Pipe (Was the easiest way i could do it without going fittings etc)


OverFlow (Not Running SLO has bout 400mm of pipe on the end of it)


Overflow Into Bed, Nice Trickle Running (When i upgrade to the SLO i will Prob Upgrade to 25mm PVC From the 50mm SLO to my Beds)


New Sump Buried into the ground only about 250mm as thats all i could get but it was all i needed


Sump and Bed overflow Running


The Makings of my New Growbed - Am going to Fab up a Nice Frame to hold it all nicely and frame up a Nice Hothouse Cover over the top of it


Gravel Settled into my bed so i needed a Topup Used the Fine Scoria/Quarts Mix that iv got round the house, bout 1" Thick cover



One Of my helpers for the Day, The others took off before i got the camera out

Been out there from 8-4 today, lifted my tanks up onto some spare wheels (frm my last expensive hobby), fenced off the whole area so nippers can't get out into it, got the new gb plumbed in still no media in it yet will grab a cube of blue metal one night after work, and covered my tanks and sump to keep rain and nastys out.

Next on the menu;

- test kit
- nft setup below a mesh wall to grow some climbers on
- another black barrell for a tank, setup SLO from one tank to the other to the other,
- upgrade slo to grow beds.
- another sump and 1-2 grow beds
- constuct a tank stand, insulate my tanks and sumps before summer.
-put a 12 inch air stone in each tank and sump.


Then once all up an cycled hope to introduce some silvers into my tanks, yabbies in sumps

Looks a lot like you are having fun m3tal. Keep up the good work!

Loving it and learning, can't wait to get my master test kit and some bigger seedlings and start following my levels, got my brother to fill a bottle for some humamonia that I will age up and use (I can't as I'm on meds and I don't want any in my system)

Maybe I'm weird but I love going out the back and listening to my siphon running also that constent flow of water.

Just unloaded 1cu/mt of 20mm aggy rock bloody hard work by hand lots more work ahead of me with washing and then puttin it into my gb's the fun awaits!!!!

Update Time.

Been Washing Gravel Between rain and Kids This Afternoon got my GB About 1/2 Full, Washing with tank water.

Made a couple of Venturi Aerators to put in my ST and FT, and started Doing some more plumbing on my 2nd Bed. Got 3 days off work (Wife has gone to melb as her sister is having her first baby so mother goose is in baby mode hahaha) iv got the rest of the nestlings at home, hoping for some sun tomorrow and get them outside and adventuring!

will keep posting my progress