Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

My backyard DIY system in Ellenbrook Perth

Set up a CHOP system using IBC tanks for for the fish and sump tanks and fiberglass bathtubs for the grow beds. Used pea gravel for the grow bed media. Lesson learned with pea gravel, wash it well. I thought I did but it is taking weeks to get the clay out of my water.

Have a 6000Lph pump running continuously pumping from the sump to the fish tank, which then overflows into the grow beds. Grow beds drain using auto siphons back into the sump and so the cycle goes.

System has been running for just over a week now with plants in it. Looking at adding silver perch to start off with, let them grow out while I get the hang of everything and then try some trout and barra. Added some yabbies to the sump today exciting times.

All up the system only cost me about $600 to setup minus fish when they come and the plants so it has been done on a pretty good budget.

Just a few more pics

Great looking set-up!

Justa a note about adding the trout or barra into your system with the SP, They will both eat the SP once they are big enough.

Might need to transfer the SP's into the sump tank.

Keep the up-dates and photos coming!

Very neat, well done.

Very cool system there Hillsy....

Nice Looking System Hillsy!

Very Neat indeed, good to see yet another Budget system that looks the part and does the job!

Have you considered battery backup? just setting mine up at the moment and have seen a few HSM's lately due to power outages

Thanks for the comments guys,

Will look at a backup when I actually get some fish in there. BYAP have a small air pump with a built in battery back up. Might look at a cheaper option though. Any recommendations? My current air pump continues to destroy its diaphragms so might upgrade it to something a little more industrial and maybe just a small 12v bilge pump or something as a back up.

As for adding trout/barra with the perch I intended to grow out and harvest the perch before making the swap over to trout/barra. But in any case the perch would be OK mixed in with the trout/barra as long as they were bigger right?

The "new" battery backup 2 outlet air pump that BYAP stocks is cheap, and reliable... and good for about 10 hours... has a 6v rechargeable battery.. and pumps as much air under battery as it does in normal AC...

Nice looking setup Hillsy

My slivers are living with trout at the moment, ao far so good

Regards

Matt

Yes I believe so, but having lived up North and fished for barra I reckon they would try to eat the SP as soon as they thought they could get away with it!

I'm looking at running SP's in my system when it arrives till the grow out then a season of trout then back to SP's and so on.

Sorry for the hijack, but what brand/model is it?? Cannot seem to find it on the online shop....

Don't believe Joel has put them online as yet...

I'll let him give the details...

Got my fish in yesterday, 25 silver perch. Exciting times. Also have 10 Yabbies in the sump tank. Had to add some extra PVC off cuts into the bottom as they were fighting over the couple that where there. Found one claw already.

Have also added a venturi aerator I knocked up quickly into the fish tank. I was surprised at how well it worked.

As for my plant the Pak Choi went straight to seed and I have a few cauliflowers coming up. Everything else is looking healthy. Now that I have some fish in the system hopefully everything will start to pickup.

Looking a treat there, young man!

I love the observation window- how'd you do it? Framed some Perspex and silicone it in?

Did you 'tooth' the airline leading into your Venturi? I'd be curious to see the internals.

Bring on the produce!

BTx

Hi Bluethumb,

Yeah viewing window is perspex sandwiched between two ally frames (inside and out) with silicon. Was worried it wouldn't seal but it all worked out great. The new fish are still hiding in the bottom corner of the tank so can't wait for them to get a little more adventurous so I can see the window in action.

As for the venturi I tried to keep it as simple as possible and just slotted the back of the air tube. It works great and yet is so simple. You will have to excuse the pictures they were taken from my phone as the camera died but you get the idea.